The vinyl revival is in full swing
For the first time last year, vinyl sales overtook that spent on digital downloads. The vinyl revival is in full swing.
For some, the magic of vinyl has never gone away, but now there are no bounds to those that can be found poring over LPs in independent record stores. The younger generations are falling in love with vinyl for the first time, while others are re-discovering it’s exclusive sound after years of shunning it for CD’s and MP3.
Statistics compiled by the BPI (British Phonographic Industry) showed that LP sales reached a 25 year high in 2016, as more people favour the tangible record over a compressed MP3 download. The takeoff of the Record Store Day phenomenon has played a vital part in the 53 per cent increase in sales, by shining the spotlight on vinyl.
Record Store Day, a UK wide event that takes place on 22 April, will see over 200 independent record shops partake in the annual celebration. Born in America in 2008, the event has now spread worldwide.
The popularity of the event, has tied in nicely with what is being called the ‘vinyl revival’ and gives independent record sellers an opportunity to flourish. For one day only, musicians release limited edition vinyls and cities host exclusive gigs and live performances. James Brown, owner of Vinyl Cafe in Carlisle, described the event as a “second Christmas” for record collectors. However, there is concern that now major stores have jumped on the bandwagon and are stealing the limelight from the independents.
James said: “Record Store Day has definitely played a part in the resurgence; it has highlighted the independent record stores.
“It’s still a struggle for a lot of independents, that’s why it is such an important day on the calendar, to generate that enthusiasm and promote their cause.”
He added: “To a certain extent the majors have jumped on the back of what’s happening, but it’s still a great opportunity for every independent record shop to engage with the customers and the bands and musicians, they are the ones who keep it all going.”
The question beckons, in this digital age, where every aspect of our lives is managed by a single screen, why is the good old-fashioned record having resurgence? While digitalism might make sense in our day to day lives, there are some things that can’t be replaced so easily. When it comes to music, as with anything we feel passionate about, we want something to show for it.
James explained: “It’s the whole thing about experiencing something and feeling contact between you and something real, rather than a download. You’ve got the lyrics, the artwork, it’s the whole package.
“A lot of our customers start off doing a Youtube search to get a feel for the artist, then they will save up some money and come and buy the vinyl, stack it as you would books and collect it.”
Another major factor is the sound quality. The ability to produce a unique quality of sound makes vinyl much more appealing to many, including, of course, musicians who are desperate to get their new releases on the turntable.
James said: “You’ll find that a lot of musicians are really into vinyl because you get a better sound. A lot of young bands are queuing up to get their release on vinyl rather than MP3 and the digital format, so it is the format of choice.”
He continued: “You can get much better sound from vinyl that you can from compressed digital files. On a lot of MP3 files, the information is really compressed down into a single file, on a LP Vinyl it’s all spaced out in the group, so you can hear the baseline, you can hear high hats, you can hear the middle, which you wouldn’t normally be able to on an MP3.
“There is a wealth of music out there that is probably going to be repressed on to vinyl at some point.”
Now that we have come full circle, where do we go from here? James believes that “the future is vinyl” and it certainly seems so, as record shops, collectors, musicians and music lovers across the country, come together for their cause this Record Store Day.
James added: “It’s good for music at the end of the day, because without it we are lost. Vinyl makes people more appreciative of the music, if you can sit down and listen to a vinyl with a cup of tea or whatever and get a bit of peace. If you make time for music, it will make time for you.”
Find limited edition releases at Vinyl Cafe, Carlisle on Record Store Day, Saturday 22 April.
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