One man’s enduring love for CDs: He owns more than 2,000, sells them, holds free listening sessions

Some folks approach him with their unwanted CDs – including some that are still sealed, once bought simply to support an artiste. He tries not to price each copy beyond S$15 (US$11.20). That would be considered the high end of prices, reserved for pieces he considers rarer or more in demand, such as The Star Wars original motion picture soundtrack he once had. 

On average, his CDs cost between S$5 and S$10, though some sell for as low as S$3. Interested customers can peruse his selection on a Google Docs catalogue linked on his Instagram @okcompactdisc that’s updated monthly. 

If they don’t find what they want, Yeo is usually willing to put in the legwork to hunt it down, charging customers an additional, nominal finder’s fee. He then tests the CD on his own player before selling it to them. This, of course, comes with the risk that the CD isn’t in resale condition, but he’s happy to bear the cost.

Earlier this year, he was on a mission in Yokohama to find a Japanese CD for a customer, who had sent him a photo of the album cover. After searching several stores for the whole day, he finally found the album tucked away on a shelf. 

“That was kind of memorable, shopping on behalf of someone in a faraway land. And it’s something that he cherished enough to bring overseas,” he said. 

As it turned out, the customer loved the CD so much, he brought it with him back to Australia where he was studying.