November 3, 2025
Playlist civil war!
Maintaining a Music Library, Ten Years On
Streamers vs collectors: “Own your tunes” ignites a battle royale
TLDR: Ten years after leaving Spotify, the author buys albums and says owning music brings control and peace of mind. Comments split: collectors tout rare tracks and independence, minimalists choose hassle-free playlists, and many keep paying $24/year for iTunes Match because they’re scared to lose their uploads.
A decade after breaking up with Spotify—because a TV wasn’t “approved” to play his MP3 via AirPlay (Apple’s wireless casting)—one writer says buying albums and curating a personal library feels like freedom, with $24/yr iTunes Match (Apple’s sync) as the safety net. He ditched playlists, fell for full albums and vinyl, and loves that no company can yank his music away.
The comments lit up. The collector clan arrived swinging: JKCalhoun (61) declared “I’ve never not owned my own music,” while skrrtww flexed a 40,000-song trove, bragging rare tracks aren’t on streaming. c0nsumer swears ripping 1,600 CDs was “simpler,” and tips Bandcamp for buying. Memes ensued: dragon hoards of MP3s vs playlist goblins.
Then the minimalists clapped back. doug_durham: owning files = anxiety; just give him a playlist that “points to songs I like.” And the tension peaked when joshuat confessed he pays for iTunes Match “out of fear,” worried his uploads vanish if he stops. Folks joked Apple forgot inflation, but $24 is the internet’s cheapest insurance policy.
The real tea: album-as-novel vs shuffle culture. Owning means control, rare finds, and no corporate mood swings; streaming means convenience, no clutter. Everyone side-eyes Apple Music search, whispers about duplicates, and bookmarks Plex just in case.
Key Points
- •The author left Spotify a decade ago after being unable to AirPlay an MP3 to a TV due to Spotify’s device approval restrictions.
- •They rebuilt a personally owned library by purchasing albums via the iTunes Store and value ownership for control and portability.
- •In 2025, the author notes Apple Music’s search links to Apple Music rather than a user’s personal library, and the iTunes Store shows aging issues, including duplicate album entries at purchase.
- •iTunes Match continues to sync the author’s devices for $24 per year, with manual syncing or Plex as possible alternatives if it ends.
- •The author shifted to album-centric listening and vinyl collecting, viewing albums as cohesive works, and describes buying music as a “dying art” that still functions via existing apps and stores.