For that reason, total download numbers on What.cd have been in decline for years, the community has gotten a bit quieter, although it's still been an extremely valuable resource to fill in the gaps between all the big music streamers.Ī truly sad day. Today, leaks are less prominent, as labels have gotten tighter about protecting their music, and musicians have gotten savvier and prefer to "leak stuff" themselves. Back in the day though, What.cd was THE SPOT for hearing popular releases before anyone else. What.cd used to be far-and-away my #1 music resource today it was probably the 3rd or 4th, suitable for finding obscure releases or ones unavailable on streaming sites because of byzantine licensing deals. With the rise of Spotify et al., the need for a private torrent tracker and the requisite accessories (seedboxes, external HDs) has been dimming. With that said, What.cd had been dying a slow death for a while now. When I was young and broke, it was my primary way of engaging with music, discovering bands that I'd never heard of, and to this very day remained a crucial part of my music discovery "stack". It was faster, more thorough, and cleaner than every other music resource (let alone torrent tracker) around. I found high-fidelity versions of albums, singles and EPs I couldn't find anywhere else on What.cd. (Knowing someone who'd give you an invite was another way ) Knowing someone in real-life who was a fellow What.cd'er was enough to form an immediate friendship. More than a torrent tracker, What.cd was a beautiful, vibrant, and positive community.
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