The tables are turning as vinyl records continue to rise in popularity: Some 30 years since the end was predicted for record players and vinyl discs, what’s behind the increase in popularity? In a recent study by Auckland University, vinyl buffs were asked what it was that kept them buying records in the digital age. It found those who collected loved not just the sound, but the whole process of buying and listening to vinyl, and the social element that went with it. Many interviewed said the physicality of vinyl made it feel more substantial than digital music, said Karen Fernandez, associate professor of marketing at the University of Auckland Business School.
Crosley’s first vinyl jukebox in a quarter century can be yours for nearly $12,000: There’s just something about the warm sound of a vinyl record. For the first time in 25 years, record player manufacturer Crosley has decided to go retro and bring back the classic vinyl jukebox player, but with a modern twist. Its CR1209A full-sized Rocket Vinyl Jukebox will be the only jukebox in production. Its stylish yet classic-looking jukebox is decked out in shimmering gold and chrome with a clear glass top over the record changer and player, so that users can see the rotating wheel of vinyl records after making their selection. The machine will hold 70 7-inch records for a total of 140 separate tunes.
The vinyl revival offers hope to print magazines: For those of us whose teenage years would have been incomplete without 7-inch records and roughly-hewn music fanzines it is painful to acknowledge that such items disappeared from many British households around the same time as the Artex ceiling and avocado bathroom suite. But the recent revival in vinyl record buying, with UK album sales in the classic format at a 25-year high, is partly a direct result of this cultural chasm. Because for the generation that began their schooling around the start of this century, analogue music recordings are items of exotica.
Vinyl revival in Bethlehem: In south Bethlehem, Vixen Vinyl Records is the latest Lehigh Valley store giving people a reason to dust off their turntables. The shop, which opened Dec. 12 at 417 Wyandotte St., houses more than 60,000 new and used records with a smaller selection of CDs and collectible posters also available. It fills a neighborhood void left by Play It Again, which closed in the summer on West Fourth Street after 35 years of business. You’ll find music divided into genres, including blues, Christmas, classical, country, disco, folk, funk, gospel, hip-hop, Latin, punk, soundtracks and the store’s most popular categories: jazz, rock and electronic.
Gilles Peterson donates records to North London charity shops, The DJ revealed that he owns over 50,000 records: Gilles Peterson has revealed that he has given away part of his vinyl collection to charity shops in North London. The 6Music selector claims that he owns over 50,000 records collected throughout his 30-year career, housed in three different locations in London. In the Facebook Live video for the Guardian, Peterson tells of how he signed Terry Collier, The Roots and Dayme Arocena and announces that his 2017 resolution is to re-order his huge vinyl collection from artist A-Z to label A-Z. He then reveals that he has just donated 100s of his records to charity shops in North London.
20 Unsightly, Godawful, and Objectively Terrible Vinyl Record Covers from Around the World: Hey, I get it – due to budget and varying degrees of skill, all album covers can’t be Sgt. Pepper… and I’m glad it’s so. Terrible album covers are much funner to look at. So, here is another gallery of bad record covers in no particular order (and at the bottom of this article are links to more bad album cover fun) – gathered from the four corners of the world. Sure, it’s a subjective thing – one man’s bad cover art is another man’s Vinyl van Gogh. One thing that can’t be disputed, however, is that they are a joy to behold…
