@patrickrhone @SimonWoods So many points of departure here on different topics!
I worked at a record store in my twenties and I organize music obsessively--alpha by album, by artist (by last name where appropriate) on furniture designed specifically for media. But the movie High Fidelity suggests chronological by relationship and I think I could probably organize some of my collection by influence even if that doesn't tell the story of romantic relationships.
Meanwhile, while I have also worked at a book store, I'm more inclined to organize loosely by genre, but with more worry about what shelf the book will fit on. Coffee table books really only fit in a few places, so they're together regardles of topic, for example.
I bought iTunes Music Match first, so I can stream my stuff without having to carry a lot of storage. Apple Music came later so I can research interests for eventual purchase.
I do believe in paying the artist, directly when possible, though I've been acquiring more media digitally over time.
While I'm wholly in the Apple camp with respect to media libraries and services, I find myself planning for alternative should Apple decide some products or services are vintage or obsolete. For example, I'm ripping DVDs and building a Plex server, while I will also convert the same files to MP4 to add to iTunes. I can consume either on my AppleTV today, but I know I can get a Roku later if it comes to that.
Where do you guys find yourselves in respect to these ideas?