( L - R ) Bob Marley and Jimmy Cliff - File

Like a vast number of persons, 43-year-old Marie Turner loves music, but not so much that she would buy the same album three times. However, she has, as she has Bob Marley's Rastaman Vibration on cassette, record and compact disc.

Going through her collection she realises that while she may not have 'threepeated' many times, there are quite a few instances of doubling up, in addition to key songs popping up twice or more.

"I will find a song like Many Rivers To Cross two, three times, and sometimes you buy the album just for one song. Then it comes back on a 'greatest hits' compilation," she said.

Which is, naturally, a situation that the record companies and the retail stores certainly do not mind and, in fact, encourage.

So the music purchaser has to get smart and avoid double spending and that may just mean waiting a bit. "Look around for the 'greatest hits' before you buy," Turner advises. "Sometimes there are great songs on an album that you will not hear unless you buy the one that a big hit is on, but really and truly most of us listen only for the 'big song'."

'Up to the time'

And that might just be on a compilation of songs within a particular genre. "I love oldies and many times you will see a set of songs on a collection with some funny name that, if you really check it, have on whole heap of oldies that you want," Turner said.

As for those who are more 'up to the time' and who actually buy original albums from time to time, there is a matter of choosing between one rhythm compilations and the particular artiste's entire album, which often turns out to be not much of a choice.

"Is not too often you going to find a rhythm or tune stay hot until the album come out," 22-year-old Mico student Tyrone pointed out. "So when you hold the compilation, chances are you not going to buy the album, or you just gwaan burn until the album come out."