Why are Vinyl Records SO Popular... AGAIN?

It seems like every other day we’re confronted with a new technological wonder that everybody is flocking to, but amidst all the hype there’s a quiet trend towards one of the oldest audio technologies available: vinyl records. But are these relics actually the peak of musical experience, or are we just riding the nostalgia train?

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Script: Caroline Eaton Pickard
Editor: Kim Su + Kirsten Stanley
Project Manager: Lurana McClure Rodríguez
Host: Levi Hildebrand

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[JamiecatOG]

I feel like the more we head towards to a digital age, the more we want material things to operate/collect and use, just to remind us of a happier time in our past.

[thespace]

I bought my son a record player when he turned 13, and gave him my un unopened 1979 Pink Floyd the wall album. I bought 2 copies when it came out. Promised myself to give it to my first born child when he turned 13. 5 years later his vinyl collection is better than mine. He likes his digital but loves his vinyl. Every month he scours his favorite shop looking for obscure/or popular bands and music. It’s his passion and I’m so glad I started him on it🎉

[stmonroe]

You forgot another reason some people use physical media: Archival purposes. Streaming services can easily have an artist, album, or song disappear for a variety of reasons. Having a physical copy that has endured time has at least ensured the user still has access.

[edramirez]

My millennial nephew discovered his grandmother’s stereo and her record collection. He was totally clueless and I had to explain how to use it, and he became hooked. He also laid claim on it and my family’s 70’s soul records.

[shanmango]

My completely stupid reason for buying vinyls is that if there is a digital apocalypse and no electronics are usable anymore, then at least I can still listen to my favourite music 😂

[sileigh]

I am a millenial and I grew up listening to vinyl at home. I enjoy the experience of vinyl because it reminds me of my childhood and the sound is so warm. Not to mention having to rotate the record keeps me present and engaged while listening.

[acalinga]

I almost exclusively thrift for vinyl at independent stores because of the cost and sustainability. There are millions of already manufactured records that are sitting in antique, thrift and record stores that can cost as little as $1, sometimes free. It’s also a great way to explore the rest of an album where you might be familiar with just one song.

[PinkAsAPistol]

There's a couple of reasons why albums do tend to sound better on vinyl but it has nothing to do with inherent sonic merits of the medium. The real cause is that for a couple of decades, the trend on digital sound is to compress the dynamic range of recordings by brickwalling and/or letting them reach the point of digital cliping, so they end lacking any dynamic range. This makes them sound "louder" in terms of average loudness, but obviously it also makes them sound lifeless and non-organic after people adjust their volume levels, if not also harshly distorting. People in the musical industry insist doing it for no reason other than they baselessly assume the public wants this and it's something that could not been done on vinyl because on extremely low dynamic range, the needle would have trouble tracking the record. So ironically, vinyl releases end up having better dynamic range than digital, even though vinyl cannot match digital in how much dynamic range can be reproduced. Another thing is that many digital releases are mastered so as to simulate being played "loud" while being played on low volume, on the assumption that they will be played by shitty small speakers so the "loudness" must be simulated somehow. This is a lose-lose game though, and essentially means they sound shitty on low volume and even shittier when played louder. Again, the irony is that I'm looking for the best source to hear an album digitally and some times this means obtaining the vinyl and digitizing it. Because, you know, vinyl still sounds like vinyl, even when digitized, which is a testament to vinyl's superiority lol.

[tashokukisune]

I’m stoked vinyl is back. I bought a record player and vinyls for my mom, who is 80. She can’t do streaming and tech well. And her memory isn’t amazing. So I bought a bunch of her favorite 1940s, 50s, 60s bands and I a machine she remembers well. She enjoyed teaching me how to use it. I’m glad for that. We did Xmas music like that this year. She had to give all ears away years ago because of my dad. So she was very tickled by it.

[justanotherfrog]

Millennial here - I can’t say I understand why vinyls specifically have become a thing again, but I have started to collect physical movie media again and like feeling less beholden to streamers for my favorite movies

[JohnDeBrino]

I’ve always been into old formats, and I just started getting into vinyl. I tend to reserve vinyl for those albums that I love to listen to cover to cover, and I find it to be a really nice experience.

[fever]

There's something inherently comforting in the knowledge that vinyl can be enjoyed with zero connections outside of a turntable and speakers. No algorithms listening in to my preferences. No wifi connectivity issues. Just pure, simple music. And I like the idea of owning something, not just "renting" it from a streaming platform.

[HoennMaster]

I’m personally not a huge fan of vinyl, but I do love see the large print of the album covers and love how cool some records look (color discs, splatter discs, etc.) having a physical copy of your favorite media is always preferred as well. Digital just happens to works better for me.

[briankelley]

I have a soft spot for the stereo systems of the late 20th century. They played records, CDs, tapes, radio, cable tv audio (for a while), etc. You just had to buy a player for that media format and wire it into the stereo amp and connect that to speakers. It was modular and customizable. There was no all-in-one, no OS, no driver updates, etc. The only real planned obsolescence in the 20th century was the shift from 78 to 33 and from 33 to CD. You could literally play every major media format after the Edison cylinder with one system. And if you like playing stuff out of contemporary smart devices, all you need is an AUX IN, which is that vestigial input for tape. Vinyl is great. Having a stereo that frees you from the walled garden of streaming music is ever greater.

[GunsNRosesAXL]

Man for real... I was talking to this girl 4 months ago... When was the last time you sat down and listened to music... As main activity, not background noise... Vinyls are incredible... Im born in 87, got hooked on vinyl 4 years ago... Its an experience

[cassieoz]

Why do i play vinyl and CDs? Because i OWN them. Do not ask me to pay subscriptions or download another app ill use once a year 🙄

[leonardneamtu_]

I prefer CDs. Not just because of the audio quality, but for the ease of use, as well. Sure, the plastic cover is not nearly as cool as the full blown art on a cardboard that the vinyl have, but they're much smaller, easier to deposit and also cheaper. There was a video I have watched a few years ago, made by someone passionate about HiFi and this stuck with me: in a world full of everything going virtual, listening to a physical copy of your favourite album feels like a digital detox, and it gives you the opportunity to better commit to an artist, an album, etc. Being more mindful about the music you're listening feels very good when you sit down and put your headphones on, to listen to that album you've waited so much for. And especially for the albums where there are transition sounds, where everything is just seamlessly tied together.. mmm, chef kiss.

[BNWilliamGaming]

I remember I was so confused that when my favorite 90’s soundtrack (Journey to Silius) was exclusively on vinyl (not even on streaming). That was until I saw that vinyl sales beat CD sales. I’ve never felt the need to get into vinyl (I’m more of a CD guy), but that’s fairly impressive.

[infesticon]

If your buying records, Don't try and have lots. It's better to have albums and singles you know inside out and love. Rather than a lot of things you never listen. Once you get past 100 or so a record collection gets to be a lot of hassle (I have over 700 12s, and over 300 7 inch, I am 43 and have been collecting since my teens, House moving is awful)

[Boswd]

was in barnes and Noble and noticed 15 to 18 year olds hanging around the the vinyl section and making purchases, As a Gen X'r it brought a smile to my face.