Remember when you had to burn CDs for your friends?
By @noelmaybe · Nostalgia
I was explaining to one of our interns how we used to make mix CDs for people we liked. They looked at me like I was describing a steam engine.
The full story
It sparked a whole debate at the office. The younger staff think Spotify playlists are better in every way—instant, shareable, unlimited songs. I feel like they're missing the point. A mix CD was a work of art. You had to choose the songs carefully, get the order just right, and hope it all fit on one disc. It was a tangible gift that showed you put in real effort. A playlist link just doesn't have the same weight.
How people voted
- Valid Take — 30% (18 votes)
- I’m Torn — 39% (24 votes)
- Bad Take — 31% (19 votes)
Readers are split: “I’m Torn” leads with 39% — 61 votes and 5 comments so far.
What people are saying
@colemaybe — This is so true! A playlist is nice but a mix CD was a real declaration. You put your heart into it.
@brynnkay — A gift you can't hold in your hand isn't a real gift.
@reallytho — I mean, how many songs on the mix CD did you actually pirate from Napster or LimeWire?
@quinnok — soft.
@maeactually — What did you put on the cover art?
Keep reading
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- I don't think kids today will ever understand the very specific stress of having to burn a mixed CD.
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