The Experience Matters as much as the Music (Product)

Music records. 

Have you ever thought of buying those? I know I never did. 

My generation grew up with tape cassettes, followed by CDs, then the mp3 players, then the iPod… and now, well, our iPhone.

But, music records? Those I have seen only in the black and white movies. Something from the past. 

Not until I stumbled upon a collector. Someone who would search for the music record stores, who would look for them in hidden gems… Someone who would go to flea markets to try and search and find special records. 

He tells me he likes to feel it — the music. He enters the store and he is full of passion. Music is his passion. He goes through each and every record. He then carefully takes out the record and listens to it. He asks me to try… “It’s a totally different experience,” he tells me. 

I try. I listen to the music. Okay, nice music. I ask him… “But how is that different from listening to it on your phone?” I don’t get it. I am a typical music listener… not as passionate one as him. I thought I could be offending him by that question. He explains to me how the records are played… How the analog is different than the digital… How it’s much purer it is. He explains, I listen. I still don’t get it. 

Maybe I am a music idiot? Maybe I am. Could be. Possible. 

He tells me… “I know I could spend a few Euros less on this record if I bought it from Amazon?” … Then, I ask him, “Why don’t you buy it online then?” He tells me, “It’s a different experience. I will remember this day, on which I came to this store… and listened to those records, chose this one, talked to you about it and took it home with me.”