For many of us, the music format we first listened to when we were young still has a nostalgic hold on us.
Whether it was the cassette tape and its easily tangled spool, the shiny and futuristic CD disc, the good ol' vinyl record, or even the wondrous little MiniDisc – physical music formats give us a tangible and emotional connection that streaming still can't quite match. (And of course, once you buy a piece of physical media, it's yours to own forever.)
We might be in a nostalgic mood with What Hi-Fi? turning 50 years old this year, but we have also been enjoying a resurgence and appreciation for physical music – from the vinyl revival of the past decade to the more recent uptick in CD sales.
It's made us wonder: what is your favourite physical music format of the past few decades?
Is it the very first format you listened to – say, tape or vinyl – or did the advent of CDs and perhaps even SACDs take over in your estimation? Is it to do with convenience and price, or does sound quality reign supreme in your choice of physical music format?
Do you still mourn the loss of the MiniDisc, or even have a collection of DVD-Audio discs from its brief moment in the sun? Does anyone still favour (and have) reel-to-reel tapes over all else?
Or do you simply buy a mix of formats, depending on your whims?
We aren't trying to start a format war here; we want this to be a celebration of the various physical formats on which we enjoy listening to music.
We simply want to know which physical music format is your preference and why – and we'd love to hear your thoughts and stories connected to it.
For instance, despite my recent infatuation with all things vinyl and turntable-related, the cassette tape was my first music format.
And even though I may still get a nostalgic thrill from using a pencil to wind up the tape, it's CDs and their little booklets with lyrics, anecdotes and sometimes hidden messages from the artist that remain near and dear to my heart. That's the format that I listened to and collected throughout my teens into adulthood.
So let us know your favourite physical music format choice(s) – you can wax lyrical all about it in the comments below, on our forum or on our social media channels.
We'll put them all together in a follow-up article at the end of the month, so you can see your fellow readers' picks!
MORE:
I am ditching streaming services in favour of physical media – here’s why
Forget the vinyl revival – I'm getting excited about CD players again
10 of the best Leonard Cohen songs to test your hi-fi system
I’m a MiniDisc fanatic and this is my love letter to the format
