While record collecting is typically seen as a luxury, vinyl sales growth hit double digits in the first half of 2023, despite high inflation and high interest rates... what's going on?
I have to agree with Ian -- there's a tactile, emotional connection with buying vinyl, that isn't and wasn't there for me with CD purchasing/browsing. The size and weight play a significant role as well. Also, albums are more subject to wear and tear; you have to treat them more carefully. I know some CDs are kept in paper sleeves, but it never felt the same to me.
I only buy used albums, so a sense of history is also involved. It feels like purchasing art. It is purchasing art. And maybe that's the economic connection? Isn't it true that paintings also were purchased and sold during austere times? I could be wrong on that.
Thanks, Steve! The connection is everything. Other formats, like CD or tapes, can’t even come close. I like what you say about size and weight. In a way, vinyl makes (is) a much bolder statement.
There’s definitely an element of the collectible/asset class at play, so your comparison with paintings makes a lot of sense. Thanks again!
I used to have a large vinyl collection, and alongside it a large CD collection. Life events dictated a distress sale several years ago. I miss collecting, though, even though it's impractical now.
But ... yesterday I was browsing in a charity record shop that also sells new 'vinyls'. I picked up a new, sealed copy of 'Ariel' by Kate Bush. I had an emotional reaction; it was a thing of beauty - not just the high-quality printing of the sleeve, but the sheer weight of the package. (I'm already familiar with the beauty of the music). It felt like a different experience from the flimsy discs I used to buy years and years ago. Of course, it should feel like a different experience, because the album was priced at £45.
All of this is a long way of saying I can understand why vinyl sales are holding up. Why people have to buy, whether new or 'pre-loved'. Records are not, and have never been, mere 'product', and it's gratifying to know there are still large numbers of people who agree - and who support musicians with their hard-earned cash.
Thanks for your comment, Ian! Absolutely: vinyl is a whole experience: the overall look and feel of records, their sound, their iconic status, etc. Very interesting point you make about records being a lot more than mere products. Thanks again!
I have to agree with Ian -- there's a tactile, emotional connection with buying vinyl, that isn't and wasn't there for me with CD purchasing/browsing. The size and weight play a significant role as well. Also, albums are more subject to wear and tear; you have to treat them more carefully. I know some CDs are kept in paper sleeves, but it never felt the same to me.
I only buy used albums, so a sense of history is also involved. It feels like purchasing art. It is purchasing art. And maybe that's the economic connection? Isn't it true that paintings also were purchased and sold during austere times? I could be wrong on that.
Thanks, Steve! The connection is everything. Other formats, like CD or tapes, can’t even come close. I like what you say about size and weight. In a way, vinyl makes (is) a much bolder statement.
There’s definitely an element of the collectible/asset class at play, so your comparison with paintings makes a lot of sense. Thanks again!
I used to have a large vinyl collection, and alongside it a large CD collection. Life events dictated a distress sale several years ago. I miss collecting, though, even though it's impractical now.
But ... yesterday I was browsing in a charity record shop that also sells new 'vinyls'. I picked up a new, sealed copy of 'Ariel' by Kate Bush. I had an emotional reaction; it was a thing of beauty - not just the high-quality printing of the sleeve, but the sheer weight of the package. (I'm already familiar with the beauty of the music). It felt like a different experience from the flimsy discs I used to buy years and years ago. Of course, it should feel like a different experience, because the album was priced at £45.
All of this is a long way of saying I can understand why vinyl sales are holding up. Why people have to buy, whether new or 'pre-loved'. Records are not, and have never been, mere 'product', and it's gratifying to know there are still large numbers of people who agree - and who support musicians with their hard-earned cash.
Thanks for your comment, Ian! Absolutely: vinyl is a whole experience: the overall look and feel of records, their sound, their iconic status, etc. Very interesting point you make about records being a lot more than mere products. Thanks again!