The Comeback of Vinyl Records
It all started with the phonograph. Invented in 1877 by Thomas Edison, the phonograph, which soon became the gramophone, was the first way to listen to recorded music utilizing records made of shellac resin and changed the music world forever. From the invention of the gramophone up until 1948, the record underwent a series of changes and even switched materials from shellac to vinyl to finally arrive at the vinyl LP. LP stands for Long Play, meaning it could play up to about 21 minutes of music per side. This is what really got things kickin’. Vinyl records were the primary music listening platform from 1948, through the emergence of rock music and many other significant genres of music, all the way up until the late 70s. It wasn’t until the Sony Walkman came out in 1979 that we saw a decline in the popularity of vinyl records. Then came CD players, the iPod, and finally, streaming services like Spotify, which mainly dominated the music world. Not to worry, vinyl records are making a comeback, and rightfully so.
Don’t get me wrong; I use Spotify premium. I love it and know that apps like Spotify are essential and beneficial to the music world. It allows artists to put their music out into the world much more quickly than actually making physical vinyl copies of their albums. But vinyl records can be and are increasingly being appreciated for different reasons today. Paul Flahive, the technology and entrepreneurship reporter at Texas Public Radio, states, “At $1 billion in vinyl record sales, 2021 was the biggest year for vinyl since 1986, according to the Recording Industry Association of America. At just 11% of all revenues, physical sales are still exploding — with vinyl revenue growing 61% year over year.” So, while apps like Spotify dominate the modern music world, more and more of us realize just how incredible vinyl records are. For starters, the sound is simply better. Vinyl is usually described as sounding much “warmer.” The sound is purely authentic. There are no digital edits, and your own copy of the record never changes. Those who consider themselves music aficionados appreciate these things, which is part of why vinyl records are so important.
I remember when my dad first showed me his vinyl record collection. This was after he put me through the endless gigabytes of Boston, Journey, and Aerosmith songs that were on our prehistoric iPod. I realized I had a knack for vintage things, so between that and my then seemingly vast knowledge of rock music from the iPod, I was thrilled. They were old, vintage things that played good music. What more could you ask for? So, we bought a brand-new record player, hooked it up to our speakers, and I started to listen to my dad’s vinyl almost religiously. Since then, vinyl records have forever changed how I listen to and think about music.
Apart from the sound quality, another big part of why vinyl records are so loved and essential to the music world is that they are physical objects. Establishing a collection of your favorite albums of all time and having them be material things you can interact with creates a closer connection to the music. And for the actual artist or musician, getting to have a tangible copy of their artwork is extremely rewarding for them. In addition, buying vinyl records straight from the actual artist supports them much more than listening to their music on a streaming service. The most important part is that vinyl records keep the world of music revolving. Their physicality and tangibility promote listening to music, and I mean really listening, learning, and taking in all the music has to offer.
Strike Out,
Ryan Manney
Boca Raton
Ryan Manney is a Content Writer for Strike Magazine Boca. His hobbies amount to surfing, skating, writing, reading, and all things music. When he isn’t surfing, he loves watching and playing music. He also likes to wear cool clothes. You can reach him on Instagram @ryanmanney or email r.manney3@gmail.com
