Anyone listen to entire albums?


I assume the answer is yes since many of you run vinyl rigs, but just wondering how many around here listen to entire albums at a sitting?  In the age of instant gratification and playlists I seem to be, recently, gravitating to listening through entire albums.  I don’t have vinyl and only stream or play from a network drive so it’s easy for me to bounce around from song to song, artist to artist.  Maybe it’s a nostalgia thing but I enjoy hearing a record in it’s entirely the way the artist recorded it.  I’ve flirted with the idea of vinyl for the very reason that it seems to be a format that lends itself to listening through an entire album in one sitting.  I seem to be less inclined to make that move though now that I’ve been doing the album thing via streaming. 

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I noticed that when streaming, if I don't like the album, I often don't finish it, and when listening to music from a vinyl record, I listen to it until the end and very often change my mind about the album.

I grew up in the late 70's and early 80's. My local North Jersey radio station, was WDHA, it was an album rock format. They used drop the needle and play new releases beginning to end. My friends and I would record the broadcasts on our cassette decks and have an inexpensive copy of the album. I use to buy cases of TDK cassettes from Crazy Eddies. 

When I listen to vinyl, I listen to one side of an album.  When I get up I choose a different record and pick a new side!  When I stream its playlists or for music discovery in which case I listen to the full album.

I remember back in the 80’s when CD’s first came out they reordered songs on 70’s albums and people lost their minds. The record companies responded by saying you can program the CD player to play in the original order but finally they just repressed as originally put out!

I started buying albums in the late 1960's. I never just listened to one side. I always play all sides in order. Think of it as an artistic creation. The album was conceived with all the songs (not necessarily a concept) in the order in which they are laid out. I know know some compromises have to be made when mastering so a cut may have to be re-sequenced.

 

You don't look at part of a photograph or statue or painting. A classical lover wouldn't listen to the middle movement then move on to another symphony. I can see millennials not wanting to do that. But would you go to a movie for the middle?

 

Now I have over 2000 albums, carefully selected so I know I will like what is contained on the whole album. I have virtually all major genres and enjoy the time it take to listen to entire record.

 

Either way, I hope you enjoy the music.

I was a digital only guy and then got the vinyl itch.

I almost exclusively listen to vinyl because it forces me to listen to full side ls and full albums.

I have found B sides/deeper cuts are often amazing on a good system vs the "hit"s.  Jimmy Hendrix are you experienced.   Nirvana Nevermind.  David Bowie scary monsters are three example that on digital I would have skipped to something else before working through to tje magic.