The (Dylan) Collection from iTunes: a suitable Xmas present?

Knowing of my involvement in The Dylan Daily, a squash-playing friend who’s also an iPod Missionary asked whether I thought The Collection, the Apple iTunes digital compilation of 774 Dylan songs – all the official albums, plus 42 “rare tracks”- was a suitable Xmas present for his brother, a Dylan fan who’s never bothered to collect many albums.

Switching into chin-stroking mode, I opined:

PRO:

* a massive collection - the 774 songs have a playing time of 2 days, 8 hours, 29 minutes, and 19 seconds;

* it’s definitive, leaving nothing out;

* a real time-saver;

* the 42 “rarities” aren’t really rare, but would be to your brother;

* he’s never going to buy the albums on CD and, even if he did, it would take time to rip and organise the collection - and he’d probably never play the CDs again;

* buying the digital collection will enable him to play the complete Dylan jukebox on home or office PC, and his iPod, selectively, sequentially or in random order. Power!!


ANTI:
* he won’t get the album artwork, part of the pleasure of a music collection for many people;

* though the US price ($200) is a steal, the UK equivalent (£170, when the pound is at nearly two dollars) isn’t.

Conclusion? Great idea. Do it!




Gerry Smith