vinyls are the most overrated thing in music. i just don’t see the hype around it and their resurgence. it’s expensive, the quality sound isn’t better and you need a specific support to play it. i can understand their popularity before the 80s, when cds didn’t existed and music was less accessible. but now music was more accessible than ever.
i can get the nostalgia and the “vintage” part since i’m a cd collector. but i prefer them because they are cheaper, compact and can be played on a lot of supports like computers, radios, cars, consoles, etc. for one vinyl, you can get at least 5-6 cds. i respect vinyl collectors if they actually own a vinyl record player and play their music, but people who only buy it for collection?? you’re just throwing your money out of the window.
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I’m 59 and physical media is worthless to me. Same for books.
These days its mostly more like an art collection than anything but it’s pretty widely accepted that they sound a whole lot better than CDs, although having not listened on vinyl since I was a child I cannot swear by this
> people who only buy it for collection?? you’re just throwing your money out of the window.
That’s most collections, though?
What about a stamp collection that never gets used? It’s not just music. What about coins? Or anything else that’s collected and never used.
Plural for Vinyl is vinyl.
Yes, vinyl was pushed out by better technology – magnetic tapes. Even then nobody wanted vinyl any more, people still had players and vinyls only because electronics was expensive and they already spent money on it, so it was a pitty to just throw it away.
Simply someone showed that this is retro and it is “cool”
Every art form has a side of physical collection to it, records just happen to be a lot of people’s favorite. I’ve known people that have tape or CD collections, but records are just kinda cooler
i have just a pair of vinyls, a pair of cassettes, and a pair of CD’s, this to test equipment, i don’t see the appeal of collecting an obsolete media, i (try to) collect the equipment instead, i can always play whatever track i like on those, without minding of recording the cassette, or burning the CD, or ordering the vinyl (that you not always find), or trying to be happy with the shittiest track you find already recorded… love me an old entry level surround set or eighties equalizer! 💖
I find listening to records very ritualistic, the tangible process of interacting with the medium.
That said I do have a personal FLAC library and am looking to add a stand alone CD player to my stereo system because… vinyls are too expensive
I don’t like vinyl either they are large , cumbersome and inconvenient for casual listening.
All that said I do get the “why” of it, most people I have spoken to regarding it come from a place of enjoying the ritual of the thing.
Getting it out, setting it up and listening in an exclusive way. Some might say the way certain albums are meant to be.
And while I don’t care for this ritual myself (I’m a fiend for large random playlists and the skip button) I can’t fault anyone for enjoying a ritual.
That’s human, we all have them. Maybe it’s making the bed, a complicated and obtuse way of making coffee or hanging decorations for Christmas.
I believe rituals are part of what makes us us. And you don’t need to enjoy other people’s to see why they enjoy doing it
Well you’re supposed to listen to them, not look at them.
Honestly in a vacuum, yeah it’s a little weird to prefer them. I kinda got the idea that it creates a different/more interesting listening experience that just playing the album on Spotify. Of course the same can be said of CDs – but then, here in like 30 years, I bet CDs will suddenly be back in and we’ll be collecting them again.
Personally, I’m planning on buying a record player at some point. I actually go to thrift shops and browse their vinyl because I listen to bands from the 70s.
100% agree. I have a friend who says “it’s the sound, warmth, depth, vinyl gives music a warmer, richer, more natural sound”. Garbage. I’m good with apple music. Got millions of tunes in my pocket at all times.
i just think they look cool
It’s a collectors item for starters. It also encourages people to listen to entire albums all the way through, instead of for just one or 2 songs form an album.
Vinyls are a cool collectible because they:
I have both records and CDs, and listen to my vinyl occasionally, but I mostly just use my google home for music. I got a 7-1 stereo for like $300, and most of my records are hand-me-downs, thrifted, or gifts
There’s also the ‘refined taste’ characteristic as a display piece. Like making yourself drink scotch so you look like a sophisticated drinker.