Folk, Country & World Music | Film & Music

The folk, country and world music sectors used to be relatively small niche markets for music listeners but things have changed a lot in recent years. Nowadays these markets have spilt into various sub-sectors and are reaching new audiences with developments such as alt-country that have broadened their appeal to younger audiences.

Types of folk, country and world music
Some people like to buy folk, country and world music simply because they like the traditional elements of this kind of music. Some develop an interest in one or more of these sectors via one recording artist and then branch out to experiment with others. And, some people like to buy music -- especially world music -- that they heard on holiday. There is nothing, after all, that will cheer you up on a cold and gloomy winter's night more than putting on a CD of Cuban music that reminds you of a summer holiday!

The fact is that there are endless options here for casual listeners, serious fans and collectors alike. This sector gives collectors a particularly interesting niche. Some only collect recordings by a certain artist, some stick to music within a certain genre and some will collect music from a specific country or region. In general, traditionalists may opt to listen to classic artists and groups here whilst the more adventurous may prefer to try out new artists. The very brave will even cut across the folk, country and world music genres and try a bit of everything!

Most people will buy their folk, country or world music on CD nowadays although there obviously is a booming market for downloads to devices such as MP3 players. Although it may surprise some younger people, there are a variety of older formats that are still popular in these sectors including vinyl and cassettes. Some people simply prefer to listen to older formats as they feel that they give a 'warmer' and more natural tone and quality and some collectors build their collection around them rather than simply buying CDs. In many cases this is the only way to get hold of older and rarer music recordings.

Buying folk, country and world music second hand
There is a lot of choice when it comes to buying folk, country and world music second hand and there are various reasons why people choose to sell on their music in this market. It's always worth while trying to find out why someone is selling music here in the first place -- especially if the music is rare and/or valuable.

For example, many people will sell off their vinyl collection when they get rid of their turntable or they may simply sell off old formats to make room in the house. Some may be selling off a CD because they bought it and don't like it or were given it as a duplicate gift. Nowadays many people are choosing to burn their music onto their computers and other portable music devices and therefore have no need of CDs so they may simply sell off their collection to raise a bit of extra cash. And, of course, that Cuban CD might be sold because it depresses its owner on that cold and gloomy winter's night by reminding them that they aren't on holiday anymore!

The market for these kinds of music for collectors is also buoyant -- recordings are available in a variety of formats. And, given the global reach of the Internet it is possible to find all kinds of music at all kinds of prices to help complete any collection.

Do make sure you ask specific questions about the quality of any music you buy here. A rare vinyl record will lose value if it is badly scratched or damaged and even a standard CD is worthless if it won't play properly. Most people will be honest if asked direct questions so don't be afraid to ask about issues such as how the music plays, whether the disc or format has damage and so on. Do remember, however, that people selling off older formats may not actually be able to play the music to check it from a quality point of view if they don't have a turntable or cassette deck to hand any more.

If in doubt you can always ask to see a digital photo of the item before you commit to anything. This won't tell you if a vinyl record is scratched but it may help in establishing authenticity through the packaging and any accompanying inserts. Finally, remember to check how the item will be sent. If it is rare, fragile or valuable then the seller may need to use special packaging or an insured postal delivery service which may add to the overall cost.