VIPUL VIJ
Vinyl Records Were The Past , And Are Poised To Be The Future
that about 58 per cent of records sold are used ones , opposed to the 38 per cent people who buy only new ones .
The rise in the popularity of vinyl could also be attributed to the notion of “ whatever is old is new again .” With everything so virtual and processed to perfection , the imperfections of a vinyl record is a breath of fresh air . When you hear Jim Morison singing Riders On The Storm on a record player , as opposed to Apple Music , you can hear the crackling of the tape , and the nuances of what was recorded that day . The digital music is revisited again and again to perfect it , which might sound great but , not as personal as The Doors had intended to .
The idea of believing that just the vinyl records will be the future of music listening experience is naive , and nobody is suggesting that . But , this is not a fad either . People who have always listened to vinyls or recently discovered them , do like going back to them from time to time . But , vinyls are also an expensive entity to own . Audiophiles , or people who REALLY care about the sound of what they ’ re listening to , are no alien to spending a fortune on vinyl records . Interestingly , the most expensive record ever auctioned is God Save The Queen by Sex Pistols . One of the best punk rock records ever made , and no surprise that a person splurged that amount of cash just to own a vintage record .
Spotify , the largest music streaming service in the world has over 70 million subscriber . Its closest competitor is Apple Music with over 35 million subscribers . But , if anyone has even a hint about the music industry , the would know about the resurgence of vinyl records . Once considered a thing of the past , the vinyl records industry has hit the billion dollar mark for the first time the millennium .
Quite extraordinary is the rebirth or re ignition of a “ technology ’ that seemed past its heyday . That being said , it is still nowhere near the success of the industry during its prime . In fact , according to a financial firm , vinyl record sales crossed a billion dollars in 1981 alone . That was , of course , the purple patch of the gramophones and record players .
But , as our music streaming services try to tighten their hold over our music listening habits , the younger generation seems to be revolting . Apparently , 56 per cent of vinyl buyers are men under the age of 25 . This definitely goes against the notion of “ millennials are always on YouTube or some other app .” For the most part , it is true that digital streaming still dominates the industry but , vinyls have somewhat caught up with the time . Or , it has retained its essence , which has intrigued the new generation .
In today ’ s world of instant gratification , going through records and finding an album you love is still an alien concept . A report claims that many people know what they want to buy before they even enter a record store . And ,
But , it is also more than just the sound . Ask any record owner and they ’ ll tell you that it is the personal touch that draws them to vinyl . As I said before , the imperfections of a song is what makes it beautiful . You don ’ t want to listen to a clean high-pitched Robert Plant . You want that raw on-the-vergeof-breaking sound to feed your ears .
So , apart from the young males of the present , will people care about vinyl records ? Yes , they will . As long as the digital music subscription services grow , people will always want to take a break and go back to a record . While portability and accessibility rules the roost for the most ; rustic , old-school and raw sound is what hits the spot for others . Vinyl is the past , and will be a part of the future , for sure .
The Score Magazine
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