New Vinyl sticker shock!

Note that in the UK, for example, vinyl is perceived to be popular and is touted as such in the press, but only represents 2% of music consumption. Streaming outstrips it by a long shot.

That's because no one is looking for one source to do everything but rather adding sources to what they have. It's called options and what one might enjoy having and using. I don't have a tuner in my system any more, but I listen to the radio in the car and at work. At work I also listen to pandora, iPods and CDs. At home I listen off the computer files, youtube, CDs and records.

Most the time when I slow down enough to really sit relax and listen it's records that are being played. 98% of the money I spend on music is for records, see that's options, and the industry sees it to. The all important money in the equation will go for records, I don't need to spend any money on digital, it's available everywhere.
 
Except that's precisely the demographic buying vinyl. Aside from some novelty gift-buying, it has no mainstream appeal. Note that in the UK, for example, vinyl is perceived to be popular and is touted as such in the press, but only represents 2% of music consumption. Streaming outstrips it by a long shot. (see https://www.ft.com/content/b7cc252e-b3ab-11e5-b147-e5e5bba42e51 [not sure link will work; if not, search for "CD sales in the UK more resilient than downloads"])

Unlikely, because it's expensive to produce; degrades with every play; requires expensive, fiddly equipment to play; and streaming has the potential for significantly better quality. There's current fascination with vinyl because it holds nostalgic value for our generation and antique curiosity for our children's generation, but there's no reason for it to have any appeal -- except for an inevitable following by antique fans -- beyond that.

Riiiiiight, You do realize the naysayers have been saying that vinyl is dead and there is "no reason for it to have any appeal" since 1982! The death of vinyl has been impending longer then some of our younger forum members have been alive, but I'm sure you are right, annnnnny minute now, its just about to happen, maybe if I go to the bathroom the waitress will have brought the food out by the time I get back........

Vinyl has been dying for 35 years, I guess if you look at it from your perspective you could say we are all dying but I prefer to say I'm living man, L-I-V-I-N

 
Vinyl won't die for one major reason, plain and simple. It just sounds better, and always will to me, Somethings missing to my ears with digital, something's just not quite right about it. Yes I fit into the description that Restorer John posted earlier (50+, retired and grew up with vinyl) ;)
 
IMHO ... if it was just about the "sound" ... Vinyl would not have as much staying power (niche format) as it does. Many are willing to spend some serious coin on Vinyl in an era when music can be listened to for free on the ol Interweb.

It's the entire process :trebon: Taking the record out of the jacket (after admiring the art work) ... placing on the TT ... queuing the stylus ... the sound of the needle hitting the groove ... the "warm" feeling you get when the first track plays. Nothing like it.

 
Last edited:
And then so it becomes nostalgic for the youth.
No doubt for some, in the same way that some of us like to use candles or kerosene lanterns, drive vintage cars, or wear vintage clothing.

However, there's no practical benefit to any of these -- and plenty of limitations -- so they remain the hobby pursuits of a few. There will never again be mainstream use of candles and kerosene lanterns for general lighting, or Model T's for regular transportation, because modern choices are superior for day-to-day use.

Likewise, turntables and vinyl unquestionably hold a nostalgic appeal for us and a novelty value for a younger generation, but sonically superior alternatives are available and the means of delivery already dominates the market. Without practical reasons to justify vinyl, the rituals associated with the medium that have nothing to do with the music -- the drop of the needle, as someone posted -- have already become as archaic and undesirable for the majority (and as appealing for a certain minority) as filling a lantern, hand-cranking an engine, or snuffing out a candle.

Vinyl is the kerosene lantern or vintage car of the music world: hip, stylish and fun, but it will not be mainstream again.
 
Riiiiiight, You do realize the naysayers have been saying that vinyl is dead and there is "no reason for it to have any appeal" since 1982! The death of vinyl has been impending longer then some of our younger forum members have been alive, but I'm sure you are right, annnnnny minute now, its just about to happen, maybe if I go to the bathroom the waitress will have brought the food out by the time I get back........
By any measure of market size, it's dying and has been for a while. The current resurgence is a mere rally before death -- a product of nostalgia among 50+ year old males desperately clinging to artifacts of a time when young women didn't look at us with disgust -- plus youthful curiosity in our kids.

