I've gotten a free CD at a concert recently. I don't have anything to play it on.

Sometimes I buy CDs and rip to flac so that really obscure shit doesn't get lost forever.

Man, I started answering you and realized I am also 40 and...yeah.

But, were I to go to a show, a CD? Nah. But a sticker or socks or something, certainly.

I just turned 40. For my birthday I went to go see a small disco funk band. They run their own merch table, tour around the country in a van, have day jobs, etc. I wanted to support them so I was gonna buy a T-shirt, but it was $25, I only had $20 on me, and they didn't take card. So I got a $15 CD. They also didn't have any change, so I had to wait 5 minutes for them to go to the bar and get them to break a 20.

Then I got home and realized I didn't even have a CD player. So I dug out an old DVD drive and installed in my desktop, ripped the CD to FLAC, pulled the drive out, and threw the CD into my old box of CDs I haven't opened in 10+ years...

Not a younger person, but last concert I attended, the artist was selling bandcamp codes for their albums (I got two for €5 each). On top of that CDs and vinyls, each would include a bandcamp code too, so I assume people without CD players or turntables can get the physical item and still enjoy the music digitally

Teenager here, I regularly buy CDs at bagpipe concerts* because there's no unique bagpipe music on streaming services.

*Bagpipe concerts here means renn faire performances

I have seen people purchase vinyls instead of CDs.

No? I don't have any way to play it. If I wanna listen to a song, I just do it on Spotify or I pirate the FLAC if I really like it...

E: I really don't know why you associate younger generations with a "lingo" or "skibidi toilet"... Sure there are chronically online people who use it unironically but like... Cmon.

Do the kids have ANY CDs? Do they buy mp3's? Do they just use pandora and spotify? Do they even own their own music?

Yeah, from what I tend to hear from teenagers, I don't think most of them own their music.
The thing with CDs or MP3s is that it takes time for you to build up a collection. If you got started on that before streaming services took off, it's probably worth listening to.

But if you're starting from scratch today, you're basically deciding between listening to one or two albums in your collection vs. all the music you can imagine for a monthly fee. The value proposition of the latter is then just hard to beat.

I believe, streaming services generally don't allow you to add your own MP3s into the mix either, so even if you get a cool CD/MP3s from a local band that's not on these streaming services, then there's still not much you can do with that.

I still buy CDs. I have a player in my car and in my hifi. My desktop has a BR drive which I use to rip the disc and then I use it how I want when want. They also sound fantastic. Streaming is great, but you give up a lot compared to owning physical media.

I'm probably too old (29), but I do tend to buy CDs of artists I like. 2 weeks ago I was at a festival and bought 3 CDs (as well as some other stuff). Today I'm expecting another CD to arrive in my letterbox.

My car still plays CD's, so if the price was right and the band actually got a solid cut of it, then yeah I would buy one.

I'm 29 and 13mo's

I'm 32, I bought a cassette at the last concert I went to. (I generally prefer vinyl, but I don't wanna buy a vinyl before a show starts cuz then I have to awkwardly hold it for the whole show)

I'm not much younger & I'm not going to read the comments. They're either ignorant, or they don't care, or they'll reflect my opinion. You need to stop & think -- how do I get money from my hand directly to the artist(s)?

The artists receive very little from streaming revenue or CD sales (unless onsite at concert, maybe). The recording label eats up a lot of profits. So honestly I'd buy tickets, I'd buy merch at concert, I'd put cash money directly into their hand.

Anything else might be stolen by the venue, the recording label, the third parties, the goddamn United States government, etc etc etc.

Pins, patches, vinyl, tapes and very rarely CDs.

My band is planning out our merch for the fall and we're planning on two shirts, four larger patches, 2 to 6 pin designs, logo patches and a 7-inch (TBR). It's a street punk band.

My death metal band has a slightly different table, but it's those things in general.

A band we play shows with often has hot sauce they produce for sale as merch.

I'm 38 and man, you sound like you're 75 🤣

I'm assuming you haven't been to a concert in a few decades? I went to see Pantera and Lamb of God about 6 months ago and the only merch being sold was overpriced t-shirts, like $45-50 USD.

CD? No, I can get mostly the same sound quality, if not better via streaming. Vinyl? Yeah because it's a set piece. It's a great conversation starter to have a cool collection.

TBH I (23) have gone backwards. I love collecting signed vynals of my favorite bands

No, because I wouldn't go to a concert. Too much people.

I dont know why but this post feels like a teenager trying to sound like a boomer on the internet. (boomers arent 40 anymore btw)

I am literally importing them from japan and other countries on discogs because I prefer that over downloading from soulseek.
Last resort if either physical costs 100% more than MSRP or not as much sentimental value I will just pirate the flac or sometimes I buy digitally.

After I aquired the media I rip it and put it on my Jellyfin server.

Age: 25 y/o

I like CDs, but I guess I can't really call myself a kid anynore though, being in my mid twenties. I typically use Spotify for discovery/casual listening but but an album on CD or digitally through Bandcamp when the option is presented to me. I went out of my way to buy a 25 disc CD changer.

Vinyl have definitely become way more popular for physical music purchases, but I like the smaller footprint of a CD.

I do think the vast majority of people use Youtube Music, Spotify or a similar service though. It's inexpensive, has family plans and optical media players just aren't common anymore.

I like to buy vinyl for my favourite artists, but I wouldn't do it at a concert because I'd have to carry it around for the whole show. I do also like to buy t-shirts at concerts

I definitely do. Supports the band in question, and I get to rip the audio off the CD for my digital collection. Best part, if I lose my digital music collection and can't access a backup, I still have the disc to rip from again.

If I had a CD player, sure. Can a PS5 play CDs? 🤔

I remember being in high school about 15 years ago and going to a show where a band was selling music on a flash drive. That felt so clever, since the world was just starting to ditch CDs at the time.

I didn’t really answer your question at all though, sorry lol. I don’t think many people buy. Some people collect stuff but it’s probably analog/vinyl, not CDs. Everything is just streaming over buying now.

Oldest guy at the punk show here. The merch tables I see have vinyl records and occasionally cassette tapes. I'm waiting for 8 tracks and Edison cylinders LOL. I always try to support the bands so I'll buy a sticker and occasionally a t-shirt. I think they should give away a code for a free Bandcamp download with every t-shirt sale but nobody listens to me

I'm 22 and 240 months... And I wonder why not small USB sticks with m4a files on them... Maybe some behind the scenes footage and a digital poster or message/manifesto?