A vinyl record as defined by the Google search engine is an analog sound storage medium in the form of flat polyvinyl chloride discs with an inscribed spiral groove. It has become a staple in pop culture for multiple generations and is currently gathering a rather large following. By why is it, you might ask, that this form of music has gained such a following?
1.They look great
When you first buy a record and slide it out of it’s protective sleeve, the appearance is almost unreal. Untouched by a record player’s needle, the vinyl is a beautiful glossy onyx that shines brighter than the future. It’s light and is a gift clearly sent by some god or goddess.
The best looking part? When you play the vinyl and it spins so eloquently whilst singing you the song of its people. Vinyls come in so many sizes and varying colors that no two are quite the same and it makes them all the more incredible to behold. Some people buy records for the sole purpose of hanging them on a wall to look at, that’s how incredible they look.
2. It’s a conversation starter
Whether you’re in a record store, hanging out at your local coffee shop or just trying to pose possible interests with a potential friend, vinyls should always be brought up. There are two possible responses to receive from this. “Who listens to those anymore?” And, “What? No way! You’re, like, actually me!” Maybe that’s not the response you’ve gotten but I most certainly have.
You see, vinyls are either a huge hit or a small miss. You either do or you don’t know what they are and you either do or you don’t like them. Regardless, the conversation will progress from there. Often it is questions on why you like vinyls or which vinyls you have. This year alone I have made six friends entirely based off asking if they enjoyed listening to vinyls. And I can’t tell you how many of my friends I have converted to loving this form of music.
3.The sound is unreal
When you listen to a radio mix, often times things are toned down. When you listen to a live concert certain sounds are far too toned up. A relevant pop culture example would be Adele’s album "25." The iconic song “Hello” often starts on the radio precisely when Adele first says “Hello, it’s me” but when you listen to the song on vinyl there is a whole twenty second introduction. This introduction is also much louder than in the Youtube official video. I’m sure you also didn’t know that in the second chorus, Adele has back up singers. That’s right, she didn’t belt that puppy out all on her own. She had ladies in the back helping her out. Their sound is often drowned out on the radio because Adele’s voice is considerably more important in the song, but let me tell you those ladies sound like angels and vinyl makes sure to carry their angelic voices to the unready ears of astounded listeners.
Of course “Hello” isn’t the only song to do this. So many songs are cut short in radio editions or live cuts. Never in a vinyl do you miss one strum of a guitar or beat of a drum. You can hear every little instrument and every little silence in every single song.
4. It is always relevant in style
There isn’t a shortage of vinyls! Okay, maybe there can be for specific artists and groups that could have dropped off the map of the vinyl world, but vinyls themselves haven’t stopped being made. New bands like The 1975, Ed Sheeran, Bruno Mars, Lana Del Ray, or even Halsey have their albums in vinyl form. They’re timeless! Everyone can have one! It’s like a good episode of Oprah. You get a vinyl, you get a vinyl! They’re not going out of style people. They’re going to be here and for a long time.
The beauty of it is one day, many many years from now, your first vinyl record is still going to be playable and is still going to be intact. That’s the kind of music you want.
5.They have their imperfections
Sometimes you buy a record second hand. Maybe it’s an old Beatles record that has seen better days but you just had to have it for your collection. Chances are, there are skips and scratches on that record and it’s different than any other one on the market. But that’s what makes it yours! The skips from playing it too many times in the exact same place, the scratches from when you accidentally bumped into the player whilst dancing around in glee to your newest record, it’s all yours and no one else has one like it.
I have two copies of the Rolling Stones’ Flowers album. One is my father’s and the other I bought to have with me at school. The thing is, for years I listened to my father’s record which he got years before I was born and had listened to often enough for there to be a few places that skipped or songs that jumped more than a few lines. I didn’t know that wasn’t part of the music so even to this day, when I listen to my own copy I stop singing where it would skip on my father’s vinyl. This is uniquely something that is mine, that no one else outside of my small family would get. I’ve had friends ask me if I don’t know the lyrics entirely. I do now! But it’s the memory of it, of the silly little imperfections my favorite record had.
