In today’s world of streaming, personal connection to owning music and eclectic collection personality are sort of obsolete thoughts. It’s rare that you own your music nowadays, since its either rented or licensed to you. The iPod allowed you to feel that a computer file was uniquely yours to keep with you forever, whether it be a demo of an unknown indie act or Timberlake’s Cry Me a River. Something that everyone could own seemed to be only yoursand made you proud of it.
What sucks the most is that the iPod allowed you to shuffle every song that you loved and give you a unique experience everytime. Try to put all your songs together on Spotify or Beats Music and shuffle and tell me you dont miss the simplicity of an independent device that allowed you to carry memories, feelings, and every damn emotion in one place, anywhere you go. In a completely modern social world, it was nice to have a personal safe space where you can lose yourself and find yourself among all your favorite songs. That unique connection just got less accessible.
Sadly, it’s been cast away because its little use with social media and multimedia entertainment. Now all you’re left with is a limited music collection on your app filled touchscreen, where music comes secondary to notification sounds and the sound of Flappy Bird crashing.
The iPod was more important to our listening culture than some people realize.