In rotation: 4/25/16

How a Chatbot Helped This Vinyl Records Startup Make $1 Million in 8 Months: The vinyl store, called The Edit, has sold $1 million worth of records since it debuted eight months ago. David Cotter, CEO of ReplyYes and former Amazon general manager, attributes much of the site’s success to his chatbot technology, which leans on an algorithm that recommends records based on purchase behavior and other interest-level signals. Yet, there’s also a human element. (Hysterical. —Ed.)

Echo Park’s new player in vintage vinyl prepares to open: Blue Bag Records shut its doors last month, but the Sunset Boulevard storefront will soon be filled with another record shop: Cosmic Vinyl. In addition to records, Cosmic Vinyl will also sell 8-tracks and vintage audio equipment and also host live Americana music, said Oren Pius, who is opening the shop with cousin Eitan Kalma. One of the shop’s unique features will be a living room area where customers will be able preview music on two listening stations. The “goal of the shop is really being part of the Echo Park community and having a hang out [for] the people that love to listen to music,” said Pius.

A Turntable Maker Tries to Spin Upmarket, Crosley is trying to move beyond entry-level record players: At the South by Southwest festival in March, an Urban Outfitters store in Austin invited aspiring musicians to come and cut their own singles…The tune was simultaneously being etched into the grooves of a plastic record. Then the song was played back on a minimalist turntable called the C10. With its wood veneer base, adjustable tonearm, and high-end Ortofon OM 5E cartridge, the C10, priced at $399.95 and up, is Crosley Brands’ attempt to move beyond the market for entry-level record players, which it dominates. Crosley is also the world’s No. 1 turntable brand, with 1 million sold each year.

​The Economics of Vinyl: In the last few years we have seen the revival of vinyl records, with sales passing a million in 2014 (the first time since 1996), and growth is expected to continue for the foreseeable future. So why are vinyl records so expensive? Currently, vinyl records are selling for around £15-£20. Many commentators have suggested this is “rip-off’” pricing. But is it? Here, we can use the power of Economics!

Record stores see spike in sales after Prince’s death: The owner of Repo Records and Collectibles in Charlotte said 24 minutes after Prince’s death, he sold “Purple Rain” and “1999” records. “In a matter of hours, we sold $350 worth in Prince records and CDs,” said Jimmy Parker, owner of Repo Records. Parker had Prince’s music playing in the store throughout the day Thursday. “It’s just devastating,” said Steve Hoelderlin, who works at Repo and is a huge fan of Prince. “Really, really confused about it, but I’m a big fan.”

The 6 CDs Prince bought on his last trip to the Electric Fetus: “It’s a lot of sadness today. People coming in, sharing stories, and crying, and talking about their experiences and their love of his music,” Fuchs said. “It’s just kind of been a communal day of grieving at the store here. And celebration I suppose. People were dancing around, playing records, kind of a nonstop Prince fair today.” The last tweet from Prince was a link to the store’s website on Saturday, where he was selling his Piano & A Microphone concert program.

Joe’s Record Paradise struggles to reopen, launches crowdfunding effort (Photos): The record albums are in plastic sleeves, behind alphabetized dividers, in waist-high racks, ready to be pored over — but the man there said the music wouldn’t play. At least not yet…“We’ve just had some snags,” said owner Johnson Lee, understating the hurdles he has struggled to clear in getting the store open again, in what he says is the store’s seventh Montgomery County location, in the basement level below SunTrust Bank at 8700 Georgia Ave., at the corner of Cameron Street.

Valley couple opens new record shop: A couple in Luray opened a record shop that has been their dream for more than 20 years. According to co-owner Tina Switzer, the music on vinyl records has a much richer sound. Switzer has been collecting records with her husband for more than two-decades. The two always talked about opening a store and now they have thousands of records in their new Switz-Mix record store which opened in April. Switzer says the response from the community has been great as well. Switz-Mix Records is located at 183 Blue Bell Ave. in Luray.

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