Who buys vinyl?

[eljr]

I ran across a story that rather surprised me.

"An ICM poll in April revealed that almost 50% of people who bought a vinyl album the previous month had yet to listen to it. The poll also found that 41% have a turntable they never use, while 7% of those who purchase vinyl don’t own a record player."

And it seems middle aged men are buying vinyl not millenniums who I thought were responsible for this resurgence. .

Is vinyl's demise as inevitable as the CD?

I had thought not.

 

[orsen]

i buy .. new only, and very picky about what i buy
can hardly wait for the new jack white

i am a courier, i deliver vinyl most daily,mostly to middle aged men reliving their past and lots of money spent
young people are buying but not at the same quantity
i have one guy who only buys japanese albums with anime covers, he never opens them

 

[bigaltx24]

I buy vinyl, but I've already got 1200+ albums, so I don't buy that much. Lately I've been buying Classical music, mostly at thrifts. Hell it seems like I can't find any gear worth keeping or flipping at the thrifts anymore, but finding a good quality record for a buck or less can make the trip worthwhile.

 

[jcamero]

They never asked me.

 

[noisefreq]

This is no big surprise.

Those polls on AK that have you click on your age seem to be mostly 50 to 70 year olds.

It's just that millennials put more stock in what they see on the internet and put more worth into the idea of buying records as "hip".

Children of the 70s put more time in actually buying records and listening to them.

 

[VinylDan1]

I am 26, I buy vinyl and have invested heavily into my audio systems and turntables. I feel bad that I am lumped into the group of people that buy records because it is "hip", but so it goes. I actually got my first table before the craze started, then as time went on got more interested as things started to take off.

 

[Northwinds]

I tell you what, there is a lot of college age young adults buying records at our local fleamarket (Mansfield). There is a small group of older buyers like me also. The younger folks outnumber us older collectors, at least here in CT. I hear that at the Elephants Trunk, same deal, lots of younger folks buying. At Brimfield, it's so crazy it's hard to tell but record dealers make serious bank as long as they can get a spot . It's nuts at Brimfield, thousands of vendors and many fields for a week straight at a time

 

[OMGCat!]

I am 26, I buy vinyl and have invested heavily into my audio systems and turntables. I feel bad that I am lumped into the group of people that buy records because it is "hip", but so it goes. I actually got my first table before the craze started, then as time went on got more interested as things started to take off.

I don't think it's a bad thing to be lumped in with the same generation of folks. Millennials are just the latest iteration of "those damn kids doing things different than I did when I was young (which may or may not be true in any case)"
IMO it's great that people buy vinyl for any reason. Even if someone has a bunch of wall hangers it's likely that a friend will take interest and maybe start a collection of their own. A few of them might end up audiophiles and help support the hobby in general.
The more the merrier I say.

 

[hugo454]

Yup. I,m middle aged
I own 6 turntables, and own a chitload of records.All the stuff I could not afford in my youth.
Lovin every new day.

 

[zebra03]

I believe everything on the internet .

 

[grillebilly]

Typically I weigh the cost difference between the vinyl and the CD. Some titles the CD is a buck, the record $20 or more, so the CD will win out. New titles are usually fairly close, so the vinyl wins out.
As far as age group goes, I'm an old man, and the years I was trying to raise a family there was zero budget for new music. I can easily see why statistics read they way they do.

 

[DaveVoorhis]

I'm a middle-aged man, and a few weeks ago I bought a used vinyl record. It's the first time I've bought a vinyl record in over 30 years.

I don't have a turntable. I haven't owned a turntable in over 30 years. I bought it because I like the cover, and it's now decoration for the top of a high shelf.

I guess I'm in that demographic.

 

[Bob]

until the last vinyl stamping machine is shut-down and dismantled for parts and melted into ingots,
no. since there are several new vinyl machines coming on-stream (in several countries), then
like CDs no - there is no virtual death of vinyl.

and in the interests of coping with the sales, there is probably more used LP sales than
new LP sales. like cars. so yes, continued sales until banned.

 

[sqlsavior]

In a life-out-of-balance civilization such as ours, the inevitable demise of vinyl is pretty low on the list of concerns.

I have dozens of albums I bought when flush that I have not listened to yet.

 

[parman]

I have a lot of new vinyl that has only been listened to once or twice but I plan on listening a lot more when I retire this year. My vintage vinyl gets spun more for some reason

 

[91r100gs]

While I am still working and have a income of which is 50% disposable, I am buying what I need for retirement. I bought all the equipment that I desire. Like @parman most of my newer vinyl purchases whether used or new do not get played very often. I am keeping them pristine for the future. This week I picked up a 'cherry" Steve Miller "Fly Like An Eagle" with great deadwax markings for $6.95 shipped. It sounds fantastic! Bought this even though most of the songs are on the GH album. I retire in 18 months (on my knees praying)

 

[canton]

I have always listened to LPs I tried CDs didnt like the sound people said I needed a new CD player no I just like listening to Vinyl that is all its like tube amps I enjoy them is all. No right or wrong when it comes to LP/CD Tube amp/SS Amp I don't take it personal unless someone tells me what to listen to then I stop listening to them. I enjoy radio with the proper set up and I record Tape for long rides in my old car. OH no I have two cars one is an 80 the other a 92 a story to each one of them. Just as there is a story to every batch of LPs I have ever bought. If it don't have a story it was not much of a deal.
Canton

 

[Condorsat]

I'm in my late 50's ... back in 2000 I use to see folks in my age group buying Vinyl at thrifts, flea markets .. etc.
Now I'm the oldest one still hunting Vinyl (Ohio/PA/Mi). Still see some my age ... but they are usually scouring through what's
left of the dollar inventory on bottom shelves.

One store in particular has given me discounts ... w/out asking for one. The owner (who since retired) told me
"we don't get too many gray hairs here anymore".

 

[Ken Boyd]

I don't worry about such trivial things about what other people do. I worry more about political and economic things that will effect my life.

 

[Balifly]

Mostly pre owned jazz and classical at very low price.