My Two Rules for Buying Records
Like many middle-aged white dudes, I’ve started buying records. And I’ve got a two rules:
No albums more than two years old; and
No albums by an artist whose first album is more than five years old
Leaving aside the times I bend the rules, here’s my logic behind these guidelines: I am desperate for new music. I’ve been listening to the same artists for decades now. And while I love reveling in some of my favorite music, I think my creativity and joy are stifled when I keep going over the same well-worn tunes.
I’m not scouring record stores for a used copy of my favorite Springsteen album or picking up a slick new pressing of Nirvana’s MTV Unplugged in New York. I can stream all of that. Instead, I’m paying attention to WXPN’s Artists to Watch, or looking at who’s coming to Underground Arts in Philly. It’s hard for me to go to shows with any regularity to check out new artists. But I can absolutely buy records, and getting a new record is sort of like a little prize to myself, for finding something that speaks to me.
There are a couple other benefits to these rules. Artists receive pittance from streaming services, and buying their records is taking an extra step that can go a long way for new artists. Also the recording industry seems hell-bent on squeezing profits from last-gasp nostalgia rather than nurturing new artists, and I like to feel like I’m doing my small part to let the industry know new talent is worth the investment.
But at the end of the day, these rules are just my silly way to break out of my comfort zone. I want to hear something fresh, something a bit jarring, something that reminds me how much fun it is to play music, and hopefully inspires me to create something new.