Listening to music 'out of order' doesn't ruin an album.
By @paigeagain · Nostalgia
My coworker and I are having a huge debate about this. He insists that if you don't listen to an album from track 1 to the end, in the intended sequence, you haven't 'really' heard it.
The full story
We were talking about our favorite albums from the early 2000s, and I mentioned a few songs from one I love. My coworker asked what I thought of the transition between two specific tracks, and I admitted I usually just shuffle my favorite songs or have them on a big playlist. He got genuinely offended. they said that listening on shuffle or picking and choosing songs completely ruins the artistic integrity and the narrative flow the artist intended. In his view, it's like reading a book by picking chapters at random. they says you miss the entire emotional arc. I argued that with streaming, the whole concept of a rigid album has changed. We have access to millions of songs, and the way we consume music is different. I make playlists based on mood, not on an artist's tracklist from 20 years ago. It feels like a really outdated, almost pretentious way to gatekeep music enjoyment. He thinks I'm basically a musical philistine. It started as a funny office argument, but now it's actually gotten a little tense.
How people voted
- Facts — 28% (39 votes)
- Depends — 43% (60 votes)
- No Way — 28% (39 votes)
Readers say “Depends” (43%) — 138 votes and 5 comments so far.
What people are saying
@judewelp — Disagree. Some albums are absolutely meant to be a start-to-finish experience. Dark Side of the Moon on shuffle is just wrong lol
@vinceliterally — Playlists are a thing for a reason. Tell him to get with the times.
@colehm — Your coworker has some serious gatekeeping issues he needs to work on.
@gabesorta — wow a real life music snob. what a fascinating creature.
@sashakinda — He sounds exhausting.
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