Excellent points, both in your essay and in the comments. I think the tactile nature of vinyl also is overlooked. Streaming feeds us music out of context; when you have the vinyl (or even, gulp, the CD), you know exactly what you're listening to.
Absolutely: the tactile and visual — the sensory elements, so to speak, play a very important role. They give you that extra connection with the record that you can’t easily replicate with streaming.
Great POV, Andy....but, along with the proposed streaming fatigue that might be surging the new generation's love and acceptance of vinyl....I was thinking: To many teens/young people, could streaming simply be a new acceptable way to lazily be fed songs "like" the ones they've already chosen, and have no issue with Spotify (or whomever) choosing what next they'd listen to?
Are many young 'uns more than happy to let the algo do the work of choosing listening options (because it's "too much work for me to do it!"), and collecting vinyl (as I've heard recently) just a status symbol exercise and/or something to look at/enjoy the feel of as they listen to their stream of choice?
I'd be interested, also, to hear what others think....I sense this could be a worthwhile debate, although I admit so much of the listening habits of "the kids these days" is a little (a lot?) out of my bailiwick!
Thank you, Brad! You raise very interesting points. I am convinced there is, in reality, a little bit of everything.
On the one hand, there are those youngsters whom I'll call "fighters" or "rebels" who say f!ck algorithms and in some cases even f!ck Spotify, and not only purchase vinyl to hold, but also to play. For obvious reasons, I tend to feature them quite often here, as they are in many ways my hope that "not all is lost". In all honesty, though, those who actually spin seem to be a minority, or at least, outliers.
Then there are, on the other hand, those who snub algorithms or are at least suspicious of them but still predominantly choose streaming as their main listening platform/vehicle. Interestingly, many of them purchase vinyl to hold, but choose to play the tracks on Spotify due to convenience and/or because they can't be arsed with learning how to use a turntable (sigh). In many cases, there are budgetary/space constraints (i.e. they will allocate some money and some space for a bunch of Swift records but can't afford to buy/don't have space for a turntable, let alone amp/speakers and all the other elements to build a proper hifi system).
There ARE some who will take comfort in the algo doing all the curating for them, but in my experience, you tend to find more of this "type" in the generation immediately preceding mine (I fall right under the millennial bracket, so they would be classed under "Gen X", i.e. those born in the 70s and early 80s). For some reason, unless they have developed a keen interest in music (and if they did, they would have done this as kids/young teens), they tend to have a narrower taste, broadly speaking, and are quite happy (content, even) sticking to the type of sounds/artists/songs they have always liked. Those who took a keen interest in music are more likely to end up doing it professionally though. My point is you are less likely, all in all, to find "avid/really curious" music fans in this age category when compared with other generations.
Interestingly, this generation is, according to some sources (and if you check my comment to Faith just below yours), less likely to buy vinyl records (which may or may not go hand in hand with this "less adventurous" approach).
All very interesting indeed!
Thanks for stopping by and, as always, for bringing your precious insights!
I’m one of those who owns a lot of vinyl, but plays music mostly via streaming. Not out of laziness, but because I listen to music for the most part away from the house. Or at least away from the room that houses my stereo. So there’s a convenience factor, but there’s also a proximity factor. I listen to music while I work (i am outside walking dogs so stream on my phone to earbuds), and also while I drive which I would guess, comprises at least 75% of my listening time.
I don’t own any vinyl, having sold or donated it when I moved out of my parents’ place in the late 90s (much to my regret). I’m hoping to retire in the next couple years and am looking to begin buying and listening to vinyl again, once I’ve put together a decent hi-fi.
But I think I’ll always stream, albeit while trying not to be driven by the algorithm. The sheer volume and variety of music I listen to financially precludes me from building a collection that can satisfy my tastes.
But I’m really looking forward to the intentionality Andres talked about, the flicking through the records to figure out what I want to listen to. And then the physical act, almost ritualistic, of taking the record out of the sleeve, placing it on the turntable, and putting the needle on the record. I’m REALLY looking forward to that!
