   Music is a big deal in my life, it practically drives every one of my days. To me, it’s more than something to put on while completing a homework assignment or cleaning my room. I was the, “band director’s daughter,” up until high school, and you can typically always find me at a concert; I “live my life to a soundtrack,” as I like to call it. In recent years, my love for music has grown tremendously, downloading album after album from my favorite artists, and traveling from city to city across the east coast with my closest friends just to see these music acts; I’m notorious for seeing the same show more than once. Music has a way of bringing people together in one community; it’s one of my favorite ways to find common ground with someone. 

   When I turned 18, and Christmas approaching rapidly, I knew I wanted something relating to music that was unconventional and that I could keep throughout my adult years. I asked for a record player – a turn table, rather. With a few tears of wrapping paper, and my passion for music quite evident to my mother, I opened a black Crosley turn table with a red interior on Christmas morning, including a Twenty-One Pilots and The 1975 vinyl. 

   As my vinyl collection has grown over the year with new additions like The Smiths, The Beach Boys, and Amy Winehouse, I have come to appreciate this more complex, old-fashioned way of listening to music. Record players aren’t exactly portable, so it forces the listener to sit down and physically change a disc, otherwise it does not work. I also think it’s a nice alternative to consuming music from our phones, through headphones, and into our ears. It’s all about having an experience and creating a connection as opposed to just having background noise.

   I’m not here to argue pro-vinyl as opposed to other music formats. Instead, I want to make people aware that there is so much more to the music world besides simply streaming it off of mobile devices. Believe it or not, there was a time when short cuts were not a thing; if you wanted something, you had to go out and get it instead of relying on sources that can give that gratification within seconds. Vinyl is an example of this. Searching or downloading songs is way too easy nowadays, and sure, it’s fantastic when you’re on the go, but what purpose is it serving other than to mask silence? Do you have any real connection with what you’re listening to?

   Vinyl has not always been a hopping trend, though. Sure, it had a good run in the 70’s, but just like anything, it cycled out of style only to cycle back in again. “Before vinyl could be reborn, it had to die,” (Hogan, 2014). So why is there suddenly a market for those who want to use vinyl as a means of consuming music during a time that digital streaming is at its peak? The resurgence of vinyl can be attributed to the desire for a more tangible way of listening to favorite artists, the feeling of youth when it was first introduced, and the sound quality over digital formats.

   Vinyl declined in the first place due to the introduction of the CD in the early 80’s. The format got physically smaller, making it easier to transport and even use in cars. According to Rare Records, aside from the decrease in disc size, vinyl became too normal within every household, and the average consumer wanted a product of higher quality. As soon as something can be improved upon and advanced, that old tactic can immediately be thrown out of the window, therefore, vinyl cycled out of the market. Of course, after the long run of CD’s, iTunes was introduced (which is still a dominant platform for downloading music) as well as other streaming apps like Pandora and Spotify. 

   I understand the appeal of having music right at our fingertips, I’m an avid Spotify user myself, but I also see the appeal of having your own music library that you can hold and flip around; it is physically in your possession. I’m someone who likes to see what I have, in other words, be able to hold it and feel it and not merely have an idea of it. I also think technology has its faults – if my entire phone or laptop crashed, where would all of my belongings that I stored go, specifically my music? Vinyl is almost like a backup copy. Some could argue that CD’s are like their backup too. The same goes for photos. It seems really rare that anyone gets pictures developed anymore, but resolutions will fade and some will get deleted, and suddenly having physical copies does not seem so bad anymore. 

   I think personally vinyl should be considered a treasure among other music formats. Many people are not aware of the production process, and take for granted what actually goes into making a record; it’s quite complex. According to Misfits Central Appendix A, the first step is creating the master disk, a.k.a what is cut directly from the master tape of the recording. Then a writing stylus is used to cut the grooves. Each acetate, or master disk, is coated in a layer of silver which is then turned into nickel. After a few separations, a stamper is produced with the ridges. Those stampers are used to press the actual vinyl. The leftover vinyl is cut off, and a record is produced (Kennedy, 1994). Again, it goes back to that physical factor. While creating digital downloads can be a lengthy process, they are not manufactured in a pressing plant and cannot be ruined as easily as a vinyl could. 

