Music Stores (HMV, Virgin, Sunrise)

[sixrings]

I suppose I'm not their core customer. I haven't played video games since my Colecovision days (I've never understood the culture of the 20'something living in mom's basement spending hours a day gaming). All my movies are streamed, haven't bought a DVD either this decade.

As a "gamer" I find your comments somewhat offensive. It assumes that most gamers barely work at all and if they do, not enough to afford their own place. This generation is living in their parents basements longer than usual not because of solely gaming but because of the high costs of rent and home affordability versus income. Now I would argue that the gap in finances to housing is only going to continue to grow so you might as well jump in sooner than later but that is completely different than categorizing a whole group as what I would assume you think as lazy. By the way "The average age of someone who plays games is 31 years old. In fact, more gamers are over the age of 36 than between the ages of 18 to 35 or under the age of 18. They are also mostly men, but by a slimming margin. Men make up 52 percent." Sixrings himself is a home owner, a house with two cars, a cottage owner, and not only video games but some arcade machines in my basement. Sixrings is also married to a very understanding wife for 9 years. Video gaming is an expensive hobby but it is no more expensive than my friends who have season tickets to the raptors.

 

[Bruno Republic]

I thought HMV gave up selling video games several years ago.

 

[sixrings]

I thought HMV gave up selling video games several years ago.

the only hmv i have been to lately is at square one... but i dont remember seeing any gamer stuff other than t shirts and stuffed toys... the store is still mostly dvds/blu rays.

 

[Skeezix]

I haven't bought a CD this decade. Who's keeping these guys afloat?

Here too. I was given a free CD earlier this year and was somewhat annoyed that I would have to rip it.

Same with DVDs. My DVD player is dusty from disuse.

In 2015 (the last year for which Cdn data appears to be available), 5.3 million CDs were sold, as were 287,000 new vinyl LPs. The 2016 numbers for CDs are undoubtedly down from that, but someone is obviously still buying the damn things (albeit in dwindling numbers). As to who, I do not know. Even Starbucks doesn't sell them at the counter anymore.

I was somewhat sad to see HMV go into receivership, although it then occurred to me that I haven't stepped into any HMV store for 5+ years, and my last purchase would have been a few yearsbefore that.

 

[sixrings]

ive slowly stopped buying Blu Rays myself.. but I can tell instantly if i'm watching a stream/blu ray/UHD. There is indeed a difference even if it is relatively small that the larger population cant seem to understand why anyone would pay a premium for physical media.

 

[Admiral Beez]

but that is completely different than categorizing a whole group as what I would assume you think as lazy. By the way "The average age of someone who plays games is 31 years old. In fact, more gamers are over the age of 36. They are also mostly men, but by a slimming margin. Men make up 52 percent." Sixrings himself is a home owner, a house with two cars, a cottage owner, and not only video games but some arcade machines in my basement. Sixrings is also married to a very understanding wife for 9 years. Video gaming is an expensive hobby but it is no more expensive than my friends who have season tickets to the raptors.

Well said, and I apologize for my off the cuff slight.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

ive slowly stopped buying Blu Rays myself.. but I can tell instantly if i'm watching a stream/blu ray/UHD. There is indeed a difference even if it is relatively small that the larger population cant seem to understand why anyone would pay a premium for physical media.

There is a certain old-fashioned comfort to holding tangible, read-only medium in your hands. Kind of like paper books in the age of e-pubs.

Certain media, like PC games have gone pretty much all digital - you can't even buy hard copies even if you want to.

AoD

 

[sixrings]

There is a certain old-fashioned comfort to holding tangible, read-only medium in your hands. Kind of like paper books in the age of e-pubs.

Certain media, like PC games have gone pretty much all digital - you can't even buy hard copies even if you want to.

AoD

I really dislike going through netflix to find something... yes i dont need to get up but theres so much crap between what is actually decent and to be honest very little good movies... Where as my blu ray collection is movies i really like and they all have special features. I understand that some have a hard time getting that but physical has multiple advantages but the big disadvantage is you need to get out of your house to buy them and they cost more. If money is no object, and there is enough space, id always take an actual disk.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

I really dislike going through netflix to find something... yes i dont need to get up but theres so much crap between what is actually decent and to be honest very little good movies... Where as my blu ray collection is movies i really like and they all have special features. I understand that some have a hard time getting that but physical has multiple advantages but the big disadvantage is you need to get out of your house to buy them and they cost more. If money is no object, and there is enough space, id always take an actual disk.

And besides when you buy the movie/tv series you are more often than not offered digital download - and stuff that doesn't I can always rip myself a copy. I just don't particularly like the idea of having to be reliant on a network connection or HD storage for things that I may delete on a whim.

AoD

 

[gabe]

I buy vinyl and CD's because a lot of older music isn't available for download or streaming. Same goes for movies. I got films that are only available on DVD.

I do love Spotify. Sure beats listening to the radio at work.

 

[Bayer]

I still buy CDs occasionally, especially for classical music, because the sound is better as long as you have good equipment. In my youth, people were more interested in sound quality, but for various reasons, that concern has mostly disappeared.

 

[adma]

By far, this is the most anachronistic title for a thread presently active on UT. (Charmingly so, though)

 

[Johnny Au]

I still buy CDs occasionally, especially for classical music, because the sound is better as long as you have good equipment. In my youth, people were more interested in sound quality, but for various reasons, that concern has mostly disappeared.

I much prefer the music quality from CDs than the heavily compressed MP3s.

Music from MP3s are akin to JPG images, just like how music from CDs (which are usually in FLAC format) are akin to PNG images.

 

[jje1000]

Hope they don't pull a Target and over-expand too quickly.

Records are becoming more popular but I think it's still a niche product atm.

 

[Skeezix]

[...] Records are becoming more popular but I think it's still a niche product atm.

Given that almost half of the people who buy vinyl don't actually listen to the vinyl (it's more a collectible/decor item), I sense it's a trend that could recede (but probably not disappear).