Having my iPod has dramatically changed how I listen to music, and how much I listen to music. That little device is like crack and caffeine, all rolled into one. I can’t start my day at work without having some music going — sometimes harsh stuff, sometimes bubblegum, but it’s *always* there. And throughout the day, my Sennie’s are on my head, and someone’s music is cranking through my head.
A couple of observations though….
This thing really lends itself well to short-attention-span listening. I’ll find a track I haven’t listened to for a while, and while looking for that, I find others I haven’t listened to for a while. I’ll start listening to one, only to flip to another before that one’s done. More proof that I’ve got ADD! 🙂
I also find that I don’t know the newer music I add as well as the older music. That may just be that I’ve had more time to get familiar with the older music — it’s been around longer. However, I think there’s a difference in listening style that may have nothing to do with the iPod or digital music in general.
In the old days, I’d get down to K-Mart, and could only afford to buy an album every now then. My collection was small, and I would wear the grooves out of the discs. I had music on all the time, just less of it to choose from. It was nothing for me to be up all night, with a stack of vinyl on the turntable keeping me company through the night. I knew what was coming when, even down to where to pops and crackles were on the vinyl. (In fact, there are a few songs that I still expect to hear pops from at certain points — I guess early training runs deep!)
Now, I can buy music whenever I want, and when I do, it becomes part of much larger tapestry of tunes I listen to. And, instead of listening to everything I own a lot, I stage music for moods, or tasks, or because something external reminded me of a particular track or artist. That’s probably why my iPod habits are so bad — too many choices, and really no opportunity to get as intimate with each as I might’ve a long time ago.
I guess that’s not the worst problem to have, eh?