When our generation dies and our children's generation gets over their current infatuation with their parents' analog technology, vinyl will slide quickly into the novelty-and-antique section of the market, perhaps with enough interest to sustain a few speciality labels but more likely fading to obsolescence and curios, following a path clearly marked out by 8-track cartridges, Edison cylinders, and player pianos.
 
By any measure of market size, it's dying and has been for a while. The current resurgence is a mere rally before death -- a product of nostalgia among 50+ year old males desperately clinging to artifacts of a time when young women didn't look at us with disgust -- plus youthful curiosity in our kids.

When our generation dies and our children's generation gets over their current infatuation with their parents' analog technology, vinyl will slide quickly into the novelty-and-antique section of the market, perhaps with enough interest to sustain a few speciality labels but more likely fading to obsolescence and curios, following a path clearly marked out by 8-track cartridges, Edison cylinders, and player pianos.

Just out of curiosity, how many decades does a "fad" have to endure before it is not considered a "current resurgence" because this "rally before death" has been building for the last 10 years at least.

Sometimes I think guys just insist that vinyl is dying to make themselves feel better for selling off their records in the 80's for the new fangled , perfect sound, last forever medium they were promised back in 82'.
 
Was perusing an FYE in my local small town Mall Friday. Some lady was in there w/ her daughter who was looking at CDs & Movies.

Anyway to pass the time ... the Mom started looking at the newly pressed Vinyl .... "Holy Shit!" ... she blurted out when she seen the price tags ... $25 -$50 & up. :rflmao:She proceeded to walk away from the bins as fast as she could.

Maybe she thought she was looking at old school legacy Vinyl ... but it was a priceless look on her face. :yikes:
She probably said that out loud and took off to rush home a dig out of storage her vinyl... she now thinks her worn Carpenters albums are worth $49.00 I'll run into her at the next flea market....
 
By any measure of market size, it's dying and has been for a while. The current resurgence is a mere rally before death -- a product of nostalgia among 50+ year old males desperately clinging to artifacts of a time when young women didn't look at us with disgust -- plus youthful curiosity in our kids.

When our generation dies and our children's generation gets over their current infatuation with their parents' analog technology, vinyl will slide quickly into the novelty-and-antique section of the market, perhaps with enough interest to sustain a few speciality labels but more likely fading to obsolescence and curios, following a path clearly marked out by 8-track cartridges, Edison cylinders, and player pianos.
Wow your like a pack of skittles and unicorns on a rainbow road.... you realize that at least one side of speaker terminals are positive.

I'm sure there is a 99 cent song compressed beyond nature for you to download and be happy
 
I'm sure there is a 99 cent song compressed beyond nature for you to download and be happy
Uh, noo.... Did I suggest that would make me happy?

There's more high-res and high-quality audio available for me to stream -- music without interruptions or mechanical contraptions or record cleaners or stylus and belt and cartridge replacements, annoying record sleeves, and shelves stacked with space-consuming plastic -- than I could ever afford to buy or have room to store as vinyl discs. Or CDs, for that matter.

No plastic means more better music. That makes me happy.
 
Uh, noo.... Did I suggest that would make me happy?

There's more high-res and high-quality audio available for me to stream -- music without interruptions or mechanical contraptions or record cleaners or stylus and belt and cartridge replacements, annoying record sleeves, and shelves stacked with space-consuming plastic -- than I could ever afford to buy or have room to store as vinyl discs. Or CDs, for that matter.

No plastic means more better music. That makes me happy.
That and trolling a thread that you have no interest in.
 
Just out of curiosity, how many decades does a "fad" have to endure before it is not considered a "current resurgence" because this "rally before death" has been building for the last 10 years at least.
I'm not sure "fad" is quite the word, as I don't doubt vinyl records will continue to represent a dedicated hobbyist percentage of the overall market, like the collector car market compared to the overall automotive market. I wouldn't call collecting vintage cars a "fad" as such.

Whether vinyl grows to a significant proportion of music sales -- compared to the relatively insignificant percentage of the market it represents now -- or fades away almost entirely (like collecting pre-1900 bicycles, for example, which is a thing) remains to be seen. I suspect it will be forced to fade, whether we like it or not, when our generation dies off and hipsters focus on something else, simply because the cost producing new vinyl records will become unprofitable.
Sometimes I think guys just insist that vinyl is dying to make themselves feel better for selling off their records in the 80's for the new fangled , perfect sound, last forever medium they were promised back in 82'.
What, CDs?

