CD Junkies: Collector Bryer Sisneros
We caught up with Bryer Sisneros, a 25-year-old classic rock enthusiast living in San Diego, California. Sisneros runs the popular YouTube channel, “Bryer’s Music Showcase,” where he discusses CDs from his vast collection. He started collecting CDs in 2016 and currently owns 1,818 discs.
In this exclusive interview, Sisneros talks about the first four CDs he ever acquired (all terrific rock albums), what he loves about the CD format, and the albums that have been getting the most spins lately.
Editor’s Note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Scroll to the bottom of the Q&A to view the full video interview from our YouTube channel.
360°Sound: Do you remember the first CD you ever bought?
When I was 16, I didn’t have money, so my mom would buy CDs for me. I actually do remember the first four CDs I got from Walmart. This was back when Walmart had a whole section dedicated to CDs. Nowadays, it’s so small.
The first CDs that she bought for me were Guns N’ Roses Greatest Hits, Master of Puppets by Metallica, Who’s Next by The Who, and Blackstar by David Bowie. That really got me started. The first CDs I bought with my own money were Close to the Edge by Yes and Foxtrot by Genesis.
What do you love about the CD format?
When I got started, it really came down to convenience, because Walmart and Best Buy had the big CD sections, and so it was always available. This was just before vinyl got really big. And so that’s where I went because it was just the easiest thing to get access to. And another thing I really liked about CDs was they’re generally cheaper, so you can get a lot more for your money.
The other big thing with CDs was the size because, of course, you can fit a lot more on a shelf. I kind of stuck with CDs just for the storage and the convenience of it. And there were CDs around the house, so I was familiar with the format.
How often do you buy CDs? And from where do you typically buy them?
I get quite a lot of CDs each month. I have a whole series on my YouTube channel where I just go through all the CDs I pick up throughout the month. And it can vary. I think I have about 25 CDs for the month of June, but I know there were some months I got over 60 because I was just able to find them for very cheap. And I had some viewers send stuff to me as well, which also helps it add up.
When I started, it was just Amazon, because at that point, I didn’t know if there were any record stores near my place that sold CDs, but I did eventually find a place that was relatively close, and it’s a great place. I go there frequently. It’s called Folk Arts Rare Records. It’s got a huge section dedicated to CDs. Whenever I get paid, I always try to plan out what I want and plan days to go record store shopping and just see what they got.
Which CDs have been getting a lot of spins lately?
Pet Sounds from the Beach Boys. We just lost Brian Wilson recently, and it’s one of my favorite albums of all time. It has the emotional attachments, but given Brian’s passing, it definitely hits even closer. I’ve been listening to a live Grand Funk Railroad album. I also have their debut and E Pluribus Funk, which are both great. I’ve been on a Grand Funk kick. King Crimson and UFO are other bands I’ve been listening to a lot lately.
How do you feel about the future of the CD?
I would like to see a little bit of resurgence, because I feel like CDs were kind of ignored for a period, especially when vinyl got popular again. People kind of just kind of brushed CDs to the side, like it’s going to be obsolete soon. But people are going back to CDs, and it is kind of nice to see.
People said that vinyl is the way to go. It’s the only way to listen to some music authentically. But I always thought CDs were just as valid. I thought they sounded fine. For the most part, many artists still have a CD version of their new albums. As long as artists are gonna keep the CD going, I feel like CDs are going to be here to stay for quite a long time.
