In this video I explain why I will never let the likes of Alexa control my music—and honestly, I don’t think you should either. As everything becomes interconnected in this “internet of things” world, I’m fine with convenience in some areas, but music is different. The more we detach from choosing, handling, and committing to what we listen to, the more we turn music into background wallpaper. I trace that slide from CDs (easy skipping and the slow erosion of the album journey), through downloads and Napster (music becoming mere data), and into streaming—where music shifts from something you own to something you rent. Smart speakers, to me, are the final step into passive listening: you don’t even have to pick an album or track—just ask for a playlist and let an algorithm serve you what it thinks you want. I’m not anti-technology (I use it, and I studied music tech), but I do think we’ve lost something significant by surrendering ownership and control. Vinyl, for me, is the antidote: it restores intention, value, and identity to listening. Don’t surrender rented music to a listening, talking speaker—you deserve better than that.