Thank you, Mark! Yes, streaming is undoubtedly here to stay. It has become the main format for most listeners nowadays. But interestingly, it contrasts nicely with vinyl, so one nowadays can really have “the best of both worlds”. In my case, I stream almost every day, but definitely spin vinyl every day. I realise for many people that’s simply not feasible, and that’s okay. Vinyl doesn’t have to be a daily thing. In fact, spinning sporadically makes it more enjoyable. We are getting to a stage where this “battle of the formats” of the last 40+ years or so is becoming a thing of the past. When you can and want to have both (or all), why not? Sky’s the limit 😊
Thanks, Andy, for your thoughtful reply! I think we're at an interesting crossroads of sorts, where there is now a mix of still-eager streamers (who couldn't be bothered with granddad's LPs), and "on the other side of the room," new vinyl devourers who either shun algos, or integrate them, seamlessly, into their LP enjoyment!
I keep trying to bend my generation's radio influence into a similarity/allegory to today's streaming, and it just doesn't fit: AM Top 40 couldn't care less what we liked or played 10 minutes ago! They were programmed to sell ad time for their $-making purposes, and had no (yet invented) way or purpose to program airplay for our enjoyment....that was just an unintended consequence back in the day!
Dang.....you got me thinkin' on a Sunday morning!!!!
Very insightful as always. I hadn’t thought of what you say about radio. I used to enjoy listening to the radio, being “guided”, so to speak, by the host. I particularly liked late night programmes and sad/sensual/melancholic tunes (obvs!). That’s how I discovered a lot of “younger” blues artists (i.e. not directly introduced to me through my dad, like Janis for example, who was right from his younger years). Joe Bonamassa and Gary Moore come to mind.
As a Gen Z'er---you nailed it. In addition to what you said; buying records is an act of ownership, independence and expression. In a time where so many decisions are being simplified and outright made for us, it feels good to get back some control in our lives.
When I hit my fave record store, it's not all suburban dads in there with me. I'm often shoulder to shoulder with a Zoomer. Anecdotal for sure, but I'm hopeful it's part of a larger trend.
That’s awesome. Has either of your sons caught dad’s bug yet? If memory serves, I think you once said your eldest was starting to look at records on his own when visiting stores with you.
Good memory! My older son has a mild case. He's happy to come with me once in awhile, and he's slowly building a collection of his own. Mostly, he takes a lot of pride in displaying them. My younger son hasn't caught the bug... yet. I'm workin' on it. :)
That’s so cool. Interesting how teenagers are so keen on the display aspect of vinyl. I think it’s awesome. As for your younger son… I’m sure he’ll get there eventually! 😊
All great points, and it gives food for thought on the why behind rising vinyl sales and who is buying records. I feel fortunate because I live in a city with no shortage of record stores, but in all honesty, most people I see in them are adults. As a high school teacher, I know that some of my students buy records. Those students who know I collect records always enjoy talking to me about it. A few kids I teach are also excited about cassettes and even CDs (I don't get the cassette thing. I always thought tapes sounded inferior). But Spotify & Apple Music are still king with most teens in my classroom. When their Spotify Wrapped is announced, it becomes a hot topic in my classroom. These streaming platforms are popular not only because of their ease of having everything at their fingertips. But most teens I teach listen to songs rather than albums. And, let's be honest - records are not cheap (and quality control on newer records is suspect, at best)!
Thank you, Michael! It’s great some of your students are collecting records. I think streaming is pretty much like the air they breathe —inescapable— but it’s a good sign that at least some of them are showing an interest in going a bit further.
Absolutely! Growing up, I loved going to the record store to flip through the bins. Decades later, I still love going to the record store and flipping through the bins. Records are the only thing I am materialistically really tied to. But, Discogs and the Internet make it much harder to find good deals. Gone are the days when I paid $5 for original mono pressings of garage/psych rock LPs from 1966!
Same here! Records are my life. It’s true that some prices are higher now, as there is more demand and more people start to realise the value of what they are selling.
Hi Andres, I lived in London for 14 years and there was a fantastic record store off Hanway St. that I would often frequent (as well as Portobello and Camden). Where do you go? Do you think that record labels, stores, Discogs, etc., over inflate prices simply because people are willing to pay it (especially younger kids who are starting out collecting)? Millions upon millions of copies of Fleetwood Mac's 'Rumours' LP were pressed throughout the '70s (not to mention throughout the following decades). It shouldn't be a $40+ album. Same with T. Swift's reissues. Right?
In the end, I guess an album (and a house!) is worth whatever somebody is willing to pay for it.
