Music Union : Live Your Music

Sunday April 4th, 2009

by Gerard Egan

They still make vinyl records?!

You bet they do.  Who buys them?  I do, and so do lots of other music fans.  I am happy to report that the market for this so-called “out-dated media format” is making a strong comeback.  According to NetworkWorld.com, the sale of vinyl records doubled in 2008 to reach 1.88 million copies, the largest number ever recorded by Nielson SoundScan since it started keeping track of LP sales in 1991.  In contrast, CD sales have plummeted from 553 million sold in 2006 to 360 million in 2008.  While vinyl may never eclipse CDs in sales, the numbers suggest that music consumers are rediscovering the undeniable aesthetic appeal of the vinyl record.

Vinyl is dedication.

The choice of buying and listening to your music on vinyl as opposed to CD or mp3 says to the world, “I truly love this music!”  It can be an effort.  Vinyl is not about convenience.  LPs are 12” x 12”… they take up a lot of space.  The music junky’s sprawling vinyl collection snubs the modern idea of presenting music in one easily forgotten format, such as the mp3. When it comes to vinyl, there are no Case Logic CD wallets to minimize the physical size of your music collection, no external hard drives to neatly hide it all away.  Vinyl enthusiasts are undeterred by this, enjoying the physical presence of their hard earned treasure trove of black wax.

The lengthy accumulation process of one’s music collection is a telling study of mindfulness.  You do not collect vinyl the same way you might collect mp3s, dumping 80 gigs of music from your buddy’s computer to your own.  That is not music collecting or appreciation, it is hoarding, possessing music simply so you can say you own it.  Unless you’re buying in bulk, like at an estate sale, a record collection gradually grows one LP or 45 at a time.  Finding sought after gems while flipping through record bins becomes a pleasant life long pursuit.

Vinyl is tradition.

Buying a record links you directly to the history of consumable music, whether it be a new release from a small independent label or a rare vintage 78 on eBay.  The wax platter has been the longest running format available to music fans.  As early as 1894, The United States Gramophone Company was selling single sided 7” records. But it was not until 1930 that the first 12” LP (long play) record was introduced by RCA Victor.  The heart of vinyl technology has not changed all that dramatically in the last 80 years.

Vinyl is art.

It seems that music consumers are rediscovering the experience of holding their favorite band’s LP cover in their hands, studying it for hours while listening to the record itself.  Have you ever sat down and tried to identify all the characters on the cover of The Beatles Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band?  Ever noticed Karl Marx staring back at you?  Lewis Carroll?  Sonny Listen?

Many modern bands, such as Tool and The Flaming Lips, put a lot of thought into their albums’ accompanying artwork and liner notes.  To these bands, the impact of their records extends farther than the music alone. The packaging is a vital part of the album experience, not simply an afterthought.  That is a real incentive to buying a physical copy of an album these days.  When you buy a song from iTunes, you’re stuck with a small digital image of the album cover to squint at on your iPod screen… hardly the same as feasting your eyes on the two foot taco fiesta inner-gatefold spread of  ZZ Top’s 1973 Tres Hombres LP.

Vinyl is sonic.

Shouldn’t a ‘true’ music fan not care about distracting cover artwork and only be in it for the sublime experience of listening to great works of genius?  If that’s your bag, then you will also find that vinyl records posses a sound quality unique onto themselves.  You might call it ‘warmth,’ ‘charm’ or ‘character.’  Some might call it ‘noise and crackle,’ but the warm analog sound of vinyl itself can only take you closer to the artist.  Throw on some vintage sides of BB King’s big band Memphis recordings from the 1950’s and you will be listening to music as it was originally intended to be heard: hiss, pops, scratches and all.  Sure you can buy excellent remastered versions of the same recordings on CD but only the sonic quality of vinyl records can transport you back in time.

Vinyl is engaging.

When you pick out a few records to play, you physically commit yourself to the listening experience.  You can hit play on your iTunes mix and mindlessly tune out your 140 hour play list while cleaning the house, but vinyl keeps you tethered to the turntable.  Drop the needle on side A and roughly 20 minutes later you have to get up, walk over to the turntable and flip the record over.  It’s enough to keep you on your toes, allowing you to listen and be mindful of where you are in the record.  Vinyl cannot be ignored.
It is encouraging to see music fans reacquainting themselves with vinyl LPs.  While I appreciate the convenience of being able to carry hundreds of my favorite albums with me on my iPod, the satisfaction of vinyl’s long standing tradition still reigns supreme.  Vinyl is unique in its physicality as well as its presentation of sound and artwork.  As long as people continue to value the time and efforts of their favorite musicians, the black wax platter will endure.