Things I love #3

Music was my first love and it will be my last: so wrote John Miles in 1976 and to me it's quite true. I was 6 years old when that song was released. My elder brother was 18 and he bought the 7" single which I adored as a child and still do now. I was already into David Bowie by that point because of him. I also independently had developed a love for Barry Manilow which still endures, but perhaps the less said about that the better...
Almost ten years ago I bought my first iPod and not long after that stopped buying physical CDs. I uploaded all my older CDs to the computer soon after that and gave most of them to charity shops. But there are some artists whose physical CDs I will always buy as long as they make them, rather than just download a copy, and here are the top three plus a latecomer:
U2: a fan since aged ten and I have just about everything they've ever recorded since that first iPod was a U2 special edition. Also got most on CD. First saw them live aged 11 when they were supporting The Police at Gateshead in 1982. I can't afford to see all their live shows these days, but hope to go next time if I save my pennies.
The Killers: for a band with such a dark name I find their music very uplifting. Some albums took a while to get into but once there are solid favourites. Their latest one is the best yet in my humble opinion and it's good to see them becoming so huge at last. Also an incredible live band and I'm looking forward to seeing them again in their first Wembley Stadium gig this summer.
Ryan Adams: Genius. Pure and simple. And one of the funniest guys when he starts his spiel on stage. Also has the power to reduce me to tears with the beauty of his music, especially in the confines of a music theatre in the dark.
Hurts: even though they're pure 80s throwback, their first album was brilliant and I'm looking forward to the new one next month which - yes - I will buy a physical copy of.
As I get older I'm losing interest in a lot of things that used to seem important - most notably movies and TV shows. Music is still a Big Deal for now though and long may it be so.
41/365 completed!
EDIT: Realised it is five years today since I posted my first ever blip entry!