5 Reasons Why Vinyl Records Are Alive and Rising in Popularity

Vinyl records, over the past decade, made a strong comeback even among the younger generation. Music fans, either newbies or hard-core collectors, are now more appreciative of the record as a form of art, from the cover to the feel to the sound.

The vinyl revival was more notable last year when it outperformed the CDs in volume and revenue sales. A total of 1.243 million vinyl records were sold in 2019, with a total value of $224 million. Those figures broke the 33-year reign of the digital discs over the gramophone record.

Vinyl albums are definitely on a resurgence amid the prevailing other music media such as CDs and streaming platforms like Spotify, iTunes, Tidal, and others. Listed below are the top five reasons that caused the 12" vinyl records to be alive and still rising.

Sound of vinyl

The most significant appeal to the buyers is the analog sound it reverberates, which is way better than its digital counterpart. In vinyl, the music and vocals are far closer to the real deal giving it a superior quality effect. In the digital audio format used in Spotify or iTunes or MP3s, the overall sound quality is reduced by lossy or compressed files to fit into the memory of your smartphone or the streaming platforms.

Diverse audiophiles

You will be amazed that most of those interested in acquiring long-playing records are the millennials. Those with age below 35 accounts for more than 70 percent of the market buying the albums. Their parents, who used to store vinyl records, could have influenced their choice over CDs.

Not to be outdone are the vinyl collectors who have never really stopped their hobby. Twenty-seven percent of the buyers come from the 36 and above age group. For them, grabbing old familiar songs rejuvenate their days of youth.

Hold and own a vinyl

Physically holding on to an album with the artful cover design offers a different high, especially if it is an LP you have been looking for a long time. Finally, you have it in your hands; it is yours; you own it. Compare that to downloaded or streamed music, which will only last as long as the platform is alive. These are the tangibles that make the licorice pizza valuable.

The vinyl experience

Imagine yourself entering a record store full of excitement, not knowing what you will discover to find. The buying experience is a moment itself - spending hours rummaging through stacks, reminiscing memories from the covers you see, asking people around to get their opinions, and making friends with them.

Hand-in-hand, the listening part is a different experience altogether. Bringing the vinyl from the cover case, laying it on the turntable, putting the needle on the groove, sitting comfortably with your happy drink, and allowing the music to echo throughout the room take you to an inexplicable level of euphoria.

Value of vinyl

The cost of a vinyl record is nearly triple as a CD, yet the value appreciates depending on the artist and the mint condition. Retro albums such as from Queen, The Beatles, Elvis Presley, which have been repressed sell at much higher prices. Piling up on your vinyl album collection is a wise investment as you can resell it later or hand it over to your children.

Vinyl albums have long been around dating back as 1930 for its inception. The LPs could have lied low for quite some time, but they are definitely here to stay.

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