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Why play a music CD? No ads, no privacy terrors, no algorithms

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Re: Why play a music CD? No ads, no privacy terrors, no algorithms

#301

Post by skinnymuch »

rchaud wrote: post #261

I'm definitely on board with physical media. Almost all the vinyl I've bought comes with a download code anyway, and album artwork shines on a 12" x 12" canvas much more than it ever could on the tiny thumbnail you get on a music player app. That being said, indie music stores like Bandcamp are digital only, but offer one-click DRM-free MP3 downloads for purchased songs/albums. The UX is focused on buying music first…

Spotify has never recommended a typical “top 40” mainstream artist to me. I looked at the top 100 Billboard list and while I recognize most of the artists, I don’t recognize any of the songs or albums since i don’t listen to those artists. The only exception is that I have listened to Offset’s songs recently.

The algo isn’t the best, but it’s not awful or just giving you the most popular music around. For example they never recommended Billie Eilish to me which would be a win for their algo not just recommending popular things that are sort of adjacent to music I’m listening to.

Checking the playlists Spotify created for me, they seem pretty decent. Nothing to do with top charting pop music.

Last.fm syncs with Spotify seamlessly too and many other platforms.

Re: Why play a music CD? No ads, no privacy terrors, no algorithms

#302

Post by gloflo »

neuralk wrote: post #235
kstenerud wrote: post #189

I've got all my music ripped to FLAC, sitting on my file server, a little N40L microserver with 8tb mirrored storage (my music takes about 300gb total). On the server, I've got a script that uses ffmpeg to convert from flac to whatever format I want (currently aac and mp3, which my player devices support). The script also applies replaygain to keep the volume consistent. I run the script once and it processes the who…

This feels like a business opportunity. Or, at least, an open source repo + a tutorial article that would attract donations.

How much money do you realistically see this generating? With how much effort for marketing and polishing? I would be impressed if OP could calculate even 1 dollar per hour and come out with a profit.

This is a niche of a niche of a niche.

Re: Why play a music CD? No ads, no privacy terrors, no algorithms

#303

Post by ben010783 »

classichasclass wrote: post #295
criddell wrote: post #250

My daughter got a record player for Christmas last year and it caused me to think about my relationship to music. After she got the record player, I've taken her to the record store a few times and it was like stepping out of a time machine. I loved everything about it (Waterloo Records in Austin is pretty fantastic). I ended up buying a CD player and pulling my collection out of the attic. I had forgotten how good m…

CDs are so cheap these days, and Amazon has AutoRip for many albums and will retroactively add it if you bought it from them and they add it to Amazon Music later. I miss longboxes though. It was terribly wasteful packaging but I loved them, especially the ones that had unique art just on the longbox. I always buy physical.

I don't think I've ever seen a longbow in person. I love the art on them though.

Re: Why play a music CD? No ads, no privacy terrors, no algorithms

#304

Post by timw4mail »

PretzelFisch wrote: post #291
timw4mail wrote: post #217

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My experience is that bit-rot with CDs is excessively rare. Scratches and scuffs are rare "with good care". Even then, deep scratches are the real issue. Minor scratches are often irrelevant with the error correction. So how does one need to wonder if the CD will even play?

I've had issues playing CDs on older players. I think newer models have better error correction.

Playback lasers can also weaken over time. Not so much a property of the CD as the playback device.

Re: Why play a music CD? No ads, no privacy terrors, no algorithms

#305

Post by criddell »

omega3 wrote: post #219
kstenerud wrote: post #189

I've got all my music ripped to FLAC, sitting on my file server, a little N40L microserver with 8tb mirrored storage (my music takes about 300gb total). On the server, I've got a script that uses ffmpeg to convert from flac to whatever format I want (currently aac and mp3, which my player devices support). The script also applies replaygain to keep the volume consistent. I run the script once and it processes the who…

Slightly of-topic but how do you discover new music to listen to?

I think many of us curate a physical or digital collection and also subscribe to a streaming service.

I use Google Play Music and when I find something I like, I buy the CD.

Re: Why play a music CD? No ads, no privacy terrors, no algorithms

#306

Post by PeanutNore »

rchaud wrote: post #261

I'm definitely on board with physical media. Almost all the vinyl I've bought comes with a download code anyway, and album artwork shines on a 12" x 12" canvas much more than it ever could on the tiny thumbnail you get on a music player app. That being said, indie music stores like Bandcamp are digital only, but offer one-click DRM-free MP3 downloads for purchased songs/albums. The UX is focused on buying music first…

I listen pretty much exclusively to extreme metal and punk rock and Google Play Music has been doing an incredible job of recommending new music that I enjoy.

Re: Why play a music CD? No ads, no privacy terrors, no algorithms

#307

Post by rchaud »

omega3 wrote: post #219
kstenerud wrote: post #189

I've got all my music ripped to FLAC, sitting on my file server, a little N40L microserver with 8tb mirrored storage (my music takes about 300gb total). On the server, I've got a script that uses ffmpeg to convert from flac to whatever format I want (currently aac and mp3, which my player devices support). The script also applies replaygain to keep the volume consistent. I run the script once and it processes the who…

Slightly of-topic but how do you discover new music to listen to?

A couple of ways I do it:

* Use the Shazam app on my phone to identify music I hear in public places

* Go on Rateyourmusic.com, look up an album I like and find what "lists" RYM users have put that album on, or what message board posts have cited that album. It's a much more "human-centric" approach compared to websites where algorithms generate the recs.

Re: Why play a music CD? No ads, no privacy terrors, no algorithms

#308

Post by jartelt »

rchaud wrote: post #261

I'm definitely on board with physical media. Almost all the vinyl I've bought comes with a download code anyway, and album artwork shines on a 12" x 12" canvas much more than it ever could on the tiny thumbnail you get on a music player app. That being said, indie music stores like Bandcamp are digital only, but offer one-click DRM-free MP3 downloads for purchased songs/albums. The UX is focused on buying music first…

Agree that the Spotify discovery is bad. I find myself going back to Pandora, which is sad considering I have Spotify premium.

Re: Why play a music CD? No ads, no privacy terrors, no algorithms

#309

Post by fatnoah »

mywittyname wrote: post #296
rchaud wrote: post #261

I'm definitely on board with physical media. Almost all the vinyl I've bought comes with a download code anyway, and album artwork shines on a 12" x 12" canvas much more than it ever could on the tiny thumbnail you get on a music player app. That being said, indie music stores like Bandcamp are digital only, but offer one-click DRM-free MP3 downloads for purchased songs/albums. The UX is focused on buying music first…

> I honestly find Spotify and Apple Music bad for music discovery if your tastes aren't really adjacent to Top 40 (is that even a thing today?) style pop music. I strongly disagree. Spotify has dramatically increased the variety of music that I listen to and introduced me to lost of tiny artists with great music. I'm looking at the official chart top 40 online and have to go down to 7th place to find an artist I know…

>I strongly disagree. Spotify has dramatically increased the variety of music that I listen to and introduced me to lost of tiny artists with great music.

This has been my experience as well.

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