I ripped them to hard drives long ago. I certainly don't miss vinyl, because I find streaming preferable in every way. However, I do appreciate that there are aspects of the vinyl ritual that are appealing to others that make vinyl preferable to them.
 
Uh, noo.... Did I suggest that would make me happy?

There's more high-res and high-quality audio available for me to stream -- music without interruptions or mechanical contraptions or record cleaners or stylus and belt and cartridge replacements, annoying record sleeves, and shelves stacked with space-consuming plastic -- than I could ever afford to buy or have room to store as vinyl discs. Or CDs, for that matter.

No plastic means more better music. That makes me happy.
I have some HD tracks, some Cd's... but my preference is vinyl.

My story goes like this: loved music in my teens. Comes jr high and the koolaide is cd is better... by early 20's I'm playing in bands and never listening to music anymore.. I get to my 30's and think I just grew up, couldn't understand why I couldn't get much past 1 album. I finally spend $1500 on a CD player and I still only listen to about 20 minutes before I'm bored and edgy, annoyed

A buddy gets into vinyl, I tell him he's an idiot. He keeps digging it... idiot. Then I'm at a garage sale and buy a $25 turntable. I sort out the preamp and cart issues… Crap! How dare a garage sale piece of antiquated junk sound better than my $1500 CD player? Now I love music again! I didn't grow out of it like I thought. I just couldn't take that digital fatiguing sound of digital. Now 1000's of cd's are in boxes in my garage attic and I am consistently listening to 7-8 hours of music each week. I'm thriving, buying and expanding again.

Say what you want about vinyl. It will be the last standing physical media.
 
I find streaming preferable in every way. However, I do appreciate that there are aspects of the vinyl ritual that are appealing to others that make vinyl preferable to them.

Vinyl is my favorite format followed by Subscription Streaming (most weeks I stream 80% of the time).

Side Note: I've spent a C Note so far this year on Newly pressed Vinyl ... 1/3 that much on Legacy Vinyl and

drum roll please

$12 (Tidal AAC 320kbps) cost me $6 per month.
 
A poster was takng 8 tracks up the post abit. How many have used a book of matches to hold the tape so you just heard one song? Man those were the days!
 
I have some HD tracks, some Cd's... but my preference is vinyl.

My story goes like this: loved music in my teens. Comes jr high and the koolaide is cd is better... by early 20's I'm playing in bands and never listening to music anymore.. I get to my 30's and think I just grew up, couldn't understand why I couldn't get much past 1 album. I finally spend $1500 on a CD player and I still only listen to about 20 minutes before I'm bored and edgy, annoyed

A buddy gets into vinyl, I tell him he's an idiot. He keeps digging it... idiot. Then I'm at a garage sale and buy a $25 turntable. I sort out the preamp and cart issues… Crap! How dare a garage sale piece of antiquated junk sound better than my $1500 CD player? Now I love music again! I didn't grow out of it like I thought. I just couldn't take that digital fatiguing sound of digital. Now 1000's of cd's are in boxes in my garage attic and I am consistently listening to 7-8 hours of music each week. I'm thriving, buying and expanding again.

Say what you want about vinyl. It will be the last standing physical media.

This made me laugh because it is very similar to my path except I went to vintage gear. That was a huge game Changer!
 
I was talking to my mother a couple days ago. She was telling me about a phone call she had with my brother, who has two music degrees. He had travelled 25 miles out of the small college town where he lives over to a larger city, and visited a Barnes & Noble bookstore. She told me that he was surprised that the music section had more LPs than CDs, and she seemed pretty surprised by this too. She was somewhat taken back by my very non-surprised "yeah, that's the way it is these days" response.

Reading through this thread, the number of people that jump to the conclusion that the "expensive" new records are all reissues is rather disheartening. Some of us are buying new vinyl because there are few to none used copies of recently-released albums. I have no problem with spending $20 on a new LP with a download card, of the first pressing of a brand new album. I've bought two such 2017 releases so far this month, and will probably buy the new Rhiannon Giddens LP on Friday. I may be 50, but I still listen to new music, not just legacy music. I did also recently spend $6 for a CD of the first X-Ray Spex album, so I'm not immune to the charms of the music of my youth.
 
Back
Top Bottom