   Because we live in in a primarily digital society, and it’s the easiest route to practically do anything and everything, there is a lot of confusion among consumers regarding why anyone would want to listen to music through a more difficult process than just the touch of a button (Barron, 2016). Some people like the fact that there are no short cuts involved when using vinyl. Here is a step by step process: 1. Thumb through each record until you find the one you desire, 2. Gently pull the record out of its sleeve and make sure not to leave any finger prints or scratches, 3. Hold the disc by its outside edges and place it on the turn table, 4. Turn on the turn table, 5. Swing the needle over the record and place it softly toward the outside, and 6. Adjust the volume as needed. This is just to get the album going; you’re on your own when it comes to navigating a specific song. That’s what people love about vinyl records, it’s so much more complex than it needs to be. I think it’s fair to say there is something sort of magical about a thin disc that somehow, someway, has sound stored within its grooves. 

   Another aspect to buying vinyl is all of the perks it includes after the purchase. After tearing the saran wrap off of the sleeve, it’s like an entirely different world. The sleeves that can be opened and closed like a book usually include a lot of band pictures or graphics, and sometimes in between pages are band stickers, posters, or even free download cards (Hogan, 2014). A lot of people buy just for this. It’s like a package deal: a few small merchandise items, the vinyl itself, and a code that allows you to download the album on your mobile device if you desire, all for the price of one. This definitely contributes to vinyl’s popularity because it’s hard for a consumer to ignore a deal like this. If every artist included this in their record sales, the fate of vinyl would sky rocket.

   The next factor that vinyl consumers buy for is the artwork on the cover. Sometimes it’s not about who the artist is, but rather what is plastered on the front. If the cover is not eye catching, some collectors won’t buy it – no matter the artist. Yes, it gets that deep. Having a drab cover in a collection can be a huge “don’t,” in the world of vinyl. It can be a damper among the other covers purchased previously. 

   Another physical aspect that vinyl collectors thrive off of is hunting for that one record they have yet to get their hands on. I have been in this position multiple times, and it’s an absolute thrill when you have a specific record in mind, but it’s not guaranteed that it can actually be found. When it is found, it’s like striking gold! When I first started collecting, I knew I wanted to get Amy Winehouse’s Back to Black album. Around the time, I was visiting family in Chattanooga, Tennessee. We trekked all over the city, browsing record store after record store until finally I came across that specific album. It was the best feeling, like I had defied all odds! While it was not the most expensive album on the market, more dedicated collectors pay a pretty penny to get what they have been searching for. This “hunt,” cannot be done when it comes to digital downloading because, again, it’s pretty much guaranteed access for the consumer. Where is the fun in that? Finding vinyl is an emotional investment from the start, therefore, it causes an emotional experience once it’s actually spinning on the record player.

   After laying the needle down on a record, it’s difficult to gage what song is where on the disc, so it’s best to just let it play. Concept albums are the best for this, albums that are meant to be listened from beginning to end, front to back; Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd is a prime example of this as it is believed to take the listener through the journey of life, and perhaps how it would feel to an insane person. It’s best to let albums play when you have no plans, so sitting down with your ears open is the only task at hand. It creates an emotional experience because distraction is not a factor. You get to feel the music and lyrics, and attempt to understand the perspective of the artist. And when Side A is done playing, you have to get up out of your chair, turn the disc over to Side B, and return to that state of mind. It’s a physical and emotional engagement all around. Coming from a dedicated vinyl collector/listener, “It does enhance the listening experience. If you sit down, listen to your record, look at the cover as I used to do when I was a kid, it changes the whole experience and does make it much richer and more emotionally engaging,” (Jobiee, 2015). Holding the sleeve of the vinyl can also trigger an emotional connection with the vinyl played; it more than likely includes all of the lyrics to each track as well as eye catching graphics. Having the lyrics printed in front of the listener is crucial to the experience because they are reading what they are hearing; it’s almost like studying, therefore, it sticks with them. I partook in this right after purchasing the Amy Winehouse album. I placed the needle on the disc, laid in the floor with the lyrics, and read them as they came out of the speakers. While there is no right or wrong way to listen, this is the proper way of consuming it. You get to read word for word what the artist wrote, and while the meaning can sometimes be up for interpretation, there is a better sense of that too. While this can be reenacted using a cell phone or computer, these devices also present distractions, i.e. text messages, social media, gaming, etc. All of these factors were not as advanced back in the day as they are now, moreover, vinyl is considered more of a past time in today’s current society. Because vinyl was so popular when it was first introduced, it’s resurgence reminds those first vinyl users of their youthful selves.

