Outside of a few exceptions, I don't listen to an album front to back unless it is brand new anymore. My listening behavior wasn't always this way; I remember the joy of popping a CD into the player and knowing you could just let go. Either it was a band that you loved and continued to give that one song another chance in hopes it would resonate this time, or a CD you already enjoyed each track, but the effect of giving up control to the artist was the same.
In the age of MP3, the listener has complete control. If they don't like the first 15 seconds of a track the only effort required to skip is a single button push without ever exploring the possibly rewarding experience that the 2:42 or 5:00 mark may reveal. There is no detriment to the listener for this as in previous media forms. CDs had definite length and skipping a song meant finding a new CD (hopefully in its case) that is appealing in the moment (never mind the hassles with cassettes or vinyl). A computer or iPod has seemingly infinite playlist.
However, I don't regret this trend. I still listen to new works as whole pieces, and the classics still inspire me to play their entirety. I try to listen to a large quantity of music, it's my main hobby. This leads to having songs I really liked from albums that I haven't heard in a few months. Rating systems, automated playlists, and shuffle mode allow me to have all my favorite tracks at hand without memorization or delay. As we advance, it is important to remember what we are giving up in order to move forward.
(By the by, MGMT's Congratulations is quite good.)
Posts