6.It’s likely your parents have a few to share
I’ve already hinted at this one. Let’s face it. If your parents were into records and you’ve found that you can appreciate the style, they’re going to want to relate, they’re going to want to share their experiences with vinyls with you. Most people would cringe at this, finding out that something you thought was completely relevant only to your generation was something that dictated your parents life is often times a let down. But hey, free records am I right?
Free records aside, it can be a great way to bond. My parents loved bands that had some kind of animal in the title. Whitesnake, Def Leppard, The Beatles, or The Monkees. I pointed it out once before and they hadn’t even realized the correlation. It started up quite the conversation. I learned quirky little things like how my father’s friend wanted to go to an Aerosmith concert because his stepfather was in the band or how my mother used to hang out in front of Donnie Wahlbergs house because New Kids On The Block was her One Direction. It’s not like these things come up at family dinner. So definitely take the time to let your parents teach you their vinyl-y ways and appreciate that it’s something undefined by one single generation.
7. It takes time
There’s a process to playing a record. It takes time and finesse to drop the needle of your record player into the right place, before the song starts and not right in the middle which totally kills the mood I promise you. If you don’t have a player that automatically lowers the needle onto the record, you’ve got to start practicing how to keep your hand steady. If you try to be quick, you could end up scratching your record. The utter disappointment and self loathing that follows is indescribable.
8.The process of buying the records
If you’re one of those people that prefers to just hit online catalogs for a record, you’re missing out. Deals upon deals can be found in stores and outside of your stereotypical hipster clothing provider.
Have you ever been to a small, cramped record store? You haven’t lived if your answer is no. Not only do you end up leaving with six records you weren’t looking for, but you’re likely to get a better deal on the one you had your heart set on. Online the cost of a David Bowie vinyl following his death has skyrocketed to north of $79, if you’re lucky. Lana Del Rey Honeymoon? $39.98, and that’s before shipping and handling. $39.98 could get you two or three records in store with the bonus of possible record knowledge attainable only through record venders. I’m not saying that you shouldn’t order from online catalogs because the quick process can come in handy, I’m saying you should broaden your horizons. Don’t be afraid to get out there and step into a hole in the wall joint. What you find just might surprise you. It's actually mind blowing.
9. It becomes an addiction
You can’t stop and you won’t stop. It becomes one of those things where once you buy one you start planning your next purchase, and the one after that and the one after that. Compiled lists are often at play when determining which records are essential and which can wait until the next payday. And why just buy one when you can buy six? You get a rush when you find the one you’ve been searching for. The euphoric bliss that greets you when you finally find a copy of Justin Bieber’s Purpose after they’ve been sold out for four months is a feeling that should be known by everyone. Oh, so you don’t like Justin Bieber? What about Twenty One Pilots? Arctic Monkeys? Gorillaz? When you’re flipping through record after record and you find one of these gems, you’ll already be too far in to turn back around. Welcome to the dark side my friends.
10.They’re timeless
You don’t have to only listen to records from your generation. You don’t only have to listen to records from your parents’ generation. The beauty of a vinyl is the years upon years that the music on the record is available. The music doesn’t expire or need to be converted because they’re are easy to lose and are expensive. They’re always there in a physical form, and there’s no doubt always a player to put those sweet little musical gifts onto.
11.They’re the perfect memories
Imagine how it feels for your parents to tell you all their stories about why they have this record or why there’s so many scratches, maybe why the cover is duct taped or why you have to listen to one album before the other. That could be you some day, showing your kids what’s what in the vinyl music world and reliving the good old days when you couldn’t help but buy one out of guilty pleasure. Imagine showing your kids that you can relate to them, when they’re buying their own records and players for their music needs.
Imagine going through the attic for a yard sale or just some spring cleaning and finding the vinyl that has the song you were listening to when you realized your significant other was the one, or the vinyl that has the song that played in your car when you drove your first car down the highway with your best friends hanging out of the windows and with no destination. It’s an unforgettable memory to own one of these records. It’s worth it.
