How to Rip the Stardew Valley CD Soundtrack to Digital

Quick Answer

Use Exact Audio Copy (Windows) or X Lossless Decoder (macOS) to rip the Stardew Valley 1.4 & 1.5 CD Soundtrack to FLAC or MP3, preserving the original audio quality and adding proper tags.

How to Rip the CD to Digital

1. Install the right ripping software for your OS: On Windows, download Exact Audio Copy (EAC). On macOS, download X Lossless Decoder (XLD). On Linux, use abcde or Asunder from your package manager. These tools are free and handle error correction better than built-in media players. Avoid using Windows Media Player or iTunes for ripping—they often skip error correction and can produce glitches on scratched discs.
2. Insert the CD and configure the output format: Put the Stardew Valley 1.4 & 1.5 CD into your drive. In EAC or XLD, set the output format to FLAC (lossless) or MP3 with a bitrate of 320 kbps. For MP3, choose a quality setting of V0 or 320 CBR for the best balance of size and fidelity. If you plan to listen on a phone with limited storage, MP3 320 kbps is a good compromise; choose FLAC only if you have enough space.
3. Rip the disc and verify the track list: Click the 'Rip' or 'Extract' button to start the process. After ripping, check that all tracks are present and that the file names match the official track order. Use the freedb or MusicBrainz metadata lookup to automatically tag tracks with correct titles and artist info. If any track shows an error or is missing, re-rip that track individually—don't ignore errors, as they can cause audible skips.
4. Organize your digital files: Create a folder structure like 'Music/Stardew Valley/1.4 & 1.5 Soundtrack' and move the ripped files there. Use a music player like MusicBee or VLC to confirm the tags and cover art appear correctly; you can add the cover art from the CD booklet if needed. Consistent folder and file naming makes it easy to sync to your phone or stream over your home network.
5. Back up your ripped files: Copy the ripped folder to an external drive or cloud storage service. This protects your digital library against hard drive failure and means you don't have to re-rip the CD if you lose the disc. A backup is your insurance policy—once it's done, you can enjoy your soundtrack worry-free.

The Disc That Makes This Guide Useful

• Stardew Valley 1.4 & 1.5 CD Soundtrack: This CD includes the 23 new tracks added in Stardew Valley's 1.4 and 1.5 updates, with gatefold-style packaging designed by Kari Fry. Ripping these new tracks lets you add them to an existing digital library without needing to buy a separate download, and the gatefold packaging keeps the disc safe when not in use.