Many years ago, people did not have Spotify, YouTube, or even iTunes to turn to when they wanted to listen to music. They had vinyl records, which are these large discs we put on turntables. People fell in love with vinyl due to its ability to stir three of our senses. It engages our sense of sight, hearing, and touch. Even though one needs to change it every 20 minutes just to listen to their favorite music, the experience itself is a beautiful one.
Why We Have a Love-hate Relationship with Vinyl
Vinyl records, like other music formats, have their own pros and cons. Many people love how engaging the whole experience of playing music is using vinyl records. Some even claim this is the ultimate physical format of music.
There’s also the fact that the music that comes out of vinyl has that “warmth” factor. The music played in vinyl records is actually organic and comforting. There’s also the fact that such types of music format are mastered with more dynamics.
But then, there are the so-called drawbacks of vinyl records. These easily get damaged and requires a great deal of maintenance. This is aside from the fact that vinyl records can be quite expensive.
From Vinyl to CDs
Both ordinary consumers and collectors have been enjoying vinyl records since the 1900s. But due to the ever-changing technology, people turned from buying vinyl to buying CDs. These are more compact than regular vinyl, which makes CDs appealing to consumers who are always on the go.
When the CD came out on the market in 1982, music enthusiasts were thrilled. For one, they could enjoy listening to music with the help of a music format that could store up to 80 minutes of music. They could use a portable CD player to listen to music while outside and blast music when indoors.
Even if cassette tapes were already used around this time, consumers liked the idea of skipping to the next song. Soon, people started buying CDs instead of vinyl records. They liked CDs’ portability and flexibility that they couldn’t enjoy with vinyl records.
Why CD Sales Declined over the Years
Since 2008, CD sales fell each year. And then the Apple company launched iTunes. Consumers love the idea of being able to buy the songs they like listening to and create a playlist. They do not have to buy a whole vinyl record only to listen to a few songs they like.
By the year 2008, Spotify was released. This music streaming app enables users to enjoy unlimited music in exchange for a monthly subscription fee. More apps were launched since then, and suddenly, only a few people are using vinyl and CDs to listen to music.
Don’t forget the success of YouTube, which all started in 2015. People loved how the app is brimming with industry-manufactured studio recordings. This enabled users to watch music videos organically, sing along with lyric videos, and even make their own music for other people to watch.
Why Vinyl Record Are Still Selling in the 21st Century
Although CDs and other music formats are selling more than vinyl, many people are still buying and collecting vinyl records in today’s modern world.
The nostalgic experience one gets to experience with listening to vinyl records play music amuses even today’s modern consumers. Some are simply reminiscing the good old days, while some are actually collecting some of the best vinyl records of all time. There are even people willing to pay insane amounts just to get their hands on limited edition vinyl records.
Some people buy vinyl records as their ticket to better music and nostalgic memories. They buy autographed vinyl records as memorabilia online. Some use this as excellent gifts or as another addition to their growing collection.
Vinyl sales these days may only represent a tiny fraction of the overall revenue of the music industry. But its appeal to both old music lovers and today’s young generation is undeniable. With the whole retro-hype going on, it is easy to see why many music lovers are trying to reminisce the good old past by going back listening to vinyl.
Many music lovers are using vinyl to disconnect. They use this form of listening to music as a way to do a digital detox. They love how involved they feel when listening to their vinyl.
Most of us may love the convenience that music apps these days have to offer. But for some people, they love listening to their retro music on some good old vinyl and turntable. Things may have changed our taste in music. But some continue to go back to the basics to enjoy the dynamic range of vinyl.