Music: Then and Now

Singer songwriter Alan O'Day (writer of such hits as Angie Baby, and Undercover Angel)  asked a bunch of us to write a comparison of our relationship with music  "Then and Now". I wrote a response and thought I would share it here.

Then:

At one time in my life I had no great interest in music. My parents got me a radio with built in cassette deck for Christmas. They got it for me because I liked playing with tape recorders. I realized that I could tape off the radio and for the first few weeks I sat monitoring radio and taping songs (Kind of a lo tech version of file sharing). I began to realize what kinds of music I liked. Then I started buying music at the record store. At first just greatest hits albums, then I got into the full length albums. Then I began to feel that just listening wasn't enough and I wanted to learn how to play.

Now:

I have been let down by today's music radio and so I don't listen to it anymore

The ipod is my favorite personal belonging. I have over 6800 song on it. I use it to listen in the car, while I work around the house, while I am shopping, I listen to my itunes while I write this.

I buy more music now then ever before. I check the Amazon mp3 store every day for their album deal of the day and their free song of the day (I make lots of purchases there).  I check the Best Buy sunday ads to see what new releases are going to be on sale that week.

I believe that there is tons of great new music out there. Just don't expect mainstream radio to find it for you, You have to find it yourself. But it's out there and it's fantastic. That is why I write music reviews at musicworthbuying.com

Then: I liked rock and pop

Now: I keep expanding and growing. When I was a kid I hated 50's rock. Now I love it. I think we grow up with lots of prejudices about music, but I think you can learn to shed them and open your mind to new and different kinds of music. You don't have to like everything though. In fact, sometimes to be passionate about music you might have to hate a few things in order to really know what you love. But you should always be open to the idea that you might start to love what you used to hate....It's happened to me.