A recent thread got me thinking about how we all collect music differently. We each go about it in our own way.
Some of us here at the Corner, of course, collect by the label itself--maybe we try to own everything we know of that was released by the label. Or like me, some of us may go after a subset of the label's recordings, such as focusing on owning the entire A&M/CTi catalog in one form or another, or owning a complete set of the A&M Audiophile "SPJ" series. There are other labels beyond A&M that have much smaller catalogs, and there are fans who collect releases by label for those catalogs also.
Some may collect by the physical format. Since 8-track tape and 4-track reels were lesser in number than what cassettes would become, they are good targets for someone to collect. Others may collect only LPs, where others might focus on 45 RPM singles or 12-inch singles. Still others focus on first-pressing CDs from the early to mid 80s, and likewise, some might collect releases from a specific audiophile label, or collect direct-to-disc or dbx-encoded records. Another niche is picture discs. Each of us finds our niche in collecting formats like these.
For artists and bands, collecting can be a broad pursuit or very specific.
The all-inclusive way to collect one artist or band is to, simply, buy up all of their releases. This can include original albums, reissues on various formats, anthologies and compilations, even other recordings that the artist(s) appeared on as a featured guest or backing musician.
It could be tedious to collect artists who have dozens of albums, but it is still possible. Breaking it down somewhat, a collector might want the entire catalog on LP, whereas someone else wants a complete set of CDs of all the releases.
For bands that had different phases, such as Genesis (the Peter Gabriel era or the Phil Collins era, or albums only with Steve Hackett), some might choose to stick to only one of these niches. And some hone it down further still by collecting their releases only on the originally released label in the UK (Charisma, Virgin) where others might want all the major global releases.
Some might want to collect all of the songs released by the artist, regardless of format. So, a complete set for them includes the B-sides from singles, non-album tracks from compilations and soundtracks, etc. But this does not include purchasing anthologies or box sets that already contain the same music from the original releases. It could, however, include remixes, especially those that would have appeared on 12-inch singles, or had notable radio or 45-RPM single edits. It's not uncommon for this type of collector to be forced into purchasing an entire anthology CD just to get one unreleased track! (In which case, the ability to download individual tracks today, if available, makes an end run around that limitation.)
For any of these types of collecting, an individual may or may not approach them as a completist. Someone purchasing a specific genre or sub-genre of music, for instance, might never be able to buy everything, but a good portion of their collection includes a lot of titles that cover their chosen specialties.
However we collect our music, it is always rewarding to complete a set, and it's an ongoing pursuit in fulfilling other niches in our collections as we find new items in our travels. And because we all do it differently, there is never a right or wrong way to go about it. Collecting anything is one of our passions in life, and it is always interesting to observe how others do it--seeing what they collect, and how they go about collecting it.
How do you collect your music? And, what do you collect? Do you collect anything beyond music? Let us know in the comments below!
Some of us here at the Corner, of course, collect by the label itself--maybe we try to own everything we know of that was released by the label. Or like me, some of us may go after a subset of the label's recordings, such as focusing on owning the entire A&M/CTi catalog in one form or another, or owning a complete set of the A&M Audiophile "SPJ" series. There are other labels beyond A&M that have much smaller catalogs, and there are fans who collect releases by label for those catalogs also.
Some may collect by the physical format. Since 8-track tape and 4-track reels were lesser in number than what cassettes would become, they are good targets for someone to collect. Others may collect only LPs, where others might focus on 45 RPM singles or 12-inch singles. Still others focus on first-pressing CDs from the early to mid 80s, and likewise, some might collect releases from a specific audiophile label, or collect direct-to-disc or dbx-encoded records. Another niche is picture discs. Each of us finds our niche in collecting formats like these.
For artists and bands, collecting can be a broad pursuit or very specific.
The all-inclusive way to collect one artist or band is to, simply, buy up all of their releases. This can include original albums, reissues on various formats, anthologies and compilations, even other recordings that the artist(s) appeared on as a featured guest or backing musician.
It could be tedious to collect artists who have dozens of albums, but it is still possible. Breaking it down somewhat, a collector might want the entire catalog on LP, whereas someone else wants a complete set of CDs of all the releases.
For bands that had different phases, such as Genesis (the Peter Gabriel era or the Phil Collins era, or albums only with Steve Hackett), some might choose to stick to only one of these niches. And some hone it down further still by collecting their releases only on the originally released label in the UK (Charisma, Virgin) where others might want all the major global releases.
Some might want to collect all of the songs released by the artist, regardless of format. So, a complete set for them includes the B-sides from singles, non-album tracks from compilations and soundtracks, etc. But this does not include purchasing anthologies or box sets that already contain the same music from the original releases. It could, however, include remixes, especially those that would have appeared on 12-inch singles, or had notable radio or 45-RPM single edits. It's not uncommon for this type of collector to be forced into purchasing an entire anthology CD just to get one unreleased track! (In which case, the ability to download individual tracks today, if available, makes an end run around that limitation.)
For any of these types of collecting, an individual may or may not approach them as a completist. Someone purchasing a specific genre or sub-genre of music, for instance, might never be able to buy everything, but a good portion of their collection includes a lot of titles that cover their chosen specialties.
However we collect our music, it is always rewarding to complete a set, and it's an ongoing pursuit in fulfilling other niches in our collections as we find new items in our travels. And because we all do it differently, there is never a right or wrong way to go about it. Collecting anything is one of our passions in life, and it is always interesting to observe how others do it--seeing what they collect, and how they go about collecting it.
How do you collect your music? And, what do you collect? Do you collect anything beyond music? Let us know in the comments below!