This must surely have been dealt with here at some point, but I have a question about how people organize their cd collection. When an artist has recorded under more than one name or been in a couple of different bands, do you put all of his/her cds together on the shelf, or do you strictly shelve them alphabetically (or by some other method). For example, do you put Paul McCartney's solo cds under "M" and his Wings ones under "W," or do they all go together under "M"? Should Jakob Dylan's solo cd be put with the Wallflowers or in the "D"s next to his dad's? I don't put Paul's cds with the Beatles, and yet I tend to put his solo and his Wings work together under "M."

I'm a pretty strict alphabetist... including all the examples you mentioned.

[Edit] And there is also some genre splitting. Compilations and soundtracks are grouped, as is all classical, but alphabetical order is maintained within each.

I have my collection broken up into 5 main categories...

Pop/Rock
Country/Folk
Various Artists Compilations
Soundtracks
Comedy

The largest of these sections is Pop/Rock, which I alphabetize as a rule, but occasionally do make logical exceptions to. Your McCartney example is a good one. I guess I look at it more as Paul McCartney and Wings, so it's all together in one Paul McCartney section. Artists who leave groups though and record on their own have their own section, like Peter Cetera and Chicago (though I guess they're not that far apart in the "C" section.). Ultimately, what's best is what works with your own personal thought process. If you're looking for something, where would you be more likely to look?

The thing that saves me more often than not when it comes to finding something is my CD catalog software. I've been a big fan of the software products by the people at Collectorz ( http://www.collectorz.com ) and I use their CD software, their MP3 software and just recently purchased their DVD and photo software. (They've just recently merged their CD and MP3 software, but I'm still using both individually.)

I keep the solo McCartney with the Wings titles, but not with the Beatles.

My example - Rory Gallagher/Taste all in 1 section
Pink Floyd/Roger Waters/David Gillmore/Syd Barrett all in 1 section

However I don't put Beatles with the later solo stuff for some reason, don't know why

All alphabetical, EXCEPT the Beatles have their own section, immediately followed by all solo Beatles (including Wings) and Beatles tribute albums, etc.

Also, compilation albums are separate at the end, by genre.

Of course, I am at least 4 years behind in putting things in order, and have a huge amount piled all over, more or less in the order purchased.

I don't do alphabetical. I kind of do a blend of similar groups or genres. Feels better to me. Alphabetical is just to clinical for me.

Thanks, fellas, for your methods, strategies, and opinions. Interesting to see how something that seems to simple on the surface can vary from person to person.

Like Seth, I have piles of cds from the last couple of years that I haven't had time or space to shelve and incorporate into the rest of my collection. I recently had some space open up, so thought I would start putting things away, when I realized that I'm pretty inconsistent in how I organize things. So, I was curious to know what others did.

One more thing: If you burn your own cds and compilations, do you shelve them incorporated among regular, manufactured cds or keep them separate?

By the way, that software you mentioned, Walter, looks good. I'll have to check out the versions for books, cds, and dvd further. Thanks.

The bulk of mine are alphabetical (splitting the McCartney and Wings, for example), but also with a special drawer for my favorites.

Strictly alphabetical then chronological for me. I don't have any Wings albums, but The Fireman is separate from the Paul McCartney discs. Also, Simon & Garfunkel is separate from Paul Simon. However, I don't distinguish between Herb Alpert solo vs. w/ the Tijuana Brass. Those are all in chronological order (The Lonely Bull through Herb/Lani Hall's Anything Goes).

Jim

I would also recommend the CAT series... I currently use the music, video and book applications. You can download free demo versions here:

http://www.fnprg.com/

"CDs go here."

That's easy for me. Chicago goes under C and I use the albums in order as opposed to the alphabet for them.
Peter Cetera goes directly under my car.

I'm constantly rearranging my CD's, more for the enjoyment of going through my collection rather than obsessive-compulsiveness. (Acquiring music in the first place is where the OCD comes into play.)

As for the Paul McCartney/Wings issue, to me it's just another permutation of the Janis Joplin/Big Brother And The Holding Company debate. Since one finds Wings tracks on Paul's "All The Best" solo best-of, I'd file all Wings under "McCartney".

I just realized my comments might be misconstrued... alphabetical by artist and then chronological is also how I roll.

I file in family trees, thus Quarrymen, Beatles, Tony Sheridan, Wings, Paul McCartney, and Fireman would all go on the same page. I use notebooks.

VA comps I try to group by theme or genre, i.e. surf, rockabilly, ska, etc.

I didn't specify this part, but me too...alphabetical and then chronological.

alphabetically/chronologically by band/last name.

very few solo artists are cataloged with their respective bands. (off the top of my head jagger, richards are with the stones, crosby with CSN because of his name)

patrick simmons and tom johnston are not with the doobie brothers, nor is michael mcdonald, but fagen and becker are with steely dan. i know, i'm weird.

soundtracks are separate unless i bought a soundtrack for one specific song, then it goes under the artist. same for compilations.

jazz is completely separate (quite a few), as are new age (very few) and classical (also very few).

box sets are also separate unless i am able to take the CD's out of the box, then they are with the artist.

It's got to be in genres and alphabetically within these.
Doing it alphabetically alone wouldn't work for me as albums would just end up being forgotten if they weren't at hand with similar music.It would also spoil the pleasure of listening to related types of music in phases as I often do.

Same here.

Also, I use three sets of notebooks:

1) Pop, Rock, Country

2) R&B, Soul, Blues, Reggae, World

3) Jazz, Pop Vocal

So does the Invisible Pedestrian put Madonna's "I'm Breathless" under Soundtracks, Madonna or your car?

Also artists by alphabetical and then chronological order. Compilations after artists, in alphabetical title order except tributes by artist who's the subject of the tribute. Chronological order for compilation series & magazine cds. Soundtracks follow in alphabetical order. No order for box sets. I recently started boxing up those digipak cds that are a bigger size than normal along with the non-slim, multi-cd sets. As I'm running out of space for vinyl & cds, I plan to move these odd & large shape items to another room, keeping a list on what's stored in the box on the box lid.