I see it more as a functionality thing. I bought them initially for exercise -- I got tired of running with headphones on. These days I mostly use headphones in

I see it more as a functionality thing. I bought them initially for exercise -- I got tired of running with headphones on. These days I mostly use headphones in three situations: exercise, commuting (on the subway) and while working. The train's heavy environmental noise makes sound quality matter less than isolation, and earbuds can fit in my pocket. Plus, as I mentioned above, they sound better than I expected and I don't mind using them on the train even for an hour or two if I'm taking a long trip. Music while working is mostly about comfort and isolation, as I'm hopefully working instead of actively paying attention to the music. If I'm planning on actively listening to music or doing production work, I use my nice speakers or a pair of monitoring headphones. But that's a much less common scenario for me.