When did we stop listening to albums?

Has anyone else noticed that in the 70's we listened to albums and today we listen to songs? I'm not sure what that means, or says about the music of today, but it's made me curious. I'm listening to Boston, the full album and I realized I don't normally do that anymore. I have playlists with favorite songs.

Has anyone else notice that? Anyone over 40 that is. Did we change or did the music change? Or is it the difference between record players and digital? Yet, I used to make cassette tapes in the 80's & 90's of my favorite songs - my playlists, if you will - so was it truly the way albums, in particular rock albums, were made/written in the 70's?

There are albums by Boston, Rush, Styx, Billy Joel and more that I can still sit and listen to from beginning to end. Yet I haven't actually bought a CD, let alone sit and listen to a whole CD in years. I download individual songs. So what's the difference? Me or the music?

I don't have an answer. I'm just putting it out there.



Some albums I can still listen to from beginning to end:

Boston - self titled
Rush - 2112, Moving Pictures (technically not 70's. Released in 1980)
Billy Joel - 52nd Street
Styx - Crystal Ball, Pieces of Eight (links are not to full albums)
Van Halen - self titled
Fleetwood Mac - Rumours

Best songs about being on stage...

There are three songs that I have always felt described being on stage to a tee:
Lights by Styx
Blinding Light Show by Triumph
Limelight by Rush

Having been a musician all my life, and performing in front of people for as long as I can remember, I know these songs. I may not know the "fame" aspect as these bands do, but the songs always touched me... told a bit of my story, I guess.

I think Lights best describes the "why" you perform... the need...

Blinding Light Show almost hauntingly describes the view, the sounds, the feelings when you're on stage.

Limelight gives the reality - the good, the bad and the ugly.

I forgot about Foreigner's Jukebox Hero - This song is what made me add this post. I was listening to it and remembering 1981, summer after my freshmen year in high school, and all I wanted to do was play music. I didn't care about anything else. I was lucky enough to actually be playing music, onstage, every weekend. Funny how we always desire more then we have.

This song was like an anthem - I was going to be like the kid in the song. It didn't happen quite as I imagined back then, but what in life happens just as we imagine. What I didn't realize at the time was that I was living that dream already.

This song is about the dreams we dream, and sometimes they can come true. :)