Is Binge-listening Spoiling the Discovery of New Favourite Artists?

RocknRollDave

When I 'discover' a new artist that I like (and I use new in the sense of "new to me." They don't have to be one I've not heard or heard of before, just one I have not bothered with before but suddenly have an urge to explore the works of), with Spotify I tend to binge on their albums, but in my excitement I barely pause to take one album in before I'm like "Oh, wonder what the one after that was like..." and then "Oh this next one is supposed to be a good one, let's have a go.." and "Hmm, the reviews reckon this one is a stinker...I bet it turns out to be my favourite"...etc etc... 


All at the expense of actually sitting down and spending quality time with one album and letting it really get under my skin.

Back in the day, as a youngster, I'd have to wait until I could afford to buy another of the same artist's albums, if I could even find another of theirs at WH Smith, Dudley's record section. But then when I got a record, I'd live with it for months and really get to know it.
There are bands now who I love but whose songs I can't even name. That NEVER would have been the case in the past. 


So...Does the freedom and ease we get from streaming also have its down sides?

monquixote

I'm not sure.

I've recently got into Bonobo I've listened to every track they've done about 20 times but I couldn't tell you what any of them were called, or which album they are on.

Does that matter?

Philly_Q

It's been overwhelmingly positive for me.  In the ten(?) years I've had Spotify I've discovered so many new bands (...or has Spotify discovered them for me?  It doesn't matter).

And listening to a band's albums in sequence is one of my favourite things to do.  If it's a band that's new to me, I can see their progression - in a sort of fast-forward.  And it's still exciting when they release something new.

If it's a band I've listened to for years, decades, it gives me a perspective I didn't have when I was was waiting a year or two (or three or four) for each individual album.  Suddenly, it becomes clear what a mistake it was to work with that producer, to go for that more commercial sound, or to jump on the grunge bandwagon...

The stuff I really like, I still listen to over and over again, so the familiarity still develops.

I take your point about not knowing the song names (or the names of band members).  But that's partly down to me getting older, I think.  And knowing all the details about an album has become a bit of a thing of the past - the CDs I buy now simply don't have loads of production credits and thanks lists like they used to.

RocknRollDave

monquixote said:

I'm not sure.

I've recently got into Bonobo I've listened to every track they've done about 20 times but I couldn't tell you what any of them were called, or which album they are on.

Does that matter?

Good question. Depends on your point of view, of course.
Not knowing the name of a song shouldn't affect whether you like it or get enjoyment from it, of course. All I meant was that it signals in me some kind of disconnection that wasn't there before; back in the day, I'd have known these things. 
I suppose the question I was asking in the OP is "Am I connecting less with music because it is easier to listen to?"

EDIT: Or am I becoming less 'invested' in albums because I don't have to make so much effort now?

Funkfingers

Philly_Q said:

knowing all the details about an album has become a bit of a thing of the past.

That changed somewhat with the arrival of Punk Rock.

Mid Seventies album covers were resplendent with aerie faerie artworks and an exhaustive gear list for each band member. e.g. Wind & Wuthering. 

Five years later, the credits on Abacab are; 
Keyboards
Guitars, Bass
Drums, Vocals

Grumpyrocker

I've discovered so many brilliant artists in the last few years. 

I tend not to binge. And I listen to albums full rather than delving into playlists. 

When I find a new band I like I'll read up about them. Maybe watch some videos. And tend to work backwards chronologically through their discography. And stuff I really like I'll get on cd to support the artist. 

Thanks to streaming I'm finding more new bands and listening to more new music than I did even as a young student. 

The irony is I listen to more new metal than my 15 year old son who listens to 80s Metallica and GNR and like.