I’m definitely not the first to tackle this topic, but recently I’ve been going through my record collection, and it got me thinking.
Why vinyl?
There is no denying the growing interest in records; 2020 marked the first year in a generation where vinyl sales surpassed those of CDs. Nielsen Music and MRC Data reported that, in the USA alone, vinyl made up $232.1 million worth of music sales compared to only $129.9 million for CDs.[1] And these figures are likely to be an underestimate with so many records being brought and sold second-hand at charity shops and car boots.
But it isn’t just Boomers or Generation-X wanting to recapture their youth that is driving this revival. My generation are equally, if not more, excited to get hold of records.
If it’s more than a case of rose-tinted nostalgia, what is the impetus?
What’s behind the fascination?
My original introduction to vinyl was as a child.
Spending lots of time with my Gran, I was always aware of the large, dusty cupboard of records in the corner of the hall. While, to my annoyance, they were never really played, I would occasionally be allowed to go through them to look at the covers. I always had the aim that, one day, I’d get a player to actually be able to hear them.
For me, getting into vinyl was a moment of personal fulfilment.
However, I suspect, I might be a bit of an anomaly.
So, what might be a more general explanation.
Noise, everywhere.
Our daily lives are filled with sounds from all sorts of sources. From passing traffic, to overheard conversations, to computer hum and wildlife.
Not to mention the music we choose to listen to ourselves.
The digital age has brought with it a whole collection of new sounds and has also increased the ese with which we can access them. Search and click and you have access to an almost infinite collection of songs. Add a small fee and you can download, making access even easier. By the first quarter of 2020, a massive 400 million people subscribed to a music streaming service.[2] That’s an increase of over 500% from 2015. With speed and accessibility, it’s no surprise that streaming is so popular.
“Touchability”
But with a vinyl record, you get a little something else.
Although streaming provides a wonderful variety of music at the touch of a button, vinyl brings something physical, something tangible. In an era where most sounds are so ephemeral, there’s a lot to be said about that.
A record also tends to be something that you own, rather than just borrow or access. As Netflix and Disney+ subscriptions replace collections of videos and DVDs, nothing seems to be as permanent as it used to be. With vinyl, this changes.
The process of listening
At this point I should probably point out a hole in my argument.
Like many, I am definitely guilty of owning physical records and then choosing to listen to the same tracks through a streaming service. My excuse: a phone is more portable than a turntable and society has evolved with a certain expectation that we submerge ourselves with our headphones when out and about.
But, maybe vinyl can enable a different sort of listening.
The “live” factor
Putting a record on requires an awful lot more physical interaction than playing a song on Spotify. From purchasing to setting it spinning, listening to vinyl is a far more dynamic, interactive process.
It is also more tempting to listen all the way through a record rather than switching between digital albums and tracks.
It becomes more of a performance.
And this has a lot going for it. Particularly at the moment when our access to truly live performances has been so dramatically curtailed.
While not having quite the same impact as a visit to the Royal Albert Hall or the Roundhouse, vinyl provides more of an experience than just pressing play.
It sounds better?
Some will claim that vinyl also sounds more like a live performance and provides much better audio fidelity than an MP3.
To me, it’s not that they sound better, they just sound different. It is a fundamental part of the nature of the different forms. Both vinyl and digital files have their individual qualities, and that is part of their identities and charm.
So I’m not convinced that the actual sound is the real driving force behind the revival of the record.
It goes much deeper. Beyond sound and beyond individuals trying to fulfil an image of by-gone coolness.
Vinyl captures a permanence, a way of really engaging with music in a way that challenges many of today’s societal expectations. The vinyl effect provides an escape.
An escape into music and the process of music.
The future
What is next for the vinyl record? Personally, I don’t see this revival going away any time soon.
What can we expect next? Maybe in 2050 we’ll see a similar fascination with a CD revival.
Well, I guess we shall just have to wait and see!
Polyphony 