O.K. -sometimes I ask a question because I'm curious about your opinions. This time, I REALLY want to know:
How do you arrange your recorded music?
For a while, I used to separate it into classical (defined as the composer is most important) and pop (which was all the rest).
Then, I found that, in the pop section, I had too many compilation discs to keep track of, so I culled them (and soundtracks) into a separate category.
And now, I find myself re-sorting again. I've split the "compilations" into soundtracks (movie, Broadway, TV), tributes (to particular artists - got a LOT of Beatles), the compilers (this includes CDs on Motown, as well as discs put together by Eddie, e.g.). Then there are those few albums that I've ended up filing by category (folk, R&B), something I disdain in my artist section because I don't know what it means. If I put THEM in categories, I'd have to split my k.d. lang into country and pop, and that just would not do. An album called Discovery R&B, or Warner Jazz, though, pretty much says it all.
The re-sorting became a function of not remembering. What IS the name of that Richard Thompson tribute album? (Beat the Retreat). How about the Elton John one? (Two Rooms). Or Curtis Mayfield? (A Tribute to Curtis Mayfield). The reshuffling puts all the Motown compilations together under M, rather than some under H (for Hitsville USA).
Of course, some albums fall under more than one category. The Tom Petty soundtrack for She's the One; file under artist or soundtrack? The I Am Sam album- soundtrack or Beatles tribute?
So, again, what is YOUR solution? Assuming the solution isn't "Put it all in my (nonexistent) iPod."
7 comments:
I arrange mine alphabetically by artist (band name or last name of artist) and then chronologically within that. If it's a compilation I go by the name of the compilation. I don't have categories because I don't have that many CDs that it's necessary. Of course, now I have a bunch of mix CDs that I need to file, but I'll figure that out eventually.
Well, rightnow, it's all a mess--pure higgledy-piggledy--the aftermath of finishing (finally) my belated mixed bag cd, but usually this is the way it goes:
I group my favorite artists together first--Emmylou, Linda Ronstadt, Sam Phillips, ABBA, Go-Go's, etc.
Then come real loose genre groupings--emphasis on "real loose": folk/country/americana/anyone who relies on primarily an acoustic guitar and their voice; 80's pop; Latin music of all genres; local acts, world music, etc.
Then comes everything else. It doesn't work real well, hence the disorder that arises from my searching for certain songs.
It doesn't help that I also have a couple of CD wallets filled with a few dozen discs for travel purposes.
This doesn't include the hundred or so discs I have at the office or
the mix cd's that seem to end up surronding my computer. Sigh!
I'm hoping my mp3 player will help out some.... I have also disocvered that I really need to catalog the damn things.
Alphabetically by artist for everything except children's and Christmas music.
Alphabetically by artists, plus various artists by title.
Beat the Retreat is a great album.
Interesting. I have them arranged in the following order:
African
Audio Interviews
Back-Ups (of documents on CD)
Beatles
Marcia Ball
Chants
Classical
Comedy
Cuban-Spanish
Diana Krall
Educational
Jazz
Madonna
Motown
Mellow Instrumental
Mellow Man
Mellow Woman
Paul Simon
Reggae / Soul
Rock
Stevie Ray Vaughn
Good question, Roger!
Sarah McCue
By the way, my all-time favorite CD is Gatorythms. I've given it to probably 20 people.
I have one large wood (particle board) shelf unit and, to its right, two wire tower units. CDs are sorted into the following categories:
Large Unit
1st: Rock/Pop - By artist, alphabetically; multiple discs by single artists arranged in order of release. The first slot, however, goes to U2--as my favorite artist I want their discs up front in a place of honor.
2nd: Musical Theater: By composer, for shows, or, if a singer's disc, singer, alphabetically; multiple discs by single composers or artists arranged in order of the show's first production or release. The first slot, however, goes to Stephen Sondheim--as my favorite artist I want his musicals up front in a place of honor.
3rd: Film Scores: By composer, alphabetically; multiple discs by single composers arranged in order of the original film's release. (So even though the Star Wars score CDs I have are the ones released with the special editions in the late 90s, they are shelved in the order of the original films' release).
First Wire Tower
Jazz: By artist, alphabetically; multiple discs by single artists arranged in order of the original album's release.
Second Wire Tower
Classical: By composer, alphabetically; multiple discs by single composers arranged in order of the original work's release.
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