Vinyl Mania: Generation Y Nostalgia
Although vinyl record sales are a small piece of the music market as a whole, the numbers don’t lie. There has been a significant increase in vinyl record sales over the last two years -- the highest since 1996 according to Newsweek. In 2014 vinyl sales in the United States alone hit over 9 million, and the sales are continuing to rise in 2015. Today, from iTunes and Spotify to websites like 8 Tracks and SoundCloud, music is more accessible than ever before. Why then, in this music utopia, are more people choosing vinyl records? And although we all want vinyl to reclaim its rightful place as a prominent part of the music charts, can the vinyl industry handle such a high demand?
(Photo credit: http://qz.com/387213/the-astonishing-comeback-and-undeniable-insignificance-of-vinyl/nbsp)
Why Vinyl?
Generation Y is infatuated with nostalgia. We listen to our parents’ talk of the “good old days”. You all know what I’m talking about. The days of Woodstock, groupies, music that made you feel something, when music really meant something. We want to be transported back to this simpler time, and vinyl records are the groovy gateway to help us get there. Records allow us to go back to the past and relive the freedom that was yesteryear. We switch on the turntable and feel butterflies in our stomachs when we hear the scratch of the needle on the record. The imperfections of this antiquated music-listening experience make it all the better. But why do we feel this way when we have the option of crystal clear music at our fingertips? I like to think it’s because we get bored with the perfection and precision that is the technology of today. The skip of the record is its own way of saying, “Can you dig it, man?”
(Photo Credit: http://www.Woodstock.com)
The uptick in vinyl sales can also be attributed to the experience of buying music. I can remember in the early 1990’s frequenting the Sam Goody store. You actually had to walk around and find the album (or at that time, compact disc or cassette tape) you wanted to purchase, and could even pick up a pair of headphones for a preview. It was the 90s version of the original music shopping experience: the record store. Music streaming websites allow us not only to purchase music anywhere and anytime, but we don’t even have to buy the whole album—how boring is that? More people are choosing to go back to the roots of the music buying experience by purchasing an old record player, and spending hours at the thrift shop searching for their favorite vinyl. After all, attempting to find that hidden gem of a record is half the fun.
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The Future of Vinyl
While it is fascinating that vinyl record sales continue to climb, there are plenty of naysayers who take the position that the industry won’t be able to keep up with the demand. More and more bands of the old and new generation are putting in vinyl orders for re-release and new release albums. In the U.S. there are only about 16 record-pressing plants in operation and they are already feeling the effects of high volume orders. One of the issues contributing to the problem is the cost of fixing the out-of-date machines. As noted in a New York Times article interviewing Dave Hansen, an owner of Independent Record Pressing and general manager of independent label Epitaph, it can cost close to $5,000 simply to replace parts as small as a screw in the record-pressing machine. Along with that, there are few people with the knowledge to actually fix these machines, which can also up the cost of repair.
Even with the issues surrounding vinyl record production, if vinyl is what you love, I say keep buying it. The high demand of vinyl is an opportunity for these record-pressing plants to expand and slowly, perhaps, grow their supply. Putting a record on and listening to an album in its entirety is something all music lovers, young and old, should experience. If you haven’t yet indulged in vinyl mania, I highly encourage you to have a listen.
