But that doesn't really make sense. It's not like the MP3 file can become unusably outdated in our lifetimes.

Who knows what ridiculous copyright laws might be enacted to "protect" [money of the] "artists" (record companies). I would not be surprised if mp3's became unplayable unless tagged with some kind of "legally purchased" stamp.

It might happen, but I'm going to tender a guess and say that it could be broken.

Just like how DRM encryption (which was in vogue a few years ago on "free" media players) were supposed to blockade certain free web-based content from permanent acquisition. Simple, right? Strip the encryption off and use third-party software to transfer the media. Then it actually turns out to be a pretty awesome find; that's how I got exposed to Elliott Smith.

Why would you think that? I have files from the late 90s that are already pretty much inaccessible to me, give it another decade or two and they'll most definitely be completely out of reach. I see no reason to think that kind of thing won't continue in the future.

i try to listen to every album that I download

i don't have time for repeat listens much, though, if i don't really like the albums

I find myself listening for at least one play through and then I will gravitate to one or two singles that I really enjoyed and play those death.

I feel like I've gone back to being more of a singles listener more than albums.

i think the only thing that downloading music has given me is severe music ADD

For a music lover I have a shocking lack of albums in my library. If there's a song on my iPod, I know it very well. I tend to download an album and really listen to it before moving onto another. I think there must be a happy medium somewhere between my pitiful amount of music and having tens of thousands of tracks, but my obsessive nature stops me from really getting a massive collection.

Habitually downloading music
 

There was a time in my life when I bought a cheap mp3 player. Instead of downloading albums (I had no choice) I bought them. I only had enough money to buy an album once a week. Every time I bought an album I would listen to it as much as possible. My headphones sucked and the quality was bad but I enjoyed the music that I had. When I bought "Revolver" by the Beatles I listened to it 22-28 times in that week alone.

When I got the internet I would download albums that would get me into other genres of music. I listened to everyone. I have 88 albums in my Cowon X7 (160 GB :p:) since 2009. I will keep downloading music, but there's no chance I'm keeping an album that I won't listen to.

I think when it comes to collecting music downloading is the equivalent of crack.