Hi Michael! Yes I’ve just found out (courtesy of Tune Tag) about your London past! Mainly Sounds of the Universe and Sister Ray in Soho, Music & Video Exchange in Notting Hill, and Soul Brother Records in Putney (I live between Notting Hill and St John’s Wood so Putney is a bit far). For new vinyl, HMV or online. And I buy a lot from Discogs from my go-to sellers.
You raise very good points. I think nowadays there’s a bigger pool of buyers with deep pockets now compared with say 10 or 12 years ago.
Popular records like Rumours will vary a lot in price depending on the specific version, the condition, and where you buy.
I often find that reissues of popular records will always sell at a premium at physical stores in order to “catch” the casual buyer on a whim. I go to physical stores mainly for the bargains. For new vinyl, I almost always find better prices online.
Mildly off topic, but I didn't realize you were in PDX. That's my hometown. What stores are you hitting? At one point in my life, I could either be found at home or at 2nd Avenue. Dudley's too, to a lesser extent.
Also what high school (if you're ok with sharing)?
Nice! When did you leave, Portland? As you know, there is no shortage of record stores in PDX! My regular go-to stores are Crossroads, Tomorrow Records, Landfill Rescue Unit, 2nd Ave, Mississippi, Little Axe, and Clinton St. Records. There are a couple of others in North Portland I sometimes swing by when up at Mississippi Records, but I'm in SE, so these are the main ones I hit up.
2nd Ave is a great old-school Portland record store. They have such a wide selection (not just metal and punk, which many immediately notice) and good prices. Even the disorderly chaos is rather charming. Plus, bonus points to 2nd Ave as I first visited Portland in 1990 (17 years before I moved here) and bought a handful of records of local PDX bands that I couldn't find in the Midwest.
Hace poco, en una página de una red social que reúne a los amantes del rock progresivo (imaginen cuán lejos ha quedado la adolescencia de la mayoría de quienes participamos de esa página..jaja!), alguien decía que prefería mil veces refugiarse en su discoteca que someterse a la "dictadura del algoritmo " de ciertos sitios que difunden/atesoran/ promueven música. Parece que varias generaciones están participando de un sentimiento similar. Lo cual hace que Extrañé aún más mis visitas a HMV de Oxford St.! Abrazo!
I want very much to join you in this optimism, but I have yet to see any proof at all beyond personal ancedotes that suggests that young people are buying vinyl in any significant numbers. And particularly that young people buying classic vinyl, the important stuff.... I remain ever hopeful that someday someone will show me those numbers, but...
The information is there, but scattered and a bit outdated. I've been studying it for a while and unfortunately I struggle to find anything more recent than 2022. I guess it depends on what you consider young, but check this (from Kantar, 2018): "Compared to the average buyer of music, buyers of vinyl records are 57% more likely to be aged under 25 (i.e. aged 15-24) and over a fifth more likely to be London-based." (Full article https://www.kantar.com/uki/inspiration/consumer/vinyl-sales-continue-to-grow-in-the-uk).
This is in line with other studies: there seems to be a higher proportion of vinyl buyers in their late teens/early twenties, on the one hand, and on the other hand, above 55. In other words, those in their 40s and early 50s are less likely to buy vinyl.
I'm waiting for the data from 2023 to be released as this should hopefully give us a clearer/more recent picture.
As to what they are buying (which I've also been researching), the info is more anecdotal than anything else, but it seems to be 80% new releases by young/new artists (the Taylor Swifts and Lewis Capaldis of this world) and 20% classics (as they discover them gradually, either on their own or through their older relatives).
THanks! I think the part about 40s/early 50s being the lowest demographic makes sense. that's my demographic and I'm the only one in my friend circle with a turntable and none of them seem at all interested in acquiring one. I wonder if it's because that's the demographic that grew up being told that records were inconvenient (which they are, of course) and outdated and is maybe more sensitive to not seeming "old school"? And also potentiallly is more romanced by the convenience of streaming than younger generations who take it for granted, and the older generations aren't impressed, either, and have figured out that newer/faster is not necessary better.
Also that's the demographic that would have donated their (our) original vinyl collections when CDs became a thing, and there's a natural human tendency not to want to admit a mistake.
Thank you! All very possible, yes. I often wonder why it is. It could also be because they experienced vinyl's decline in ways other generations didn't. But you raise very valid points. It may well be a combination of factors.
