Streaming is everywhere; it’s the simple fact of reality. Whether it’s Apple Music, Spotify and Amazon Music for music, Netflix, Max and Disney+ for movies and TV or any other streaming service that is out there, chances are that you are consuming nearly all of your media content via streaming. While I can’t argue with the convenience and benefits of streaming — I frequently use them myself — there’s something to be said about the importance of buying physical media despite the push towards phasing them out. There are still plenty of reasons why you should be purchasing physical copies of your favorite movies, shows and albums despite what major corporations such as Netflix and Spotify might say. The first and most important one would simply be that purchasing physical media, especially while discussing music, is the best way to support your favorite artists/creators. It’s a poorly kept secret that Spotify and Apple Music pay artists next to nothing per stream. It’s theorized that artists get approximately $0.003-0.005 per stream on Spotify, while Apple pays slightly better at $.01 per stream. I don’t think that I have to explain how that’s not sustainable to make a living, especially for independent artists. Of course, the Morgan Wallens, Zach Bryans and Luke Combs of the world do not have to worry about this due to their international popularity, brand deals, concert sales and more. Any independent artist or smaller artist in general, such as Colby Acuff, Southall and many more, simply cannot make a living on streaming alone. As an avid vinyl collector with nearly 200 records in my collection, ranging from the likes of Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings and Patsy Cline to Turnpike Troubadours, Tyler Childers and Eric Church, I have found that this is one of the best ways to support them. Not only is vinyl an extremely fun hobby to dive into, but it directly supports them while you still get to enjoy their music. Another key aspect to collecting physical media, especially vinyl, is the simple fact that the record you purchased cannot be edited, removed or made unavailable in any way, shape or form. Though this typically happens more on the film/television side of streaming, with movies and shows frequently suffering the most from this, there are still instances of songs being removed from platforms such as Apple Music and Spotify. One of the highest-profile ones in recent memory in country music would be Zach Bryan removing his collaboration with John Mooreland, “Memphis; the Blues,” off of streaming services following a viral spat. As of today, there is no way to stream the song on verified streaming services. The physical copy, however, will contain the song for the remainder of time. While diving into the world of record collecting might seem like a daunting task, given the fact that you have to find a good record player, deal with some elitists that occupy the hobby and actively seek out the best spots to buy them, but have no fear, Vinyl.com has you covered. View this post on Instagram One of the most exciting parts of record collecting, at least for me, is being able to begin to stack up some of my favorite records of all time, be able to see the album artwork up close and read the liner notes, credits, lyrics and any other insights included in said record packaging (I’m a nerd, I know). Part of the beauty of records as a whole is the simple fact that there’s truly no limit to the albums you can collect throughout the entire history of the genre, and of course, Vinyl.com has it all. If you’re a big fan of pop country, the site has multiple albums ranging from the likes of Billboard’s #1 Artist of 2025, Morgan Wallen, to Megan Moroney. You like alternative country? Vinyl.com has a wide range of the best in the business right now, including Sturgill Simpson, Colter Wall, Turnpike Troubadours, Zach Bryan and more. Is old-school country more your style? Don’t worry, they have plenty of classics ranging from Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, George Strait, Willie Nelson and other legends. With over 50,000 titles available for purchase today, many of them being some of the greatest country albums of yesterday and today, Vinyl.com is truly a must-use website for those either starting their record collection or trying to add some iconic titles to it. Even more excitingly, for those who are trying to boost their collections immediately, Vinyl.com is offering bundles including the likes of Zach Bryan, Tyler Childers and more with three-album packs at a discounted price. Of course, this isn’t even mentioning the countless other artists and genres carried by the site. Ultimately, Vinyl.com is undoubtedly one of the best record sites on the internet today. If you want to get in on the action and pick up some of your all-time favorite albums, visit their website HERE and use promo code, WHISKEYRIFF10, for 10% off at checkout. The post If You Really Want To Support Your Favorite Artists — Buy Their Records first appeared on Whiskey Riff.