--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We live in the digital age and…" description: "\"We live in the digital age and, unfortunately, it’s degrading our music, not improving it It’s not that digital is bad or inferior, it’s that the way i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/557/neil-young-969_age_we-live-in-the-digital-age-and-unfortuna_2748619.jpg" --- # We live in the digital age and, unfortunately, it’s… ![“We live in the digital age and, unfortunately, it’s degrading our music, not improving it It’s not that digital is bad or inferior, it’s that the way it’s being used isn’t doing justice to the art. The MP3 only has 5 percent of the data present in the original recording. … The convenience of the…” quote by Neil Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/557/neil-young-969_age_we-live-in-the-digital-age-and-unfortuna_2748619.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/557/neil-young-969_age_we-live-in-the-digital-age-and-unfortuna_2748619.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/557/neil-young-969_age_we-live-in-the-digital-age-and-unfortuna_2748619.jpg) > “We live in the digital age and, unfortunately, it’s degrading our music, not improving it It’s not that digital is bad or inferior, it’s that the way it’s being used isn’t doing justice to the art. The MP3 only has 5 percent of the data present in the original recording. … The convenience of the digital age has forced people to choose between quality and convenience, but they shouldn’t have to make that choice.” [Neil Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-young/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Digital formats compromise audio fidelity, forcing a false choice between quality and convenience. **In simple terms:** Digital music reduces quality. Key Takeaway Prioritize audio fidelity when possible. Themes technology art quality Mood concerned critical Type opinion analysis When to use this quote - listening to high‑res music - archiving recordings - choosing formats Key Concepts digital compression audio fidelity Questions to Reflect On - Is convenience worth losing nuance? - Can technology improve without sacrificing art? A Different Perspective Convenience often outweighs quality for many users. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Convenience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/convenience/) [Data](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/data/) [Degrading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/degrading/) [Degrading Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/degrading-music-1780717/) [Digital](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/digital/) [Digital age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/digital-age/) [Digital Bad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/digital-bad-3082316/) [Improving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/improving/) [Improving Digital](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/improving-digital-3082317/) [Inferiors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inferiors/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Mp3](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mp3/) [Mp3 Percent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mp3-percent-3082315/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Originals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/originals/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Percent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/percent/) [Quality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quality/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/) [Used](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/used/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [We live in the digital age, and unfortunately it's degrading our music, not improving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-young/we-live-in-the-digital-age-and-unfortunately-it-s-degrading-our-music/) [Neil Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-young/) > [Without no disrespect to any artist, there's a lot of degrading music out there as far as degrading the culture and degrading society as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakim/without-no-disrespect-to-any-artist-there-s-a-lot-of-degrading-music/) [Rakim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakim/) > [When we were kids, growing up in the sixties, the only images we had of ourselves were either still photographs or 8mm movies… Now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-opie/when-we-were-kids-growing-up-in-the-sixties-the-only-images-we-had-of/) [Catherine Opie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-opie/) > [“why to get stress or get bore .. When you have flipdark.com to get ultimate entertainment :)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald/why-to-get-stress-or-get-bore-when-you-have-flipdark-com-to-get/) [donald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald/) > [Selling MP3s or physical copies, it's still cool, but I think it's slowly becoming outdated to where people just want to build a culture.