I love Urban Outfitters.

I love photography.

I love music.

I have a record player.

I don’t have a man bun.

Over the last few years, record players have made a ridiculous comeback in both popularity and sales, actually outselling CD’s and digital music according to some estimates. When I first began to hear about the resurgence of vinyl records, I kind of just shrugged it off. First of all, I couldn’t take a record player with me. Second, I already had a massive MP3 collection, accessible from practically anywhere in the world. I also didn’t see why I needed yet another medium in which to consume media - most records cost anywhere from $20-$35 (new) compared to a $9.99 MP3 album, anyway. This doesn't factor in ad-based streaming services, either.

I had always thought that record players were a cool idea - definitely something I would use when I was older. But after finally taking the plunge and purchasing my first legitimate record player, I can only see the appeal to the vintage medium.

In today’s digital ecosystem, media and music is accessible from basically anywhere in the world instantly. With services such as Spotify, Pandora, and Google Music, one can find themselves bombarded with a slew of new music and artists within a matter of moments. My personal music taste ranges from The Beatles to *Nsync; Kendrick Lamar to Josh Groban; Blink-182 to ABBA. (The only genres I have no interest in are country and any form of metal.)

My own digital music library contains nearly 100 gb of music. But I only listen to a fraction of it.

I have a bad habit, once I find an artist I even remotely enjoy, I feel compelled to amass their entire discography. I don’t know why I do it. And I certainly don’t listen to every song a band has ever made. Through this process of discovery, engagement, and commitment to so many artists so quickly and so frequently I have almost become numb to new music. I can rarely get through an entire MP3 album without skipping tracks and eventually just shuffling my music into an endless, skippable loop.

I wanted to find a way to fix this; to help me find the special connection to music that I felt I once had. To make me want to listen rather than feeling obligated to listen. The solution? A record player.

I have always been someone who has trouble focusing on the task at hand or on the moment right in front of my eyes. I am constantly moving between ideas and projects and interests. The reason I like vinyl is simple: it forces me to listen to an entire album and appreciate the artistry that went into making the record without the ability to skip to the next track or artist. When listening to a record, I am compelled to focus on the present moment and can simply enjoy the music, not worry about any artists that Spotify recommended I check out because of an interest in Ed Sheeran.

I enjoy record players because I get a certain thrill when holding and listening to the same physical albums that my parents listened to when they were younger, from my dad’s original copy of The Beatles’ “The White Album” to my mom’s copy of Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On”. The way it feels to grasp something tangible and real; something filled with life and raw, human emotion. Its also an incredible feeling hunting through hundreds of old records at thrifts stores until you come across that one album that catches your eye and senses in a way that iTunes will never be able to do.

Many people will also claim that vinyl sounds better and feels ‘warmer’. Let me tell you this: I cannot tell the difference between my record player and a high quality MP3 file. Granted, there are many things that determine this, including the way the record was pressed, equipment involved, etc. But for my money, it doesn’t provide any benefit audio-wise. And I actually enjoy the subtle pops and hisses of an old record - it sounds like a crackling fire, honestly.

Now, this being said, I am certainly not going to abandon my digital library anytime soon. After all, I can’t strap a record player to my back whenever I want to listen to some tunes. Digital is convenient but I believe there is more to life than convenience. There are ups and down, beginnings and ends, crackles and hisses but one thing I am trying to learn is to embrace the imperfections of life in order to gain a better appreciation for everything around me.

Open your eyes. Open your ears. Open your minds.