Why Are Vinyl Records So Expensive?

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00:00 - Introduction
01:01 - The History of Vinyl
03:28 - The Vinyl Resurgence
05:45 - Super Sexy Vinyl

[MarySpender]

💔 Get your VINYL copy of my album *Super. Sexy. Heartbreak.* here:

[TruthAndMoreTruth]

Former Record store guy rant:
In the late 80s record labels began remastering decades of content to take full advantage of the far superior quality of the Compact Disc.
Audiophiles marveled at the sound quality of the CD, and the word "digital" became synonymous with high quality. The CD also never wore out as tape and vinyl does, and can be played a thousand times with no degradation.
Today, record labels are remastering all of their content released throughout the late 80s, 90s to the 2010s to REMOVE dynamic range and frequency response so they can print these releases on vinyl, effectively lowering the quality of releases never meant to be available on vinyl.
When the CD price point reached $15-$20 per album, consumers scoffed at the high price, but now consumers are willing to pay $45 for a lower quality, degenerative format.
I predict that as vinyl continues to grow as the dominate physical format, at some point listeners will rediscover the CD, and wonder why that format was ever abandoned, and we'll see a resurgence of the CD.
Right now, the cheapest thrift store CD player will out perform even the most expensive turntables, and CDs are currently cheaper than vinyl...So...

[squiddly-diddly]

I'm 66 ..just given my niece my Akai stacker stereo system and 250 vinyl that have been stored away for 20 years... some of them likely first pressings.. including my all time favourite and inspiration to start playing..( America ....self titled ... followed by Homecoming )...oh well, let's call it early inheritance.

[justinoung]

I can't wait for your 8-track release and the tour video on laserdisc.

[ocardaugh]

When I was young, all we had were vinyl, reel2reel tape, and radio. I remember listening to Yes LP on my console player. Good memories.

[DojoOfCool]

I'm old AF and worked in a record store in my youth and later a recording engineer back when on big corporation and the government were only ones with computers. The great music era of the 70's. My big issue with vinyl today and especially old albums being brought back on vinyl is who is mastering these albums were any of the people in involved with remastering an old album work on the original session. Mastering vinyl isn't like CD or digital formats mastering vinyl correctly does alter the sound so back in the day the recording engineer and producer were involved in the mastering so the could hear and okay the sound. With vinyl there are limits in how much time can be put on a side of a records and the more time you put the shallower/tighter the groove is and that affects bass response and dynamics. Also all vinyl gear back in the day had to support the RIAA curve well all but one major label did as well as makers of record players. See RIAA curve reduced some frequencies so to make better groove sized on the record, then the record players the electronic in them had circuit to bring back those frequencies to the original sound. Now anything that is going to mess with frequencies will mess with sound that is part of reason the recording engineer and producer of the record were involved with the mastering for vinyl. So who's doing that today seems like a lot of recording artists are just sending there master off and someone not involved with the recording is mastering for the vinyl version.

Also back in the day there were issues with the quality of the vinyl being used. The best was 100% pure virgin vinyl, but with the boom in music in 60's through 80's record company had to start using a mix of pure vinyl and recycled vinyl. Then how often stamper plates were replaced in pressing machines and on and on. Vinyl is a world of it's own.

[josephhughes]

Mary just keep moving forward. A record is a great idea and brings back nostalgia in music history. Great plan

[Donky-flip]

Received my signed CD copy just today! Great album Mary and it really is a fantastic looking product too. Thank you!

[jondellar]

I do enjoy your blend of career news and facts about the music business. I think the way you're doing it (without being a slave to a record label) is the future.
Great video as always Mary 😊

[forresthouser]

Hey Mary - Congrats on the release...I'm a BIG advocate for CDs, but - The one thing I've missed the most about vinyl is the 12 X 12 art format. Your album cover is beautiful and deserves to be hanging on the wall with the rest of my now vintage collection of album covers.

[lechindianer]

Finally a vinyl release! See you in the preorder records

And I'd love to see you live

[mythics]

I started collecting vinyl as a kid in the 70’s. By late 80’s I started to DJ. Today I still buy vinyl it has become expensive but I feel the sound quality is like no other format. Good luck with your music career it can be very rewarding.

[timwauman]

Anxiously awaiting my CD on this side of the pond.

[rickmilam]

I need to check out your music. Very informative presentation. I'm a long term vinyl fan as well as a long time high end audio dealer. In my view the one reason you didn't mention for embracing vinyl is the sound. I listen to a lot of classical and with an analog recording there is often just. a "rightness" to the sound that CD's often lack. There are, of course, disadvantages to the format that can be partly avoided with really good turntables and ultrasonic cleaning techniques. A good friend of mine reissues classic Blue Note jazz releases under the nickname "The Tone Poet" (given to him by a recording artist). Thanks again for posting this.

[malmeyer]

Just pre-ordered the vinyl, looking forward to it!

[miahconnell]

Mary, I LOVE that you said: “phonograph, gramophone, or turntable.” Please, never change !! ❤️

[BlueJayWaters]

Yeah I don't think I can wait that long to hear Mary...guess I'm just gonna have to get both

[GuitarJeff]

Vinyl has been ordered. My only comment as i see you are waiting till next year. At least wait till spring. As a vinyl lover of old and still winter is the absolute worst time for shipping vinyl freezes and becomes very brittle in the cold. Like laquer on a les paul or tolex on an amp. Happy to wait and have it delivered safely.

[DanielleKingdjdinosaur]

i have a large vinyl collection.I currently have it in storage as i moved about over recent years.A love of vinyl is not based on logic .It is an emotional bond .Ido not buy much these days as i have no where to put it and its a bit pricey.I am tryiing to get all my tunes in one place for a few years in the hope that one day it will be with me where ever i end up.Most of my records are with my brother but i have got some others scattered here and there.I have a digital set up bu t in an ideal world i would have the Pioneer hybrid decks which can play vinyl and mp 4s -3s which would let me have everything in one place.I would like to live my final days surrounded by my collection.Heres hoping

[jonathanwingmusic]

I also think hip-hop and electronic genres kept it alive throughout the 90s as producers, DJs, and turntablists going "crate digging" were a boon to the resurgence by the late 2000s. As a format it was the easiest to creatively manipulate on the fly for sampling etc.

As for me I also don't own a CD player anymore, but still rock vinyl. I look forward to checking out your album in spite of the wait!