coming back from the dead
remember when, months ago, i posted a bit from a nytimes article about the “end of vinyl?” it literally claimed that vinyl (yes, those are records…as in actual albums) was on the endangered species list. how surprised am i, then, when rolling stone publishes an article about the resurgence of vinyl!?
As CD sales continue to decline and MP3s are traded without thought, the left-for-dead LP is staging a comeback. In 2007, according to Nielsen SoundScan, nearly 1 million LPs were bought, up from 858,000 in 2006. Based on to-date sales for 2008, that figure could jump to 1.6 million by year’s end…Sales of turntables — which tumbled from 1.8 million in 1989 to a paltry 275,000 in 2006, according to the Consumer Electronics Association — rebounded sharply last year, when nearly half a million were sold.
well, then the article goes on to mention cat power’s latest album (oh how i once adored cat power back in her moon pix/what would the community think/you are free days…where did those days go?), and portishead’s latest album, which are both available at more common music distributors like amazon and best buy. could it be true that the claim made in that nytimes article was false? ::gasp:: are lp’s rebounding? do any of you semi-faithful readers (it’s not a diss, i assure you) out there still listen to vinyl? or am i the only one who prefers such stone-age technology?
6 responses so far
My husband may be happy to hear this, though he’s got a bazillion records already. Most of them are from his teens (he’s almost 50 now). I’m thinking of getting him one of those things that turns LP songs into MP3 for our anniversary so he can take the songs with him on his iPod.
My boyfriend really loves vinyl. He swears it produces better sound quality. He thinks cds flatten the sound. I didn’t hear it until he bought a record by my favourite band, and I did hear a difference.
Ditto to Clarity’s response. We are a vinyl loving household here.
I have no preference for vinyl of any other medium, pre se. I love listening to music on vinyl, tape, CD, MP3 and even in the occasional elevator. I own a bad ass old console player that I bought at a thrift store years ago. My kids get a huge kick out of pulling out my old records and dancing around the living room.
welcome vinyl lovers!!!
I’ve done a TON of internships at record labels and will start working at Geffen Records at the end of the month and its True!!
They’re dying to figure out a way to have music be of more value for our generation so they’re hoping to appeal to the SUPER-music fans by releasing indie-type artists on vinyl…
It does well with artists like Cat Power, tori amos, and artists with a cult dedicated following but I can’t imaging it’ll catch on in popular market…
I personally collect vinyls even though I dont have a record player because I love the art and when I’m around record players I love the sound…