For sure, Spotify is convenient but you own nothing and you locked with a subscription. Also, you listen what they propose. What happens if your favorite band become removed from their library?
I still buy few albums and keep my library of audio files. (And I get some album for free using the same methods we used back in the days 😏)
There are ways to enjoy most of Spotifys ‘Premium Features’ withiut paying. And for the Artist I like I buy a physical copy, because I like having something to put in my shelf. Also it helps the Artists more than listening on Spotify
You own nothing and you locked with a subscription
Who cares if I only pay 10€ a month but can access 80 million songs. Back then 10€ bought you 75% of an album and you were forced to listen to it until you started hating it.
You listen what they propose
First of this is not necessary a bad thing. The algorithm can propose music you like not music that’s popular. You have to train it by making your own choices which - SUPRISE - is also what we did back than. People were influenced by MTV but at the end it was your decision what you listen to just like these days. You literally only have to enter the name of any album into the search bar. Back then the retailer did the preselection for you and only put CDs on display that would sell.
What happens when you favorite band gets removed from their library
Rarely happens because these days when you as an artist are not on the streaming services you might as well not exist at all.
The way you access music just isn’t comfortable to most people including me.
This is why stores would let you listen to it before purchasing
And that’s why there were secondhand CD shops.