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diplo/selling-mp3s-or-physical-copies-it-s-still-cool-but-i-think-it-s/) [Diplo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diplo/) > [If you're going to download an MP3, as a recording, it's sort of like an archive of something that has happened - that has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tristan-perich/if-you-re-going-to-download-an-mp3-as-a-recording-it-s-sort-of-like/) [Tristan Perich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tristan-perich/) > [What really turns me on about technology is not just the ability to get more songs on MP3 players. The revolution - this revolution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bono/what-really-turns-me-on-about-technology-is-not-just-the-ability-to/) [Bono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bono/) > [A great song is a great song, whether it's on vinyl or CD or cassette or reel to reel or mp3. Then again, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/a-great-song-is-a-great-song-whether-it-s-on-vinyl-or-cd-or-cassette/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) > [I've personally reached the point where the sound of MP3s are so uncompelling, because so much is lost in translation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beck/i-ve-personally-reached-the-point-where-the-sound-of-mp3s-are-so/) [Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beck/) > [Every single year since they invented sound recording it gets better and better. We've always improved it. With MP3, which just sounds awful, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-ronstadt/every-single-year-since-they-invented-sound-recording-it-gets-better/) [Linda Ronstadt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-ronstadt/) > [I think it's pretty obvious to most people that Napster is not media specific, but I could see a system like Napster evolving into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-fanning/i-think-it-s-pretty-obvious-to-most-people-that-napster-is-not-media/) [Shawn Fanning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-fanning/) > [Also there's two sides of it, I mean, a band like us, at our level and the way we have to promote ourselves and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-hickey/also-there-s-two-sides-of-it-i-mean-a-band-like-us-at-our-level-and/) [Kenny Hickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-hickey/) > [I'll also listen to music on a Discman and realize how nice it can sound when it's not compressed to MP3 format.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-taylor/i-ll-also-listen-to-music-on-a-discman-and-realize-how-nice-it-can/) [Alexis Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-taylor/) > [MP3 players and flash memory devices are good for data storage and playback of music and digital talking books, but they offer little or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-peters/mp3-players-and-flash-memory-devices-are-good-for-data-storage-and/) [Tom Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-peters/) > [In the age of the mp3, you gotta make the package special, something that's worth owning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-condon/in-the-age-of-the-mp3-you-gotta-make-the-package-special-something/) [Zach Condon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-condon/) ## More by Neil Young > [A lot of people that buy vinyl today don’t realise that they’re listening to CD masters on vinyl and that’s because the record companies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-young/a-lot-of-people-that-buy-vinyl-today-don-t-realise-that-they-re/) [Neil Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-young/) > [Let's roll for justice, let's roll for truth. Let's not let our children grow up fearful in their youth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-young/let-s-roll-for-justice-let-s-roll-for-truth-let-s-not-let-our/) [Neil Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-young/) > [Don't feel like Satan, but I am to them. And I try to forgive them anyway I can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-young/don-t-feel-like-satan-but-i-am-to-them-and-i-try-to-forgive-them/) [Neil Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-young/) > [I never knew a man could tell so many lies, he had a different story for every set of eyes. How can he remember…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-young/i-never-knew-a-man-could-tell-so-many-lies-he-had-a-different-story/) [Neil Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-young/) > [It's the woman in you that makes you want to play this game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-young/it-s-the-woman-in-you-that-makes-you-want-to-play-this-game/) [Neil Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-young/) > [Keep it moving. Don't hoard. Money's no good, get rid of it. Turn it into people doing things. Turn it into jobs. Turn it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-young/keep-it-moving-don-t-hoard-money-s-no-good-get-rid-of-it-turn-it-into/) [Neil Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-young/) > [My dad passed away...and suddenly I found myself at the top of the tree and looking at the sky instead of at my mom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-young/my-dad-passed-away-and-suddenly-i-found-myself-at-the-top-of-the-tree/) [Neil Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-young/) > [The Arabic states have to be integrated into the Iraqi reconstruction. We need the help of the Arabic community, which understands its culture. Americans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-young/the-arabic-states-have-to-be-integrated-into-the-iraqi-reconstruction/) [Neil Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-young/) > [Said the condor to the preying mantis, we're gonna lose this place just like we lost Atlantis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-young/said-the-condor-to-the-preying-mantis-we-re-gonna-lose-this-place/) [Neil Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-young/) > [With Crazy Horse, it's all one big, growing, smoldering sound, and I'm part of it. It's like gliding, or some sort of natural surfing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-young/with-crazy-horse-it-s-all-one-big-growing-smoldering-sound-and-i-m/) [Neil Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-young/) > [It doesn't mean that much to me to mean that much to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-young/it-doesn-t-mean-that-much-to-me-to-mean-that-much-to-you/) [Neil Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-young/) > [Cocaine eyes won't hide your face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-young/cocaine-eyes-won-t-hide-your-face/) [Neil Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-young/) > [Now I'm livin' out here on the beach, but those seagulls are still out of reach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-young/now-i-m-livin-out-here-on-the-beach-but-those-seagulls-are-still-out/) [Neil Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-young/) > [I've always been better moving than I am standing still.