Why I still buy CDs

It seems lately I've seen a ton of comments about the CD being dead and how no one buys CDs anymore. Yes, the numbers are down and yes, as a format it is certainly not going to survive long in this digital age, but as a music fan I still love CDs.

• Liner Notes. I love liner notes. That should put me into the music geek club right there. It goes beyond the lyrics. I like knowing that Prince co-wrote a track on the album, or that Emmylou Harris sings background vocals, or that then-session guitarist Dan Huff played on 90 per cent of the CDs I bought in the 80s. I like being able to pick up the liner notes to see what that sample is that I just can't place. I even read the meaningless "Thank You" section.
  
• Artwork. Artwork is already a dying art once you take a canvas that used to be the size of an album and condense it down to a CD cover, but there's still some very innovative artwork out there. Recent Bright Eyes, Radiohead and Beck all come to mind. While artwork is probably even more subjective than the music itself and rarely a deal-breaker for buying the CD, the memorable ones stay with you and become part of pop culture. Dark Side of the Moon anyone?
  
• Record stores. A good record store can make your day. There's something about spending an hour (ok, more), quietly flipping through rows and rows of CDs in a store that's well stocked. You see things that you would normally never even think of looking for. You see titles that came out without your knowledge. You see those sweet re-issues on sale. Imports, box sets, delete bins, new release wall, specialty sections -- none of that can be replaced online.
  
• Backups. I'll be practical for just one moment. Having a CD means I still have my collection if my computer dies. Sure, I could back it up, but it's time consuming and, frankly, a pain in the ass. Can't figure out where I stored all my Josh Rouse files? I'll just grab the CD and throw it on. Yes, the house could still burn and take my collection with it, but try claiming 20GB worth of iTunes files on your insurance and see what happens.
  
• Convenience. Sometimes it's just easier to throw on the CD. If I make a spur of the moment decision to listen to Miles Davis as I drive to the mountains I gotta make sure it's on the iPod. Is the iPod charged? No? Ok, better grab the cable for the car, and make sure the iTrip is there. Oh, and as I drive over this hill a new station comes in so now I need to change the station and retune. Or, I could just grab the CD and pop it into the car's player (plus I have the liner notes handy).
  
• Physical Presence. I'm old school. When I plunk down my hard earned cash for tunes, I want something physical in my hand.
  

I'm certainly not so stuck in the past that I don't download at all. MP3s and my iPod have changed how I listen to music -- mostly for the better. iTunes is a godsend for the stuff I can't find in stores and I've been known to partake in online downloading for the truly hard to find stuff. I'll never go back to mix tapes or CDs and even though I whine, the iTrip is heaven for the car.

The first thing I do with a new CD? Rip it of course.

But I won't let go of the CD. I'll try every avenue before I buy an entire album online, even if the record store experience leaves me less than thrilled these days. There's something about physically going to a place that sells music that connects you to the music, and to others who love music like you did. Nothing can compare online.