   Nostalgia is a driving factor regarding the comeback of vinyl; it’s the feeling of returning to a specific moment in the past, or reminiscing on what once was. This is very prevalent in older generations of vinyl collectors today, because they had to witness vinyl’s decline after it was introduced in the first place. Vinyl primarily came back because of its users from the past. It would not add up if younger generations were responsible for its resurgence because they were not there to experience vinyl as the main outlet of listening to music. Those who are in their teens and twenties more than likely would not have as great of an impact on its return because we typically think of millennials wanting the new and now; why would they bring back something of the past when digital streaming is more simple? 

   While they did not contribute to its comeback, I think the younger generations do impact the vinyl market because it has become, and is still becoming, a popular trend. The older generations brought it back, now today’s youth are mainly driving its success. It all goes back to a cycle. Fashion is the most concrete example of this. Do you think chokers and platform shoes are a new style? No; those were most popular in the 70’s and 90’s, but have some of the more inferior generations brought it back in style? Absolutely, but they would not have done so if they were not influenced by the people that wore it first. Vinyl is not a new invention that someone created for the people that may not be able to afford the more advanced ways of listening to music, or for those that do not have a technological bone in their body, rather it’s for everyone. While it’s more time consuming and laborious to use compared to other methods, it does not take a rocket scientist to maneuver. The people who used it in the past yearn for its comeback, and they were passionate enough to do so. 

   Although nostalgia mainly contributed to the resurgence of vinyl, some arguments say otherwise. According to The Week, “While the No. 1 LP in 2010 was the Beatles’ Abbey Road, last year’s top-selling vinyl record in both Britain and the U.S. was Random Access Memories by Daft Punk,” (Weber, 2014). This compares the difference in time between the two albums, and suggests that because Daft Punk’s album is more current than the Beatles’, vinyl is becoming the preferable format today, and because people are choosing vinyl over digital streaming, it’s resurgence boils down to the desire for a richer sound, not nostalgia. “We’re witnessing a renaissance for records – they’re no longer retromania and are becoming the format of choice for music fans,” (Weber, 2014). In 2013, there were 6.1 million album sales in the U.S. which only made up 2 percent of overall album sales, compared to 57 percent went to CD sales and 41 percent made up digital downloading of albums. It appears as though this is an incredibly small margin, but we must remember that vinyl has a niche market, meaning there are people that definitely do and do not prefer it. This was also a 33 percent increase between 2012 and 2013, so something had to have pushed more people to purchase vinyl in that year (Weber, 2014). 

   Another view point from the Los Angeles Times asks, “How can a 15-year-old be nostalgic for a turntable, when her parents never owned one in the first place?” (Sax, 2017). In other words, if nostalgia is a factor concerning the comeback of vinyl, then an adolescent (who makes up the majority of the market) cannot fall in that category because she has not experienced vinyl prior. Therefore, collecting and owning vinyl has simply become a part of our culture; it has been made into a “thing,” again. Sax’s stance is that vinyl came back due to that desire for having a tangible grasp on your music collection. “It was only after I uploaded my CD collection to iTunes, then abandoned that for the endless buffet of streaming, that the unseen benefits of listening to vinyl became apparent. All the digital inventions (MP3s, iPods, Wi-Fi, cloud computing) that brought me free, disembodied music anywhere, anytime, made me value music I can own, display, touch and feel with all my senses. To the millions of consumers worldwide who have resurrected the record industry over the past few years, I suspect the feeling is mutual,” (Sax, 2017). It may seem as though we are taking steps back with our advances, but rather we are revisiting and reworking what we had in the past.

