By now, you’ve likely heard one or two—or all—of the songs from Taylor Swift’s new album, 1989. The album dropped on Oct. 27, and it is the fifth record Swift has released. People have been talking about the singles, “Shake It Off” and “Out of the Woods” for a while, and now Taylor is turning heads with songs such as “Blank Space” and “Bad Blood.” 1989 is a deliberate step away from her past as a country singer, and it is packed with great music and clever lyrics.
But what is the best way to listen to this great album? Sure, you can download it to your computer or phone and play whichever song suits your mood at the time. You might even hear one of the songs played on the radio or at a party. However, the most enjoyable way to listen to 1989 is to slip a hard copy of the CD into your car radio, crank it up, and take a drive. It might be a little old-fashioned, but we think Taylor would approve. (Her album cover is a Polaroid picture, after all).
People don’t listen to CDs anymore. They may take a few moments to download a CD onto another listening device, but rarely would one use the CD slot in a stereo. Times have changed, and we as a society value convenience and efficiency. CDs are cumbersome, and it’s easier to listen to your music on your phone. Also, people like to customize their playlists.
However, when we pick and choose which songs we want to hear and when, we lose the integrity of the playlist the artist has already created for us. They intended for their songs to be heard in a certain order. This is why putting in the disc, waiting a few expectant moments for it to start, and then hearing the opening notes of “Welcome to New York” (or, more accurately, “Welcome to My Amazing New Album”) is much more satisfying than skipping right to “Shake It Off.”
So, the next time you want to listen to some T. Swift—or any other artist, for that matter—consider investing in a hard copy of the CD so you can experience the album in the “old-fashioned way,” a way that should be brought back into our music experience. There is something special about tangibly owning an album, and 1989 is a great one to add to your collection.