Vinyl Records Making a Comeback

I grew up listening to vinyl records. So I’m always interested when I come across articles that talk about how it’s enjoying a resurgence. Vinyl never really went away. And it’s something that independent artists should probably keep in mind, since vinyl comes with a built-in base of fans who are always looking for new experiences.

Cloe Cabrera examines the phenomenon in a recent article in the The Tampa Tribune. Excerpts follow.

Robby McDonald has been around music his entire life. He grew up listening to his father’s albums, falling in love with the sound quality, enjoying the cover art and reading the liner notes.

“(Vinyl) is very aesthetically pleasing,” said McDonald, manager of Mojo Books & Music at 2558 E. Fowler Ave in Tampa, Florida. “Everything is floating around in space; nothing seems to be tangible anymore. Vinyl is much more tangible.”

And nothing comes close to the warmth, crackle and pop of vinyl.

“It just sounds better than anything,” McDonald adds. “It can’t be duplicated.”

It comes as no surprise to the 25-year-old Tampa native that vinyl is getting its groove back.

According to Nielsen Soundscan, vinyl was the fastest-growing musical format last year with sales at $3.9 million, a 36 percent over 2010. Although it still makes up only a fraction of overall CD and MP3 sales, it’s been growing steadily since 2005.

That’s welcome news for independent record stores, which have taken a huge hit with the increase of digital downloads.

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