Is vinyl back?

Music lovers have always said that vinyl records have better sound quality compared to CDs or MP3s, but their loyalty seemed nothing more than nostalgia against the backdrop of the 25-year-old dominance of digital recording in the music industry. However, in recent years, online LP sales (short for Long Play records - LPs) have more than doubled, thanks to new customers who want more than the online purchase of mp3 tracks for 99 cents gives them.


1.88 million vinyl albums were bought in 2008, more than any other year in the history of Nielsen SoundScan, the company that began tracking vinyl sales in 1991. The previous record was in 2000, then 1.5 million records were sold. According to SoundScan, more than two of the three vinyl albums sold in 2008 were purchased at independent music stores.

Between 2006 and 2007 alone, sales of vinyl records increased by 14%, from 858,000 to 990,000. CD sales, on the other hand, have plummeted over the past three years, from 553.4 million in 2006 to 360.6 million in 2008. MP3 sales rose from 32.6 million to 65.8 million over the same period.

Observers believe that sales of vinyl records have skyrocketed because new buyers are paying more attention to owning albums, with their artistically-decorated envelopes, large booklets and warm sound.

“There is nothing nicer than a vinyl record. This is an analog. The sound is so close as if you are near the performer. If you are a person who, while listening to music, sits in a certain, optimal place in the room, you will definitely hear the difference, ”says Steven Sheldon, president of the Rainbo Los Angeles Recording Studio.

“Now, 99% of the public listens to background music on iPods and similar devices, but this is by far the worst sound quality. On the other hand, it’s very convenient - and they sell convenience, ”he says.

Rainbo Records, which has been releasing vinyl records since 1955, doubled its output from 2006 to 2007, and more than doubled last year. The company currently releases 25,000 albums per day; it's much more than about 6,000-8,000 albums a day from the late 80s to the late 90s, when CDs were in their prime. Since then, there has been a steady increase in sales of vinyl products. Surprisingly, Sheldon attributes this increase not to “ Generation X ” and not even born during the so-called “ Baby Boom ”, but to 13-24 year olds, rediscovering the aesthetic significance of album collecting.

“They grew up on everything virtual. Their games were on a computer or on television. Their music was in the box, ”he says. “I think they also feel differences in sound, but it also seems to me that owning a 12-inch work of art and holding it in your hands creates an additional thrill for them.”

If you thought Sheldon had a tooth against modern forms of sound recording , you're wrong. His company also produces CDs - 75,000 per day.

Over the past 30 years, the number of record companies has fallen dramatically, Sheldon says. But for those companies that have remained in this business, the output remains relatively stable, thanks to fans who are confident in the higher sound quality of vinyl.

Josh Bizar, commercial director of Chicago-based MusicDirect, a network provider of turntables, needles, and other accessories, believes Nielson is likely to underestimate record sales because it doesn’t cover many retail and independent retail stores.

The records have really returned so much that specialized online stores such as Amazon consider it necessary to make specialized sections for their sale .

SoundStageDirect.com, an online record retailer, increased sales by 49% from 2007 to 2008, selling 55,000 records last year. Frank, who owned it, says he worked at a record store at age 10. After college, he got a “suitable” job, but hated it. Five years later, he decided to return to his first love.

“The records just sound better. They have that warmth - which only analogue has. The record plays music, on the CD the music is converted to zeros and ones, ”says Frank. “For me, digital sound is sharper. It is suitable for background music. When I want to listen to music, then I listen to the record "

According to Frank, the music industry is actively responding to increased demand for vinyl. Labels representing musicians such as Nirvana, Van Morrison, Cream, Guns' N Roses and Metallica have recently released new albums or reissued old ones, including on new records. “Motley Crue recently released all of their albums in vinyl, and I can't keep them on the shelves,” Frank says. “Some artists, wanting to promote their vinyl records, put additional tracks on their records instead of CDs.”

Dan Phipps, director of Newbury Comics, says most of his record buyers are teenagers who are not satisfied with their online music. They want to have art work and other additions that are embedded in envelopes with plates. According to him, the best-selling genres are classic rock, pop and hip-hop.

Not only vinyl records are for sale. Phips indicates the emergence of a large number of players, upgraded with USB ports, which are used to transfer sound from records to digital technology. However, today's players are somewhat more expensive than before. A Thoren player can cost as much as $ 6,200. Moreover, a Clearaudio player can cost as much as $ 150,000 .) But don't worry - the simplest model from Sony, Panasonic or Stanton can still be bought for just over $ 100. According to Josh Bizar, a decent player should now cost about $ 350. It will be a player for life.

Those music lovers who have not listened to records lately will probably find that the sound quality on today's albums is superior to the quality on old school records of the 20th century. In the eighties, companies produced records weighing 120 grams. Now, they have become thicker - 180 grams, and recorded using more sophisticated electronic equipment.