Yeah. I get paid to make that sort of thing simple, but it rarely is. But I do think that we're (speaking for myself) the generation that got wowed and romanced by tech as the thing that would save us (flying cars and all), and so we cling to the fantasy that it actually will.
On another note, I'm still struggling to find a better way to make vinyl easier, because the inconvenience of disentangling myself from varoius sleeping felines and canines and changing over the record every 20 minutes while I'm trying to focus on writing is... challenging. And so it sits unused too much of the time. Maybe I just need to move the turntable to where I can reach it from the couch... but then the cats would jump on it... hmm...
They can. Which is why my choice of where to put my turntable required buying a stand with a slide out drawer because it was the only thing relatively safe. But it is far away. And the actual literal stick that I use to poke the start button from the couch only plays the same side over and over again... And then I find myself wishing for some kind of automated remote turntable and of course that starts the whole madness all over again regarding tech.
PS I am seeing lots of data that younger listeners are listening more to older music than to "hits" and new music,, which is good news (to me, at least, probably not to current artists who want to sell records), I just hadn't seen anything to indicate they're doing this on vinyl rather than streaming. So I appreciate your info.
All is definitely not lost and I'd omit the LOL. I think I'm the first generation where the music of my parents matters more overall than the music of my youth or anything subsequent.
If I can finish writing my podcast I'll make the case for why it really really matters. Fingers crossed on all counts.
Excellent points, both in your essay and in the comments. I think the tactile nature of vinyl also is overlooked. Streaming feeds us music out of context; when you have the vinyl (or even, gulp, the CD), you know exactly what you're listening to.
Thank you, Glenn! Much appreciated.
Absolutely: the tactile and visual — the sensory elements, so to speak, play a very important role. They give you that extra connection with the record that you can’t easily replicate with streaming.
Great POV, Andy....but, along with the proposed streaming fatigue that might be surging the new generation's love and acceptance of vinyl....I was thinking: To many teens/young people, could streaming simply be a new acceptable way to lazily be fed songs "like" the ones they've already chosen, and have no issue with Spotify (or whomever) choosing what next they'd listen to?
Are many young 'uns more than happy to let the algo do the work of choosing listening options (because it's "too much work for me to do it!"), and collecting vinyl (as I've heard recently) just a status symbol exercise and/or something to look at/enjoy the feel of as they listen to their stream of choice?
I'd be interested, also, to hear what others think....I sense this could be a worthwhile debate, although I admit so much of the listening habits of "the kids these days" is a little (a lot?) out of my bailiwick!
Thank you, Brad! You raise very interesting points. I am convinced there is, in reality, a little bit of everything.
On the one hand, there are those youngsters whom I'll call "fighters" or "rebels" who say f!ck algorithms and in some cases even f!ck Spotify, and not only purchase vinyl to hold, but also to play. For obvious reasons, I tend to feature them quite often here, as they are in many ways my hope that "not all is lost". In all honesty, though, those who actually spin seem to be a minority, or at least, outliers.
Then there are, on the other hand, those who snub algorithms or are at least suspicious of them but still predominantly choose streaming as their main listening platform/vehicle. Interestingly, many of them purchase vinyl to hold, but choose to play the tracks on Spotify due to convenience and/or because they can't be arsed with learning how to use a turntable (sigh). In many cases, there are budgetary/space constraints (i.e. they will allocate some money and some space for a bunch of Swift records but can't afford to buy/don't have space for a turntable, let alone amp/speakers and all the other elements to build a proper hifi system).
There ARE some who will take comfort in the algo doing all the curating for them, but in my experience, you tend to find more of this "type" in the generation immediately preceding mine (I fall right under the millennial bracket, so they would be classed under "Gen X", i.e. those born in the 70s and early 80s). For some reason, unless they have developed a keen interest in music (and if they did, they would have done this as kids/young teens), they tend to have a narrower taste, broadly speaking, and are quite happy (content, even) sticking to the type of sounds/artists/songs they have always liked. Those who took a keen interest in music are more likely to end up doing it professionally though. My point is you are less likely, all in all, to find "avid/really curious" music fans in this age category when compared with other generations.
Interestingly, this generation is, according to some sources (and if you check my comment to Faith just below yours), less likely to buy vinyl records (which may or may not go hand in hand with this "less adventurous" approach).
All very interesting indeed!
Thanks for stopping by and, as always, for bringing your precious insights!
