I was raised to cherish physical media. It’s a very special format. I think owning a film, album or game gives you more of a connection to it as you can see it as a tangible object (being able to hold it in your hand) and you’re supporting and/or preserving art you love.

I’ve been collecting CDs since I was about ten years old. The first CDs I remember getting were for Christmas 2013. I got was a BBC Live Lounge completion cd and a Ministry of Sound Trance cd (I think this one). Before that I remember I had a mixtape my parents made me which I used to listen to all the time which had songs like The Cure’s Lovecats; Kate Bush’s Babooshka; and Gunter and the Sunshine Girls’ Touch Me. I also had a couple of CD-ROMs which had come with books which introduced me to classical music.

When my dad consolidated his media collection to just be vinyl and Blu-ray, I got a lot of his CDs. All of my Bowie and Smiths were once his.

As of writing this (end of March 2026), I own 206 items of music. You can see my full collection on discogs. My favourite albums I own are pictured below:

After working for HMV during the summer of 2022, I’ve become a bit jaded regarding buying new physical media. I prefer to wait and buy something second-hand over getting it new where I can. The last things I bought were during my Japan trip in the autumn of 2025. I bought over £160 worth of music while across. I got two albums in a second-hand store in Osaka, four or five items in Tokyo’s Tower Records and two CDs in Akihabara. I do not plan on buying anything else until I either make space or move.

Albums I would like for my collection: anything Sade, Xiu Xiu, Mac Miller; Erykah Badu’s Baduizm; Faye Wong’s Fuzao; Poison Girl Friend’s Melting Moment.

I own a few DVDs as well. I own only one Blu-ray which is The Dirties which I bought for the bonus features. That’s another positive of physical media, the bonus material. I remember watching a lot of behind-the-scenes featurettes for films I love and being let in to how they made the film. The Lord of the Rings featurettes are the best of the best but I remember liking them on, I think, Bugsy Malone.

Missing are childhood DVDs which live in the living room. My most played were Snoopy the Musical and Bagpuss. My favourite DVDs are my copy of the Watermelon Woman and To Wong Foo.... I need to have a tidy up so I can make room for new films.