Why are Vinyl/Records popular again?
OvertheUnder
Posts: 4,764 Forum Member
✭✭✭
There has been a document increase in Vinyl/Record sales. As a collector I can see the appeal but I still don't understand why it's having such a massive resurgence?
Can anyone shed any light on this?
Can anyone shed any light on this?
0
Comments
It's not, it's just a tiny, tiny 'resurgence', someone recently posted a graph of relative sales, and records was a thin barely visible slice of green.
Downloads were higher than CD's though.
Perhaps people just want lower quality?, but I presume it's purely for nostalgia reasons - I've still got my deck and albums (in the attic), but I wouldn't dream of getting them out
It`s not having a "massive" resurgence. Sales are a fraction of a percent as part of all music buying. It`s the Hoxton trendies, coverage in style-wank mags and independent record stores that have done a bang-up job of making it seem like vinyl is mounting a comeback. It isn`t and it`s only really graphic designers, anal collectors and self-aggrandising recording artistes that are getting a hard-on for it all over again. I speak as someone with thousands of records so I`ve no interest in doing-down the format.
Apparently the Japanese are fanatical vinyl buyers. I recall someone in the biz telling me a decade ago that vast quantities of old records were leaving the UK bound for Japan. No idea if it`s true or not but it had the ring of authenticity to it.
http://www.thephysicsmill.com/2013/01/06/sound-vinyl-records-vs-digital-files/
http://louderthanwar.com/vinyl-or-digital-whats-the-best-format-and-does-vinyl-sound-better/
Most people can't even tell the difference between mp3s sampled at 320 and lossless recordings, so it seems unlikely that there is an appreciable difference in the sound of vinyl compared to digital - there is more variation in the quality of the equipment used to play it.
Should have added....when you buy a hard copy you actually own it...and can pass it on to whoever you like...unlike downloads(re Bruce Willis's test case against Apple ).....something which is finally beginning to dawn on young and older buyers alike
there's been a lot of stuff in the media lately about vinly being cool and lots of people are easily persuaded by what they read and want to be cool so they go and buy it
the "massive resurgence" is simply down to sales going from being close to pee-all to being small. a bit like when you read reports that say sales of an album have shot up 4000% since someone died or a track appeared on telly. that just really means that last month 4 people bought the album and this week 640 people did (or whatever the sums are).
a lot of people waffle on about how great the sound is when actually they are just hearing in most cases less high end, more bottom end, muddy mids and considering that a "warmer" sound and perhaps preferring it. most people playing vinly now will have crap setups as few people have decent money to invest in a good turntable and amp setup to fully get the best out of the vinly
one other reason is the knock on effect. I've bought more records in the last couple of years than I had in the previous 10 years simply because more items have became available. I do have 3 turntables though, two of which are in a dj setup, but I haven't actually played most of what I bought as I had them on cd already, and don't have any intention of playing vinyl I have on cd unless I want to dj on vinyl for nostalgia reasons. I'm sure there will be other collectors doing the same. I know a few who collect records who don't even have a turntable. but then they will also collect laserdiscs and other stuff they can't play
the bruce willis story was just made up and not true. with digital it's easier to pass stuff on as you can simply copy stuff from one HDD to another or burn to a disc
Cheers...still can't roll a joint on a series of 0 and 1 though:)....must admit I'v kept all my old records....and yes I'am nostalgic and would never sell them....nevertheless I have't played one for 20-25yrs despite keeping my old turntable....never downloaded a single music track in my life...although I continue to buy CD's....personally I just prefer owning the hard copy which I can then upload onto my computer and transfer to an MP3/portable hard drive for convenience.
It's much easier as long as the stuff you are passing on isn't riddled with DRM.
Thankfully very little modern music downloads have DRM to worry about these days, shame the other media industries are still so blinkered though and stuck in the 20th century.
My ears aren't keen enough to tell the difference in formats these days - a youth spent at Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin concerts perhaps, although I doubt there is much difference to be heard on all but the most esoteric of setups. The convenience of digital is more important to me.
Also just look at the amazing artwork on some albums. Once again, you won't get that from a download.
The audio side is well known. As an example i remember selling all my old mono Beatles LP's and buying the same in stereo. They were awful, because originally the early ones were recorded in mono only. I soon changed back and bought the mono recordings.
And if you've ever appeared on a vanyl album, you can show that off to people, assuming your picture's on the sleeve.
Try doing that with a download, "look at my iPod, that's me!".
Album covers were something taken very seriously in the 60's and 70s, I agree. People like Yes, and the Moody Blues had some real masterpieces. It's not worth the effort for a cd cover, and as for downloads, non existent.
Or designed them - Loads of `em and had them mentioned in reviews of the music, much to the irritation of the recording artistes!
I had it hand painted by a professional pottery artist on to a plate some 30 odd years ago.
Any "Bat" fans want to make me an offer, this unique 'one off' is up for sale.
The Album artwork appeared to just as important as the music to many Artists.....in fact thinking about it....there are very few classic CD covers...I can think of a few.....but there are countless classic Vinyl covers....When I bought an album I'd spend ages studying every detail of the artwork..cover /inner sleeve etc.etc....and a double album was manner from heaven:)
I well remember the day I bought the album....if I hear any song from it now I'am instantly transported back I time.....just thinking about it freaks me a little....such a long time ago.:(
Very good, and instantly recognisable, as many album covers were. CD covers just don't have any impact.
Dark Side of the Moon doesn't feature the band, or their name, but everyone knows what it is.
I agree. You just have to look at how much time The Beatles spent on the Sgt Pepper cover, and all these other great ones came out around that time too, and continued until Cds took over.
The Beatles got the cover importance down to a fine art, and after all the pomp of Sgt Pepper, their next album was just a plain white cover, which had it's own impact, and has been forever known as The White Album. They then did the famous Abbey Road cover, which to this day stacks of people try to recreate when visiting Abbey Road.
I suspect you've done a few!
The only problem with records is that you have to turn them over!
Whilst you might have no interest in "doing-down" the format you are remarkably quick to slate those who enjoy vinyl......
Over all music sales have been falling for a number of years now. This has partly been off-set by digital sales but the over all trend is downwards. for that reason alone the record industry are bound to "big up" a format that is actually increasing sales.
According to the BPI sales this year are on target to reach a 20-year high, that is bound to be reported as significant, despite it being a low total in context of overall sales.
The eight tribes of vinyl collector.
Personally I never stopped buying vinyl, and I never threw my collection away. Much of what I have has never been released on CD.
I simply can't understand why vinyl, and those who enjoy it, get peoples hackles up so much.
Each to their own.