Worshiping False Idols...?

 I read an article on Monday discussing music merchandise and memorabilia - and how it has consumed the interest of some the music-crazed.  But are these trinkets enough to hold the value and important that the music has?

The Value of Music

How does a person decide on the value of music?  How do you decide what the value of music is?  How do you decide which songs, artists, genres are important to you?  Do you share this importance with everyone or keep it to yourself?
Music gains it value from the affect it has on it's listeners - feelings, reactions, memories, symbolism.

Can merch hold all that value?

So you bought that poster, hanged it on your wall, and three years later you're taking it down - why did you buy it in the first place?  Was it worth the money you paid for it?
Assuming you will forever like and appreciate the same artists, bands, and kind(s) of music as you do when you buy merchandise, will it forever hold safe the reasons you bought it?
Does a CD or vinyl count as merchandise to you?  I've always thought of a CD as a way to get the music, never because of the booklet with the pictures (although lyrics are sometimes useful).

Digital vs. CDs & Vinyl

I am probably one of the odds ones, but less than 5% of my music library is of a digital origin.  Why is the world going digital with everything?  The computer age is overrated in some areas.
Don't get me wrong, I like my green iPod nano, and I need to upload everything to get the music on it.  But what happens if I loose all those files?  To me, CDs are a form of backup.

Artist Branded...Stuff

Artists creating clothing lines and home decor, endorsing shoes and diet plans.
Does that mean all these things are better?  Are they more unique or "worth it" than other similar products?
How much is artist (or famous-person) endorsement worth to you?  How much does that increase the price you are paying for whatever product you're buying? ('cause you know they don't do those advertisements for free)

...Finally...

What does the hoarding of all this stuff say about you?  How does each thing you own from all of the pop culture represent you?
We have all done those "All About Me" presentations at some point - how many of those things were music merchandise or memorabilia? ...

...So is it worth it?

(The article I read was given to me by my professor.  Writing about music is a very interesting subject - don't you think?  Well, you are reading this blog...)