Do you still buy physical books/CDs, or have you gone 100% digital?
By cuttyrish
@cuttyrish (3136)
United States
March 9, 2026 9:13pm CST
I was cleaning out my guest room today and found a box of old CDs and paperbacks. It’s 2026, and I can stream basically any song or book in seconds from my phone, but holding that physical copy felt... different.
There is something about the smell of a real book and the 'hunt' for a rare CD that digital just can't match. I’ve gone about 80% digital for the space-saving, but I can’t seem to part with my 'forever' favorites on the shelf.
I still have my books, and would want to buy more books in the future. The things is i dont have the time to read yet because of work.
14 people like this
17 responses
@cuttyrish (3136)
• United States
10 Mar
I prefer books, but I am planning to buy a kindle as well. I love that screen is not bright.
1 person likes this
@cuttyrish (3136)
• United States
11 Mar
@LadyDuck And i think it has move battery power than most readers
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (499424)
• Italy
10 Mar
@cuttyrish The screen of the Kindle is really comfortable, it's just like reading a real book.
@Ineeddentures (29718)
•
10 Mar
If i saw a book I wanted to buy I would buy it
For instance a first edition of Salinger's Catcher in the Rye,
As for CD,s
If it's on Vinyl I would prefer it on Vinyl
Cd,s are not worth as much as good old fashioned Vinyl
2 people like this
@cuttyrish (3136)
• United States
10 Mar
Nice! If I ever came across something like a first edition of Catcher in the Rye, I’d probably grab it too. That’s the kind of book that’s really cool to have. And I get what you mean about vinyl—there’s just something about it that CDs don’t quite match. Vinyl definitely has that classic feel to it.
2 people like this
@Ineeddentures (29718)
•
10 Mar
@cuttyrish
Vinyl will always have that classic feel to it, hundreds of years from now
1 person likes this
@kaka135 (14994)
• Malaysia
10 Mar
I still buy some books that I would really like to read and keep. Flipping through a book is just different from reading digitally, I find it more relaxing and I can easily bring along a book with me. Reading on phone isn't really comfortable for me, the screen is too small. 
I don't buy CDs anymore, but I still keep a box of old CDs. I wonder if I can just copy them in my harddisk, or just throw them away. I don't have a CD player anymore.
Space saving is an important factor for not buying more physical stuff. Sometimes I wonder what to do with my old boxes of books that I might still want to read when I have some free time, but whenever I have time, I might read something else... 
I don't buy CDs anymore, but I still keep a box of old CDs. I wonder if I can just copy them in my harddisk, or just throw them away. I don't have a CD player anymore.
Space saving is an important factor for not buying more physical stuff. Sometimes I wonder what to do with my old boxes of books that I might still want to read when I have some free time, but whenever I have time, I might read something else... 1 person likes this
@cuttyrish (3136)
• United States
10 Mar
Reading a physical book just feels different, it's more relaxing somehow. Screens, especially phones, can get tiring after a while, as i wear an eyeglass.
@toniganzon (76752)
• Philippines
10 Mar
As of music, it's fully digital for me.
Books, I still love and prefer the smell of paper books.
@Deepizzaguy (120576)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
10 Mar
I usually get my song on digital since buying compact discs is too expensive.
@cuttyrish (3136)
• United States
10 Mar
Yeah, and its so hard to look for.a player now
1 person likes this
@pitsipeahie (5691)
•
10 Mar
Yes, I still buy physical copies, but only for the ones that are truly my favorites. I like having a tangible keepsake or proof that I really loved the book or cd's.
@cuttyrish (3136)
• United States
10 Mar
I have book copies of my law books, as i wrte on it, high light it before, and my favorite books
1 person likes this
@cuttyrish (3136)
• United States
10 Mar
And also you also get muisic for free, digitally nowadays, specially you can stream using free version of spotify
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (96708)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
10 Mar
I prefer holding a real book in my hands when I read,
@JESSY3236 (21958)
• United States
10 Mar
I bought a real book last year. I found some cds my uncle had. But I have no way to play them now.
@sathviksouvik (22978)
•
9 Apr
i still buy books. They are reader friendly than online sources. Besides the authors are very knowledgeable.
@FourWalls (85429)
• United States
10 Mar
I’m primarily digital, but I do still own a lot of CDs and albums!
@JudyEv (378520)
• Rockingham, Australia
10 Mar
I prefer to read real books. I still have a lot of books.