I’m one of those who owns a lot of vinyl, but plays music mostly via streaming. Not out of laziness, but because I listen to music for the most part away from the house. Or at least away from the room that houses my stereo. So there’s a convenience factor, but there’s also a proximity factor. I listen to music while I work (i am outside walking dogs so stream on my phone to earbuds), and also while I drive which I would guess, comprises at least 75% of my listening time.
Same here. I mean, if they'd let me have a record player at work, I'd do it, but for now Spotify'll have to do.
Have you asked?😜
Not yet...
I don’t own any vinyl, having sold or donated it when I moved out of my parents’ place in the late 90s (much to my regret). I’m hoping to retire in the next couple years and am looking to begin buying and listening to vinyl again, once I’ve put together a decent hi-fi.
But I think I’ll always stream, albeit while trying not to be driven by the algorithm. The sheer volume and variety of music I listen to financially precludes me from building a collection that can satisfy my tastes.
But I’m really looking forward to the intentionality Andres talked about, the flicking through the records to figure out what I want to listen to. And then the physical act, almost ritualistic, of taking the record out of the sleeve, placing it on the turntable, and putting the needle on the record. I’m REALLY looking forward to that!
Thank you, Mark! Yes, streaming is undoubtedly here to stay. It has become the main format for most listeners nowadays. But interestingly, it contrasts nicely with vinyl, so one nowadays can really have “the best of both worlds”. In my case, I stream almost every day, but definitely spin vinyl every day. I realise for many people that’s simply not feasible, and that’s okay. Vinyl doesn’t have to be a daily thing. In fact, spinning sporadically makes it more enjoyable. We are getting to a stage where this “battle of the formats” of the last 40+ years or so is becoming a thing of the past. When you can and want to have both (or all), why not? Sky’s the limit 😊
Same! I have a lot of vinyl and still a ton of CDs, but the majority of what I hear is via streaming.
Thanks, Glenn! Is it also due to convenience? Or for another reason?
Primarily out of convenience, and also I’m rarely in a position these days to flip an album over every 15-25 minutes.
Fair enough!
Thanks, Steve. That makes a lot of sense if you’re predominantly “on the move” and don’t want to/can’t always wait until you’re home
Thanks, Andy, for your thoughtful reply! I think we're at an interesting crossroads of sorts, where there is now a mix of still-eager streamers (who couldn't be bothered with granddad's LPs), and "on the other side of the room," new vinyl devourers who either shun algos, or integrate them, seamlessly, into their LP enjoyment!
I keep trying to bend my generation's radio influence into a similarity/allegory to today's streaming, and it just doesn't fit: AM Top 40 couldn't care less what we liked or played 10 minutes ago! They were programmed to sell ad time for their $-making purposes, and had no (yet invented) way or purpose to program airplay for our enjoyment....that was just an unintended consequence back in the day!
Dang.....you got me thinkin' on a Sunday morning!!!!
How dare you, and I thank you!!!😁👍😉
Very insightful as always. I hadn’t thought of what you say about radio. I used to enjoy listening to the radio, being “guided”, so to speak, by the host. I particularly liked late night programmes and sad/sensual/melancholic tunes (obvs!). That’s how I discovered a lot of “younger” blues artists (i.e. not directly introduced to me through my dad, like Janis for example, who was right from his younger years). Joe Bonamassa and Gary Moore come to mind.
As a Gen Z'er---you nailed it. In addition to what you said; buying records is an act of ownership, independence and expression. In a time where so many decisions are being simplified and outright made for us, it feels good to get back some control in our lives.
Thanks for posting!
Thank you, Bjorn! That’s reassuring— and a delight to read. What you mention about ownership is spot on as well. Glad you enjoyed!!
When I hit my fave record store, it's not all suburban dads in there with me. I'm often shoulder to shoulder with a Zoomer. Anecdotal for sure, but I'm hopeful it's part of a larger trend.
That’s awesome. Has either of your sons caught dad’s bug yet? If memory serves, I think you once said your eldest was starting to look at records on his own when visiting stores with you.
Good memory! My older son has a mild case. He's happy to come with me once in awhile, and he's slowly building a collection of his own. Mostly, he takes a lot of pride in displaying them. My younger son hasn't caught the bug... yet. I'm workin' on it. :)
That’s so cool. Interesting how teenagers are so keen on the display aspect of vinyl. I think it’s awesome. As for your younger son… I’m sure he’ll get there eventually! 😊
Terrestrial radio feels like it’s within this spectrum as well. I’m resistant to stream music while I drive, I want to connect to the broadcast.
