BOOMER Magazine: August 2019

Comeback
of
Vinyl
There are more ways to listen to your favorites tunes today
than ever before. You can turn on your playlists wherever you
are, thanks to smartphones, computers, TVs, and even the
old-school stereo or record player (if you still have one). In
2017, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA)
reported that sales of CDs and vinyl outsold digital downloads
for the first time since 2011.
According to local record store employees, the popularity
of buying vinyl and growing a collection has been trending
upward for years. “I don’t think it’s a quick trend that will just
come and go. It’s been on the rise since I started working at
Dimple Records 13-plus years ago, and I’m glad to see it still
going strong,” says Melissa Hogan, store manager at Dimple
Records, which will be closing all store locations later this year.
“Not only is it a wonderful thing to hold a physical album in
your hand and appreciate the effort the artist put into all the
artwork, but also to hear the full crisp sound. Digital and CD
formats have their benefits, but vinyl is unique, and sounds
the most like you’re sitting there listening to the band live.”
Tim McKenzie, owner of Hi-Tones Record Store, said the
comeback is also due in part to the adventure of shopping
for new records and the thrill of finding something rare. “At
a record store, a potential customer can walk in and touch,
feel, and hear the music. Most local record stores stock a wide
variety of music genres, where a customer can spend hours
perusing the record store bins,” he says. “There are no real
limitations on what a vinyl record buyer may stumble upon.
‘Crate digging’ is a term that record collectors use when they
are on the hunt. There is a satisfaction when they stumble
upon that hidden vinyl gem in the LP bins.”
And it’s not just a particular generation that is driving the
comeback. It’s all ages. “We see many younger record buyers
in our store on a regular basis trying to build their collections
one LP at a time,” McKenzie shares. “Some have stated they
got the record bug from an older relative or family friend who
introduced them to vinyl.”
CDs vs. Digital vs. Vinyl
What’s the difference between all the versions of recorded
music? First, it’s important to note the difference between
analog and digital recordings.
“A vinyl record is an analog recording, and CDs are digital
recordings,” McKenzie explains. “A digital recording does not
capture the complete sound wave a record does.” Because
of that sound that comes through on records, there is a
sense of nostalgia also tied to the rise in popularity. “We are
currently seeing past record buyers and collectors actively
rebuilding their collections,” he says. “When CDs came along,
many people liked the convenience and portability of a CD.
44 SacBoomer.com | August 2019