Why I’m Ditching Spotify for Old-School CD Players and Vinyl—and You Can Still Buy Them at RadioShack
From finding affordable players at RadioShack to hunting for favorite albums at local record stores, these tips are must-reads!
Key Takeaways
- Buying used record, CD and cassette players can help you save money as a new collector.
- Start your collection with albums you would hate to lose access to through streaming.
- Exploring different decades and genres can help you discover new favorite albums.
The classic ice breaker question: “What are your desert island albums” needs serious modification for the new age. A question that has been bouncing around in my head is an uncomfortable and serious one that thousands of people have been thinking: What album will I miss the most if it stops being available online? In 2025, vinyl purchases reached over $1 billion in the U.S., according to the Recording Industry Association of America. Additionally, CDs and cassette tapes have also seen a large resurgence in popularity since 2020. Purchasing physical media allows music lovers to have full ownership of their favorite albums and singles without ads or the fear of losing access due to copyright changes. Whether it is the y2k trend or a rebellious move away from streaming services, younger and younger generations are collecting and are even influencing collectors, like myself, to expand their media types. Though I have been collecting vinyl records for well over a decade, this year I’ve expanded my media to include CDs and cassette tapes. Purchasing physical media can be a bit intimidating to new collectors so here is a list of tips that I wish I knew when I first started my music library. Read up and have fun,
Start with used everything
One of the best tips I can give any beginner collector is to buy their first player, (vinyl, cassette or CD) used. New players can cost anywhere from $50 to $6,000 for vinyls, portable CD and cassette players can cost upwards of $100. This can seriously take away from your physical media fund so go to Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist or ask an older person if they have any old players in their attic. It can save you big time in the long run.
I do recommend that you bring a used CD, vinyl or cassette that you don’t care about to test out the player before purchasing. It’s not fun to spend $20 on a vinyl player that doesn’t work, trust me.
If you don’t want to get a used one though, there are places you can go. One of them is RadioShack, which still exists! There are some stores across the country, but they also have a website that sells record players and CD player. You can view it here!
Make (your) perfect list for a perfect collection
You know your favorites, whether it is pop, hip-hop, RnB, country or italo-disco/spacesynth the type of music you want to fill your collection is up to the person staring back at you in the mirror.
That being said here are some tips to help you:
- Ask yourself: if I lost access to this album would it hurt?
- Explore different decades: Some albums, such as Kind of Blue by Miles Davis and Rumours by Fleetwood Mac were made to be listened to on vinyl and cassette tapes. I like to imagine myself as a teenager listening to bands like My Bloody Valentine and Stevie Wonder when they first released music.Take a moment and explore artists and albums designed for the physical media you are collecting.
- Add a few classics to your collection: There are some albums that stand the test of time so consider adding them to your collection. These can include Experience Hendrix by Jimi Hendrix, Love Supreme by John Coltrane or AM by Arctic Monkeys.
- New classics are born every year: Just because an artist wasn’t around in the 1960s doesn’t mean they aren’t releasing physical media. If you are looking for contemporary albums I would recommend adding Sincerely, by Kali Uchis, Don’t Tap the Glass by Tyler The Creator and Icon by Brent Faiyaz.
The list is a starting point: You may not find everything on your list right away but exploring music stores helps open a new world of music that may have been overlooked. If you find something new that you would like to dig into, buy it. If there is a niche band or singer you might be interested in, then take the chance. It could be your new favorite artist.
Embrace the thrill of the hunt
Storytime: I was visiting a friend (and fellow collector) in Amsterdam when I found it, Amplified Heart by Everything but the Girl. I had been searching for this album for more than three years and here it was in all its glory in a Dutch record store. I almost screamed from joy and took the record back with me to America where I definitely overplayed Get Me.
It is easy to order any album you want on Amazon or Tower Records but I would advise to hold up a second because physical media is about more than just ownership, it is about the hunt.
Join the tradition that music lovers have been partaking in since the beginning of physical media.
Take the time to explore your city or town and check out music stores. It may take longer, and I do mean longer, but finding an album you love after searching for months or years is one of the best aspects of being a collector.
Of course, if your favorite artist drops a new album with a limited amount of vinyls then please go online but if you are looking for Yellow Brick Road by Elton John or Gemini Rights by Steve Lacy then go to your local record store. But be okay with delaying gratification, trust me it is worth it and you may make some friends along the way.
Ask for help
At every music store there are walking music encyclopedias and they are most likely behind the counter. Over the years they have spent their lives exploring niche genres, following music careers and sharing their love (obsession) of music to anyone who asks.
The first record store I went to was Ranch Records in Salem, Oregon. As a shy and curious teenager I came in looking for Modern Vampires of the City by Vampire Weekend. My hunt was unsuccessful so I turned to the owner, an older man in a Hawaiian shirt, and asked him: “If I like Vampire Weekend what do you recommend I listen to?” The owner introduced me to Oregon band Typhoon and their David Lynch inspired indie rock album Hunger and Thirst. This album is one of my favorite vinyls I own and is in the back of my mind whenever I ask record store owners for recommendations.
So the best tip I can give to any new collector is to ask them for recommendations, trust me they are much better than Spotify AI.
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