I marvel at the instant access my students have to recorded music. There was music I had no chance of hearing until I gained access to a stellar music library in college. It was virtually impossible for me to hear. Now, my students can have a comprehensive education in the genre of their choice for a modest monthly fee.
Well, almost comprehensive. On an hour drive to a meeting today, I sang along to one of my favorite vocal jazz albums – a formative recording for me. And I realized shortly after starting it that although I own a copy, I hadn’t listened to it for a long time, because so much of my listening is via Spotify.
On Spotify, What’s Inside by the New York Voices doesn’t exist – so it doesn’t exist for any young person who learns the genre through Spotify.
There are other ways to listen, and I’m still a fan of purchasing hard copies (!) of the music I’m passionate about. But it’s worth remembering that millions of songs in your pocket might still leave you with gaps in your listening. Gaps you might not even notice.