Today, I just noticed that I’ve been listening to whole albums start to end instead of either my playlists, or generated by Spotify.
Edit: and just in time, one of my favorite youtuber dropped this video about listening to whole albums https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4cJmPkL9a0
I haven’t done that since I actually had records. How’s it been for you? I remember loving the concept albums where every song tied in to the overall record.
I grew up with cassettes a bit and mostly CD, but yeah I love albums again. Old ones definitely has an overall theme at the very least the artist wants to say.
CDs did make it a lot easier to make your own mixed playlist. But even until the mp3 and iPod era I still just listen to albums IIRC.
It’s not until streaming became mainstream when I mostly listened to playlists. The interim between mp3 players slowly dying and streaming became popular I think I hardly listened to music much.
Because I’m moving away from Spotify and YouTube Music, I’m starting to collect MP3s like people used to do. Since I’m too lazy to create my own custom playlists, I’ve also started listening to entire albums. It’s definitely a different experience than listening to randomized playlists.
I couldn’t find a good mp3 rip of the album that I can give you, and I don’t have a cd/DVD drive at the moment, so instead here’s an unsolicited recommendation for you to “acquire”
Dream Theater - Metropolis Pt. II: Scenes from a Memory
Great album, the tracks flow together and are meant to be listened to in order, it tells a story, and the album is quite diverse. Also, best album opener in history of albums and possibly history itself.
And if it is to your liking, the “Live Scenes from New York” version is amazing.
Thanks for the recommendation. Although I don’t normally listen to prog rock, I listened to the whole album. I was surprised how much I liked it. Some snippets of the album reminded me of the non-orchestral tracks from the soundtrack of Operation Flashpoint, and I really enjoyed the beginning of Home. I’ll definitely try to acquire the album from somewhere.
My unsolicited recommendation is Ninajirachi’s I Love My Computer. It’s probably my favourite album of 2025.
Will check it out. I’ll prefer to do that in my car during long drives for proper sound and immersion, otherwise my experience will constantly be interrupted by the fact that I Cosplay as a responsible adult in a household of six. So next week probably.
DT - M2SFaM is one of their more accessible albums, and it’s how many get into the band in general, as it has something for “everyone”. I saw them play the entire album start to finish live, and it was amazing.
I’m starting my move away from streaming as well. Spotify jacking up the price again while still not delivering on their promise of higher res like they say, as well as just more enshitification with AI bullshit, makes me reconsider my subscription.
Just have to rely on the old school way of asking for recommendations and word of mouth for new music, as well as following the artists I like.
Kicking myself for not taking care of my old mp3 and flac collection back before Spotify became mainstream. I put a lot of private tracker ratios on some of them and I don’t know which external drive I put them in lol
Whole albums usually tell a story and flow amazingly. The only downside is that when you hear a track outside of it, your brain may say “oh, the next song is X!” And then you are a little sad it isn’t 🙃
Truly is. It’s why some of my playlist have those kinds of songs together but basically meant the playlist can “never” shuffle.
The right way to enjoy music for me.
I got into collaborative playlists around themes which got me through lockdown but will always prefer going through whole records. I pray for album shuffle but alas, that doesn’t seem to be a priority for any music service be it streaming or local (desktop/phone/etc) app
plexamp has that
Now listen to My Bloody Valentine - Loveless all the way through.
TIL about shoegaze. This is certainly depended on mood for me. It has a place in my library for whenever that mood comes. Or even what the mood is lol. Thanks!
Edit: it evokes a kind of nostalgia at times.
You’re welcome. You’ll be visiting this album throughout your life.
Amazing album. Classic shoegaze.
Fuck Yeah. I was going to say it depends on the album - and this one is a good example.
I love albums. I will listen to an album all the way through even if I don’t really like it just to see. But here’s an unsolicited list of some recent albums I’ve listened to multiple times in the past 2 weeks:
Rio Kosta - Unicorn (psychedelic/groove)
Aesop Rock - Black Hole Superette (hip hop)
Dominic Fike - Rocket (pop)
Dijon - Baby (??? Dijon defies genres)
And now I shall get back to my second listen of Tyler Childers - Snipe Hunter (country/folk)
I’m sure you’ve listened to it all, but “the impossible kid” by Aesop Rock is probably my favourites to go through. That or hail Mary Mallon " Bestiary. I love the whole concept album format, and it’s pretty funny, while keeping the tracks slappin’.
Big fan of his whole discography, there’s really no one out there writing like him!
Big agree.
I like vinyl, so I can listen to half an album, take a break, then listen to the other side.
I’d like to get into vinyl. Wasn’t born yet when they were still the go to way to listen to music; grew up in the tail end of cassette era and of course CD. But vinyl players are getting more popular and new ones produced. I just don’t have the space to keep those vinyls
It doesn’t matter with some music, but there are definitely some pieces that might stand on their own but the artist intended them to be heard together with the other songs on the album, their totality conveying a larger message.
This is all nujabes albums for me. They can’t just be listened to one song on its own IMO. It must be the start to end the whole album.
YSK that - with older music - newer CDs often contain more tracks than the original LP. This can disrupt the flow, the wholeness. Water it down.
I prefer non remastered albums for ones made when song order was very intentional and gave it a feel. Playlists to me is like albums I crafted.
I don’t fully rely on auto playlist like Spotify or Youtube (Music) makes, I still do make my own playlists for moods. Algorithms just don’t know you fully, and they’re just lines of codes to push whatever spotify or youtube wants and thinks it’s the best match to a pattern.