Thanks, Greg! That’s so cool. I need to get back into radio.
All great points, and it gives food for thought on the why behind rising vinyl sales and who is buying records. I feel fortunate because I live in a city with no shortage of record stores, but in all honesty, most people I see in them are adults. As a high school teacher, I know that some of my students buy records. Those students who know I collect records always enjoy talking to me about it. A few kids I teach are also excited about cassettes and even CDs (I don't get the cassette thing. I always thought tapes sounded inferior). But Spotify & Apple Music are still king with most teens in my classroom. When their Spotify Wrapped is announced, it becomes a hot topic in my classroom. These streaming platforms are popular not only because of their ease of having everything at their fingertips. But most teens I teach listen to songs rather than albums. And, let's be honest - records are not cheap (and quality control on newer records is suspect, at best)!
Thank you, Michael! It’s great some of your students are collecting records. I think streaming is pretty much like the air they breathe —inescapable— but it’s a good sign that at least some of them are showing an interest in going a bit further.
Absolutely! Growing up, I loved going to the record store to flip through the bins. Decades later, I still love going to the record store and flipping through the bins. Records are the only thing I am materialistically really tied to. But, Discogs and the Internet make it much harder to find good deals. Gone are the days when I paid $5 for original mono pressings of garage/psych rock LPs from 1966!
Same here! Records are my life. It’s true that some prices are higher now, as there is more demand and more people start to realise the value of what they are selling.
Hi Andres, I lived in London for 14 years and there was a fantastic record store off Hanway St. that I would often frequent (as well as Portobello and Camden). Where do you go? Do you think that record labels, stores, Discogs, etc., over inflate prices simply because people are willing to pay it (especially younger kids who are starting out collecting)? Millions upon millions of copies of Fleetwood Mac's 'Rumours' LP were pressed throughout the '70s (not to mention throughout the following decades). It shouldn't be a $40+ album. Same with T. Swift's reissues. Right?
In the end, I guess an album (and a house!) is worth whatever somebody is willing to pay for it.
Hi Michael! Yes I’ve just found out (courtesy of Tune Tag) about your London past! Mainly Sounds of the Universe and Sister Ray in Soho, Music & Video Exchange in Notting Hill, and Soul Brother Records in Putney (I live between Notting Hill and St John’s Wood so Putney is a bit far). For new vinyl, HMV or online. And I buy a lot from Discogs from my go-to sellers.
You raise very good points. I think nowadays there’s a bigger pool of buyers with deep pockets now compared with say 10 or 12 years ago.
Popular records like Rumours will vary a lot in price depending on the specific version, the condition, and where you buy.
I often find that reissues of popular records will always sell at a premium at physical stores in order to “catch” the casual buyer on a whim. I go to physical stores mainly for the bargains. For new vinyl, I almost always find better prices online.
Buying
Mildly off topic, but I didn't realize you were in PDX. That's my hometown. What stores are you hitting? At one point in my life, I could either be found at home or at 2nd Avenue. Dudley's too, to a lesser extent.
Also what high school (if you're ok with sharing)?
Nice! When did you leave, Portland? As you know, there is no shortage of record stores in PDX! My regular go-to stores are Crossroads, Tomorrow Records, Landfill Rescue Unit, 2nd Ave, Mississippi, Little Axe, and Clinton St. Records. There are a couple of others in North Portland I sometimes swing by when up at Mississippi Records, but I'm in SE, so these are the main ones I hit up.
2nd Ave is a great old-school Portland record store. They have such a wide selection (not just metal and punk, which many immediately notice) and good prices. Even the disorderly chaos is rather charming. Plus, bonus points to 2nd Ave as I first visited Portland in 1990 (17 years before I moved here) and bought a handful of records of local PDX bands that I couldn't find in the Midwest.
Hace poco, en una página de una red social que reúne a los amantes del rock progresivo (imaginen cuán lejos ha quedado la adolescencia de la mayoría de quienes participamos de esa página..jaja!), alguien decía que prefería mil veces refugiarse en su discoteca que someterse a la "dictadura del algoritmo " de ciertos sitios que difunden/atesoran/ promueven música. Parece que varias generaciones están participando de un sentimiento similar. Lo cual hace que Extrañé aún más mis visitas a HMV de Oxford St.! Abrazo!
