Big Collections - Music or Madness?

I currently have about 500 albums (counting double albums as one). I wonder if or why I should increase that number to, say, 5.000 albums, which I would call a really big collection. If you're a collector, then it makes sense. Real collectors don't care so much about specific items in their collection, but rather if the collection is complete, if the items are particularly rare, etc. My problem is that I'm not really a collector, I simply love listening to good music. So I'm more an addict than a collector

My point: If you're really into the music aspect of the collection (you own the records because you intend to listen to them), it makes no sense to aquire thousands of records. I'm convinced that there aren't 1000 masterpiece albums out there, that you simply HAVE to own in order to make your life complete. Imagine that you would listen to two albums a day, then it would still take you more than a year to listen to 1.000 records.

So for me the conclusion is that I will start to agressively sell off records that I don't like, and try to keep my collection at around 500 items ... it still looks pretty impressive, yet is not entirely over the top. This way I have a definite goal for my collection: It will be quite perfect when I really can't think of a record that I would sell.

Are there any people out there who have, say, 1.000+ records and would say that each one of them is vital in a musical and not completional sense?

con safo wrote: I don't like spending money on albums i dont like. I don't see the lure to do so, but i guess if you have to own every album by a certain band, go for it.

I did that recently, bought Van Halen III on ebay to complete my Van Halen collection, even though I don't really love that music anymore (I still like it, but when I listen to it, I get bored). Maybe it will grow on me (wishful thinking).

Certif1ed wrote: So I collect early pressings of albums I already own, and sell the most recent. I'm not into label collecting - although it is very tempting when you think of the quality of much of the music on, say Vertigo, Harvest or Atlantic.

I fear the day they publish older CDs as digipacks/books, I love them and would replace my jewel box versions by digibooks until my bank told me to stop

As far as labels are concerned, my InsideOut collection is quite unintentionally becoming more and more complete ...

I have never collected all of a bands' albums just to have them all. I try my best to buy only albums that I will enjoy listening to and will want to play at least occassionally. Not always successful of course, but this site has helped with that a great deal. Many thanks to the collaborators and forum members.

I don't think an album as to be a masterpiece for you to buy it. As long as you like the band, or the style of music, then buy away.  

I'm not a collectionist, but i will buy the one album i don't have if i have the rest (ie. Genesis's Trespass. I had no hopes to get this album, i got it because i had all the rest [the "classic" ones].)

In terms of how many CD i own, i don't know for sure, but i'll guess 200-300. This includes all my albums not just prog. I've haven't taken inventory lately, so that figure might be wrong. Also, i buy often, so that number will grow