put me firmly in Martin Gibson's camp.

I like the "connectedness" I feel from the artwork and especially the liner notes from which I so often glean ideas for my next purchases. Liner notes are a great window into who is recording what -- who's playing with whom and who might have recordings of their own that might sound appealing.

I also really dislike the "45's" mentality of picking. So often some of the best music is that which grows on you after spinning a CD for another song. You know how it goes (maybe, if you loved 45's you don't) -- you buy a CD for one song and before long it is another....and then another, that become your favorites.