I agree with you wholeheartedly. I too have spent thousands of dollars as a teen and young adult, so definitely feel like i’ve payed my dues. I stopped buying CDs in 2005 and haven’t looked back. Also, I’m neurodivergent af, so something abt just being able to press a button and have music to listen to in bed, while cooking, showering and going for long walks at night is second to none. Playlisting is the second big draw, as I believe having certain tracks play after the other really creates some sort of magic, changing the environment around oneself. Its become a tradition now to review my year and tell the story of the subsequent months as a playlist - really a therapeutic activity. I do think abt buying vinyls in the future when i can afford it and have the space, but for now Spotify takes the cake