This past weekend I had one of my best friends, Janooly, in town. On Friday we spent the day with her friend from high school, Paul. At some point during that day I brought up a postulate I have made before: why do women tend to buy more compilations -- soundtracks specifically -- than men? Last time I asked this I got one response, but no answer. So I will explain a bit more and hope that you can help me out.

It seems undisputable that women do indeed buy more compilations, in general, so let's move past that. The easy response would be to say that women care less about music as an art and think of it more as a social bond. In other words, they have a desire to seek out music that everyone knows because it will allow them to sing it with friends no matter what the song.* They may not actually sing it, but they will at least be able to recognize it and possibly bond with whomever is nearby.

If you look at soundtracks exclusively, then you could use the emotional argument. Being more emotional, girls want to be able to relive what they felt when they first experienced a movie. A soundtrack will bring them back to that moment.

Yes, these are gross generalizations about women, but I am thinking this necessary since the question I pose is a gross generalization itself. So, if you don't agree with either of these ascertations then why do girls buy more compilations/soundtracks? I am dying to know.

*This would explain why every girl at every Bar Mitzvah I attended in seventh grade knew every word to every song.