Gracias por tu comentario! Totalmente de acuerdo. Esto de que te “elijan” o “dicten” el repertorio roza lo siniestro.
Ojalá puedas volver a visitar pronto! Abrazo!!
I want very much to join you in this optimism, but I have yet to see any proof at all beyond personal ancedotes that suggests that young people are buying vinyl in any significant numbers. And particularly that young people buying classic vinyl, the important stuff.... I remain ever hopeful that someday someone will show me those numbers, but...
The information is there, but scattered and a bit outdated. I've been studying it for a while and unfortunately I struggle to find anything more recent than 2022. I guess it depends on what you consider young, but check this (from Kantar, 2018): "Compared to the average buyer of music, buyers of vinyl records are 57% more likely to be aged under 25 (i.e. aged 15-24) and over a fifth more likely to be London-based." (Full article https://www.kantar.com/uki/inspiration/consumer/vinyl-sales-continue-to-grow-in-the-uk).
This other study (more recent and, I suspect, more global) shows the average age of buyers shifting towards older groups: https://aagservices.org/blog/the-state-of-vinyl-record-collecting-2022#:~:text=Purchases%20are%20spread%20across%20vast,54%20are%20tied%20for%2019%25. Interestingly, 25-34 is higher than both 35-44 and 45-54
This is in line with other studies: there seems to be a higher proportion of vinyl buyers in their late teens/early twenties, on the one hand, and on the other hand, above 55. In other words, those in their 40s and early 50s are less likely to buy vinyl.
I'm waiting for the data from 2023 to be released as this should hopefully give us a clearer/more recent picture.
As to what they are buying (which I've also been researching), the info is more anecdotal than anything else, but it seems to be 80% new releases by young/new artists (the Taylor Swifts and Lewis Capaldis of this world) and 20% classics (as they discover them gradually, either on their own or through their older relatives).
THanks! I think the part about 40s/early 50s being the lowest demographic makes sense. that's my demographic and I'm the only one in my friend circle with a turntable and none of them seem at all interested in acquiring one. I wonder if it's because that's the demographic that grew up being told that records were inconvenient (which they are, of course) and outdated and is maybe more sensitive to not seeming "old school"? And also potentiallly is more romanced by the convenience of streaming than younger generations who take it for granted, and the older generations aren't impressed, either, and have figured out that newer/faster is not necessary better.
Also that's the demographic that would have donated their (our) original vinyl collections when CDs became a thing, and there's a natural human tendency not to want to admit a mistake.
Just thoughts off the top of my head.
Thank you! All very possible, yes. I often wonder why it is. It could also be because they experienced vinyl's decline in ways other generations didn't. But you raise very valid points. It may well be a combination of factors.
Yeah. I get paid to make that sort of thing simple, but it rarely is. But I do think that we're (speaking for myself) the generation that got wowed and romanced by tech as the thing that would save us (flying cars and all), and so we cling to the fantasy that it actually will.
On another note, I'm still struggling to find a better way to make vinyl easier, because the inconvenience of disentangling myself from varoius sleeping felines and canines and changing over the record every 20 minutes while I'm trying to focus on writing is... challenging. And so it sits unused too much of the time. Maybe I just need to move the turntable to where I can reach it from the couch... but then the cats would jump on it... hmm...
Very interesting point re tech!
I was going to suggest place the turntable higher, but of course cats can jump! 😅
They can. Which is why my choice of where to put my turntable required buying a stand with a slide out drawer because it was the only thing relatively safe. But it is far away. And the actual literal stick that I use to poke the start button from the couch only plays the same side over and over again... And then I find myself wishing for some kind of automated remote turntable and of course that starts the whole madness all over again regarding tech.
PS I am seeing lots of data that younger listeners are listening more to older music than to "hits" and new music,, which is good news (to me, at least, probably not to current artists who want to sell records), I just hadn't seen anything to indicate they're doing this on vinyl rather than streaming. So I appreciate your info.
That's very cool indeed! Gives us a sense of hope that not all is lost with younger generations lol.
All is definitely not lost and I'd omit the LOL. I think I'm the first generation where the music of my parents matters more overall than the music of my youth or anything subsequent.
If I can finish writing my podcast I'll make the case for why it really really matters. Fingers crossed on all counts.
Let me know once it’s out!