Why are Vinyl Records making a comeback?

Long before the age of streaming services and mp3s, even before CDs and DVDs, music was stored, played, and distributed through gramophone disc records, better known as vinyl records. Vinyl records are flat discs made from vinyl plastic with groves etched into the surface that, can be driven over by a gramophone needle to produce sound. Music albums were sold in cases which included a vinyl disc, and the sales of vinyl records peaked in the 1970s with hundreds of millions of units sold a year and with a revenue exceeding two billion dollars annually. Vinyl records were profitable to artists as well, compared to modern alternatives as one unit sells for around $25 whereas streaming services like Spotify pay fractions of a cent per stream. Following the invention of cassettes, CDs, and other digital formats, the vinyl records market became virtually non-existent, with less than 10 million units sold annually by the 90s. However, the use, trade, and collection of vinyl records are making a significant resurgence in the modern era, and this article details several reasons as to why this may be the case.

Tangibility

Streaming is currently the most popular way to listen to music, but it does not give any user actual ownership over the song but rather gives them the right to listen to it through the streaming service. Vinyl records on the other hand, once purchased, are physical objects which can be owned, traded, resold etc. It has no attachment to any provider and can be played an unlimited number of times. This is one of the main attractions of vinyl records, and they are sought after by collectors for this reason. A vinyl record can even be showcased in a vinyl display as room décor for the most devoted fans.

The purchase of a vinyl record also gives additional materials related to the artists or the album such as album covers, art, lyric sheets, pictures etc. which enhances the experience of the music.

Nostalgia

Longing for the past is a driver of great many things, including the resurgence of previous trends. They are generally revived by those who enjoyed them back in the day fostering interest in newer, younger crowds and the trend becoming popular again. This can be seen in various industries including fashion, video gaming, filmmaking, and now music. This is also driven by the fact that many old bands have recently reformed for various performances and events which has led to their old work becoming popular.

Listening Experience

The modern listening experience simply entails clicking play on a streaming service and listening to a curated playlist of the most popular songs, but in the older days, it was a more active process involving selecting a vinyl disc, placing it in a player and playing it. Moreover, the players were not portable so it couldn’t be done while performing other tasks that involve leaving the room. This resulted in a unique listening experience which deepens the bond between the listener and the music.