Are iPods Changing the Way We Listen to Music

They're everywhere, and not only are they everywhere, they look cool too. Since its launch in 2001, 10 million have sold and 8 million of those were in 2004. So welcome to the next generation. 8 tracks, records, cassettes, CDs, and now the iPod.

I don't have one, yet. My first taste of it came when my girlfriend got one, and asked if I would set it up for her using my computer. Wearing those now immediately recognizable hip cream coloured headphones, I could feel the eyes of every have-not-an-iPod on me with curiosity and maybe a little jealousy. I even started walking differently. Listening to Led Zeppelin, then Radiohead, and then some Bob Marley on my way to school, there was definitely more spring in my step, and I sat through class in a much better mood than usual. For a mere two days it was in my possession and immediately I could feel myself being sucked into its cult.

And why wouldn't you? An iPod lets you put 10,000 songs inside something the size of a pack of cigarettes. Gone are the heavy, fragile CD cases and the Discman that skips after each step.

Is the iPod changing the way we listen to music? Undeniably. With an iPod, we can take our music anywhere, and not just one album like we could with the walkman. Now we can carry our entire collections everywhere we go. It can play mixes at parties. You can bring it on the commute to work or for a jog. You can save Microsoft Word documents on it and photos for that matter. Don't like a particular song on an album? Delete it. Thanks to the iPod, music has become an even bigger part of our lives because now it's just a click away, and it's exactly how we want it.

Apart from the possibility of our entire collections being with us at all times, the iPod's capabilities have done something even better. By being able to store over 700 albums, the iPod is encouraging us to try types of music we might not have listened to before. When burning a CD to an iPod takes a short few minutes, what's there to lose?

But is it all just a trend? Doubtful, especially with people spending on average 100 pounds on iPod accessories. It's difficult to picture something people now say they can't live without vanishing, unless Apple CEO Steve Jobs finds another way to outdo himself yet again. And on that note now Apple has come out with the smaller, cheaper version of the iPod called the iPod shuffle. Will it have the same impact as its predecessor? Only time will tell.

Spencer Anderson

This article, written by Spencer Anderson, was first published at MusicShopper.info - a great resource for music lovers. Providing information and resources about music shopping, it also has an extensive range of music reviews, music competitions and giveaways, and a popular discussion forum. It is also an important music reference source with a music website directory of more then 1,000 hand-picked sites listed. MusicShopper forum and newsletters subscribers are entered into monthly draws for Amazon voucher.

---

Does Your CD Cover $ell (Or Suck)?

Oh, I know the last part of the title (Suck)... Read More

Be Your Own DJ - Digital Audio Processing Tools Overview

SoundEdit Pro is a digital audio editor for a user-friendly... Read More

How to Create an Original Melody

Here's a method I use that works. First, sit down... Read More

Win Friends & Influence People Through Music -- Is It Possible?

The idea that studying music improves the social development of... Read More

How to Create Hip, Mature, and Lush Harmonies [correction]

Rarely is a chord played with its tones contained in... Read More

How I Compose a Piece of Music

A number of people have asked about my own methodology... Read More

Trusting Your Inner Voice - Key to Success at the Piano

We all have so many critical voices in our heads.Telling... Read More

How to Make State-of-the-Art Video Singles Cheaply

When it comes to promoting their new music releases, I... Read More

Copyright Basics for Songwriters

Should you copyright your song? If you're a songwriter, sooner... Read More

Guitar Tuning Tips

Most new guitar players and even some experienced ones have... Read More

Piano Playing is Easier than You Think When You Understand Musical Form

Form is the key that unlocks the musical map of... Read More

Making Music As A Lefty

Author Interview with Ryan Thomson, seacoast New Hampshire resident, and... Read More

How Has Eminem Risen to the Top?

How is it that a little white boy from Kansas... Read More

Music Downloads: Free & Low Cost Ways For Musicians To Get Their Music Known All Over The World

Music downloads are highly compressed audio files transferred onto a... Read More

Vintage Guitar Collectors Can Still Find Deals

If you're a recent vintage guitar collector, the stories you've... Read More

Guitar Practicing or Guitar Playing?

Just because you're holding your guitar doesn't mean that you're... Read More

Radio - What?s Happened To It?

Remember when radio stations played great music?OK, before you accuse... Read More

Would Chopin Have Passed A Music Quiz?

Q. My children are very interested in playing music. Is... Read More

How To Play The Violin

This article gives the essential basics for how to play... Read More

Rickenbacker 4003 Electric Bass Guitar

The Rickenbacker 4003 electric bass guitar is one of the... Read More

Getting the Best Performance From Your Artist

So now you've decided to record your songs. Good for... Read More

Jazzing Up Your Leadership Style

I met New York jazzman Tim Armacost in college almost... Read More

History of the Clarinet From the 19th Century

While composers had already begun to write music for the... Read More

Piano Playing and Performance Anxiety

I'll never forget the first time I played the piano... Read More

Why New Musicians (Rappers) Fail: Three Reasons and Solutions

Despite the title of this article, the purpose of it... Read More

Polychords and the Jazz Improviser: How to Practice & Apply Polychords to Improv

In the world of music, many Jazz improvisers and Classical... Read More

Formation of a Song (Recording)

As industry insiders, we sometimes forget that when discussing the... Read More

Playing The Piano Using Chord Symbols Instead of Being Tied To The Written Sheet Music

Piano improvising and arranging is an art but definitely not... Read More

Music to Echo Your Mood

In what way do the kinds of music (rock, rap,... Read More

Zen and the Art of New Age Piano

We all want to be in the moment. That's where... Read More

How to Improvise Using a Few Chords

When a painter is getting ready to paint, a color... Read More

CD Clubs: How to Get the Best Deals Online

(1) The BMG Music Service offers the best deal you'll... Read More

5 Sure Fire Ways to Get Radio Play for Your ?Independent? Music!

You have to find radio airplay time if you're going... Read More