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-young/i-ve-always-been-better-moving-than-i-am-standing-still/) [Neil Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-young/) > [Don't think. The worst songs I've ever written happen when I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-young/don-t-think-the-worst-songs-i-ve-ever-written-happen-when-i-think/) [Neil Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-young/) [Explore all 317 Neil Young quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-young/) ## More Age quotes > [I need a bath." He chuckled. "You smell of smoke, as do I." The duke turned, leaning heavily on his cane. "Jameson, open the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/i-need-a-bath-he-chuckled-you-smell-of-smoke-as-do-i-the-duke-turned/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) > [While we've youth in our hearts, we can never grow old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/while-we-ve-youth-in-our-hearts-we-can-never-grow-old/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/) > [It's easier to change a law than an age-old mentality. Deep down, many prejudices, many hostilities, many fears persist. But if we take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dacia-maraini/it-s-easier-to-change-a-law-than-an-age-old-mentality-deep-down-many/) [Dacia Maraini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dacia-maraini/) > [When I first started writing, when I was 15, I would go to work with people and they would tell me my lyrics were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sabrina-claudio/when-i-first-started-writing-when-i-was-15-i-would-go-to-work-with/) [Sabrina Claudio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sabrina-claudio/) > [Real people speak in my books about the main events of the age, such as the war, the Chernobyl disaster, and the downfall of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/svetlana-alexievich/real-people-speak-in-my-books-about-the-main-events-of-the-age-such/) [Svetlana Alexievich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/svetlana-alexievich/) > [As a child I was very involved with sports and I knew at age 9 that I wanted to be an Olympic champion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-jones/as-a-child-i-was-very-involved-with-sports-and-i-knew-at-age-9-that-i/) [Marion Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-jones/) > [If there is any period one would desire to be born in, is it not the age of Revolution; when the old and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-there-is-any-period-one-would-desire-to-be-born-in-is-it-not-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [I am just enjoying the dream of being Milan coach at the age of 40.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/i-am-just-enjoying-the-dream-of-being-milan-coach-at-the-age-of-40/) [Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/) > [Age is an accumulation of life and loss. Adulthood is a series of lines crossed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-goodman/age-is-an-accumulation-of-life-and-loss-adulthood-is-a-series-of/) [Ellen Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-goodman/) > [I calculated that if I live up to the age of 80, then I end up using 450 toothbrushes in my life. All that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dia-mirza/i-calculated-that-if-i-live-up-to-the-age-of-80-then-i-end-up-using/) [Dia Mirza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dia-mirza/) > [Why is wisdom so fair? Why is beauty so wise? Because all else is temporary, while beauty and wisdom are the only real and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/why-is-wisdom-so-fair-why-is-beauty-so-wise-because-all-else-is/) [Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/) > [It was only when I went to acting school that I was like, "You are absolutely such a pigheaded freak show that you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-matthey/it-was-only-when-i-went-to-acting-school-that-i-was-like-you-are/) [Giles Matthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-matthey/) > [That old man dies prematurely whose memory records no benefits conferred. They only have lived long who have lived virtuously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-brinsley-sheridan/that-old-man-dies-prematurely-whose-memory-records-no-benefits/) [Richard Brinsley Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-brinsley-sheridan/) > [We have started to make music at age seven. That was a hard work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-kaulitz/we-have-started-to-make-music-at-age-seven-that-was-a-hard-work/) [Bill Kaulitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-kaulitz/) [Browse all 18,948 Age quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We live in the digital age and, unfortunately, it’s degrading our music, not improving it It’s not that digital is bad or inferior, it’s that the way it’s being used isn’t doing justice to the art. 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