In 2023…

We live in a world that is always changing, especially when it comes to technology. The way in which we listen to music is a perfect example of how far technology has changed!

I mean as a kid, I remember listening to music on my Walkman and my portable CD player and in both cases, I had to bring either Cassettes or CDs with me so that I could listen to a wider variety of music.

When I started secondary school, my parents got me my very first MP3 player, which I don’t remember much about other than the fact that it was silver. I later had an MP4 player followed by several iPods.

But what I find really interesting is how we went from cassettes to CDs to digital items which I can’t even see, feel or touch.

But times have yet again changed!

I don’t know of many people who use MP3 players or iPods anymore, we tend to use music streaming services such as Spotify, Apple Music and many others.

That’s why I thought it would be a good idea to share how I listen to music…

My Smartphone

The main way I listen to music on my smartphone happens to be through Spotify. I’ve tried many different music streaming services, but for some reason, I keep going back to Spotify, maybe it has something to do with how compatible it is across different platforms and devices.

As a tech reviewer, I try and test many different audio products such as earbuds, headphones and speakers. But the main device I tend to connect to my phone to are the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC earbuds, which I’ve recently reviewed. 

From time to time, I also listen to music with the Edifier WH950NB headphones, but I tend to use these at home whereas I use the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC as my daily driver.

I don’t tend to use portable speakers often unless I’m travelling or having a barbecue, but even then I use them on rare occasions. This is because my home is kitted out with smart speakers, which brings me to my next point.

Smart Speakers

Smart Speakers offer a very easy way of playing music around your house. My smart home is mainly controlled by Amazon Echos, but I also have a few Google Nests dotted around the house.

I’ve linked my smart home speakers to Spotify, which means that I can ask Google or Alexa to play my music library, a playlist or a specific song. 

Best of all since I have an Amazon Echo device in most rooms, I can ask Alexa to play music around the entire house, which is pretty awesome!

I can also use my smart speakers to play the radio, which I still enjoy listening to from time.

My next point may surprise you!

Record Player

A few years ago I decided to invest in a record player, it was only a second-hand record player, I picked up for around £30 on eBay, and I’m glad to say still works incredibly well!

I don’t know what it is about records, but I love how they look and sound. That’s why I started collecting them and playing them often.

Now, I know I said I don’t use portable speakers often, but I’ve connected my record player to the Tronsmart Bang Mini, which isn’t a very small speaker, therefore I’m not classing it as portable. 

Before that, I used the JBL Xtreme, which is a similar-sized competitor to the Bang Mini.

Since both of these speakers are quite large and heavy, I use them in a single place on a shelf. I say them, but the truth of the matter is I can’t remember how long ago I last used the JBL Xtreme.

I use the Bang Mini, mainly for listening to records and from time to time and when I’m in the mood I would connect my phone to it, but once again it tends to be rare as I have smart speakers for that.

Final Thoughts

The way in which we listen to music has definitely changed over the years, but I’m glad to see the old ways making a return! I was very surprised to see my favourite band release a cassette!

But as a whole, the music industry is constantly changing and so is the way we listen to music. We’ve gone a very long way in the last 20 years and I can’t even begin to imagine what the future holds for music!

Now it’s your turn!

How do you listen to music? Let us know in the comments!