Turn the stereo on, drop the needle and become immersed in sound. Whether it’s because of nostalgia, the personality of the pops and cracks, or higher sound quality, records appear to be making a comeback, according to Vertigo Records store owner Darin Tomlin.
Although many record stores have shut down in recent years, Vertigo Records celebrated its eighth anniversary Oct. 14.
Tomlin said he’s seen a big resurgence of vinyl in the last three years. He said he believes the unique cover art, collectability and overall sound quality of records can’t be beat, which is why people will continue collecting them.
Whatever the reason for their continued popularity, vinyl record sales are clearly on the rise. Record sales will increase from 1 million units in 2007 to a predicted 3.6 million in 2011, according to Nielsen Media research.
Sheldon Fryerman has been selling records for nearly 20 years. In that time, he’s seen the record get pushed to the brink of extinction before starting to come back in force. He started collecting 45-inch records over 40 years ago and he said he has no intention of stopping.
Since MP3s started becoming popular, CD sales have declined rapidly. But as CDs become a thing of the past, people seem to be looking even further back as records make their comeback.
Fryerman said he thinks this could be because people are starting to discover the true sound of records, which had higher quality analog recording.
“Records have a warmer sound and a better overall sound quality,” he said.
Patrick James, a 22-year-old record collector, said he’s part of a younger generation that’s reviving its interest in records.
“Everything is digital now,” James said. “You don’t get the textile idea.”
When browsing through someone’s ITunes library, it’s nowhere near as personal of an experience as looking through a crate full of records, James said. A record collection shows time and devotion to finding them, whereas digitally, anyone can have any music they want at the click of a button, he added.
It’s unclear whether this success will continue, but some collectors believe records are here to stay.
“As long as young people keep discovering vinyl, I’ll keep selling it,” Fryerman said.