   So let’s go back to that richer sound quality. The last and final factor to the resurgence of vinyl is the desire for better sound quality as opposed to digital formats. How can someone prefer the sound of vinyl over digital downloading and streaming? When a record is spinning under a needle, it creates a warm, almost inviting sound that is pleasing to the ear. Some are higher quality than digital music. There are quite a lot of low-quality downloads out in the digital world, and it’s starting to turn towards becoming more advanced and sophisticated. It seems as though digital music cannot keep up with the quality that vinyl provides, which has resulted in people falling back on this particular tangible way of listening. “Vinyl remains popular because of the high-quality sound it delivers. While everyone from DJs to your grandfather has been saying for years that the sound on vinyl is richer, warmer and clearer than what’s being released online, it might not just be music snobbery talking,” (Gibson, 2015). In other words, it does not take a music specialist to prove that vinyl is becoming preferred over digital listening, it’s all due to consumer behavior. 

   Is vinyl’s “comeback,” an actual comeback, though? While there have been abrupt increases in its popularity over the past few years, we must remember that this is a niche market – it appeals to certain individuals and not all. LP’s only constitute a small portion of the music industry compared to other formats. While it has jumped in the market, and made steady increases, I’m not sure it will ever reach the point of being the primary format to music streaming. Most of our society is too reliant on instant gratification, so why would they turn to a method that is more time consuming and laborious? Some people could also look at purchasing vinyl as too expensive opposed to buying songs on iTunes for as low as $0.69, or streaming for free on various apps; special releases and limited edition records can reach the hundreds. In 2014, vinyl sales finally reached the million units sold mark, which seems rather large, but according to The Guardian, “In percentage terms, that’s a massive increase over five years, but it’s just a drop in the ocean of music consumption, and speaks simply to increased availability rather than substantially increased demand,” (Hann, 2014). The popularity of vinyl is increasing, but not so much comparatively to other music formats.

   Why can’t digital streaming and physical formats find a balance? They can. “Vinyl is something special, something tangible, and I don’t see why one has to eradicate the other. Streaming will continue to grow, and we actually work vinyl into our campaigns as well. Vinyl is almost like a memory of an event, as well as having it to stream, it’s a reminder of something that you’ve experienced, that lives on. They’re very much complementary,” (O’Connor, 2017). Although digital streaming is the most popular method to listening to music, vinyl cannot be counted out because it’s a recollection of an event that happened previously for the listener, again, playing towards the nostalgic factor, and that’s appealing to a lot of consumers. So people can have both the easy access of music and the sentimental aspect at the same time. “Younger fans increasingly discover on digital but collect on vinyl. They appreciate the immediacy and convenience of services such as Spotify, Apple Music and Google Play to discover and enjoy a huge range of new music, but still want to own and collect albums by artists they truly love,” (O’Connor, 2017). This quote from the Independent, explains that we can get the best of both worlds by using streaming apps as instant gratification, but when that is not necessarily a factor, vinyl satisfies our love for specific artists by physically owning what they are about; it ensures the consumer that they can have a hold on their music if all else fails, as well as being a part of a particular fan club or members only concept.

   Despite vinyl’s decline in the early 80’s, it has journeyed through a number of factors to come back to where it is today, a respectable, unconventional music format. People yearned for a tangible way to listen to their music and have a physical yet emotional experience with their favorite artists. The emotional side can be tracked down to pure nostalgia, the want for that youthful feel again when it was first introduced. Its comeback can also be attributed to the desire for better sound quality in comparison to digital downloading.
