In rotation: 2/3/25

“It provides a break from digital life”: Vinyl is back and it’s all thanks to Gen Z. In a new survey 76% of Gen Z vinyl fans are buying at least once a month, with 80% now actually owning a turntable too… We’re certain that by now, the grim reality of making next to no money from your music has not only raised its head, but has probably eaten your lunch too. But there’s some unexpected good news ahead. Yes, Spotify pays pennies, and while gigging is still lucrative, the cost of getting any show on the road is now so prohibitively expensive for the majority of artists that they’re selling pictures of their bums instead. But put that camera down. All is not lost as there’s one aspect of music making that IS proving lucrative and we’ve got the ever-increasing number of Gen Z music fans to thank for it. You can thank the burgeoning trade in direct-to-fan sales of real, physical merch—with the increasingly popular (if perpetually inexplicable) desire to acquire vinyl-based recordings of their favourite artists leading the charge.

Halifax, NS | Vinyl record sales still climbing, says StatsCan: Vinyl fans say listening experience is more ‘ritualistic,’ ‘secure.’ Records and other physical media sales in Canada grew by 34 per cent from 2021 to 2023, according to data by Statistics Canada released last week. Tom Spence, owner of Renegade Records in Dartmouth, said he’s witnessed this trend in his shop. “We see entire families come,” he said. “As well as people who got rid of their collection in the ‘90s and now want to buy it back.” Vinyl sales made a comeback in 2021, when it became the largest sales category after streaming. In 2023, it was the only other growing category of music recordings, making up 13 per cent of all music sales in Canada. The cost of a new vinyl record ranges from $25 to $50. Used records can cost less, depending on their condition and whether they are collectors’ items.

UK | The Horrors announce UK record store tour in support of ‘Night Life’ album: The Horrors have announced a UK Record Store Tour for March, this follows the release of the anthemic new single ‘More Than Life,’ the fourth track to be taken from their forthcoming sixth studio album ‘Night Life’, out March 21st via Fiction Records. “‘More Than Life’ has a different type of intensity to our recent singles, it’s more driving and direct. It was written in the middle of Canary Wharf, which looks more like Blade Runner everyday. It’s such a strange place to do anything creative as the surroundings feel particularly stark.” explains the band. “We still needed a couple more songs for the album before going to LA to record at Yves’ studio, and we were in that insular part of the process where it feels like the outside world doesn’t exist. The song is basically about the question of what matters to you and by that point we were definitely clear on where we were heading.”

Cottonwood, AZ | Queen B Vinyl Café Kicks Off Concert Series: Queen B Vinyl Café, located in Old Town Cottonwood, kicks off an exciting February line-up with performances slated from Cavalera Third World Trilogy featuring Max and Igor Cavalera, Luicidal with Suicidal Tendencies alumni R.J. Herrara and Louiche Mayorga, and Los Angeles noise-punk act, CNTS. February also includes a free art exhibit by graphic illustrator and tattoo artist Erick Weir, as well as movie nights every Friday and Saturday that there isn’t a show. …Queen B Vinyl Café is an immersive destination blending music, wine, art, and food. As a record store, it features a curated selection of the latest releases across all genres, along with exclusive, limited-edition, and rare finds from Puscifer, A Perfect Circle, and TOOL.

Kennesaw, GA | Swap, don’t shop: The annual Kennesaw Book, CD, DVD, and Vinyl Record Swap: The City of Kennesaw hosted its annual Kennesaw Book, Compact Disk (CD), Digital Versatile Disc (DVD) and Vinyl Record Swap January 25, bringing citizens from across Kennesaw and Acworth to trade in their antique and used possessions for a new adventure. Area residents could drop off gently used books, CDs, vinyl records and DVDs the prior Thursday and Friday leading up to the swap. Volunteers and employees working the preparatory days then counted the dropped-off items, giving the trader a ticket that they can redeem for items based on the amount of items they dropped off. The event was held at the Ben Robertson Community Center from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m., allowing a wide time slot for all participants to join in the fun. A daunting crowd arrived at the building as it opened, or even before, busting in the room to find the best items. As prefaced several times online and in the guidelines, no items could be purchased, only traded and donated.

Nairobi, KE | In Nairobi, the vinyl guru who traveled Africa in search of records: Tucked away in Kenyatta market, one of the region’s last remaining 33 and 45-rpm stores is a piece of East African music history. It’s 1 pm on a Wednesday in January, and the atmosphere of Kenyatta Market, on the southern outskirts of Nairobi, is saturated with the smells of smoke and grilled meat. At tables in the tiny alleyways that criss-cross this gigantic open-air market, men are lunching on ugali, Kenya’s traditional dish made from water and maize flour. Incongruously, amidst the stalls of red meat, stands the store of 65-year-old James Rugami, aka Jimmy. Also known as Mister Record. Also known as the Vinyl Guru—the latter is also the name of his shop. Founded in 1989, The Real Vinyl Guru is brimming with old 33s and 45s gleaned from his travels across the continent. The shop is one of the last record stores in the region, and as much an anomaly in the fragrant lanes of Kenyatta Market as a piece of East African music history.

Canandaigua, ON | Vinyl Record Night at Dalai Java! OCHS, Canandaigua Record Exchange, and Dalai Java are teaming up for a VINYL RECORD NIGHT REMIX! Free all-ages event (donations appreciated) will be one for the history books! Celebrate the new year with OCHS, Canandaigua Record Exchange, and Dalai Java! A FREE evening of jazz on vinyl from the 50s and 60s, along with a few surprise gems. We’re doing things a little differently in 2025 – like going out on the town! On February 7, catch our dream team down at Dalai Java for this very special rendition of our semi-annual Vinyl Record Night! With everything from nifty props for photo ops, choice giveaways, a special look at our WWI stereoscope image collection, hotsy-totsy raffles, and our poppin’ political memorabilia exhibit, Vinyl Record Night is sure to be a gas! Donations from this event will support our 2025 summer internship program.

Zig-Zag Rolling Papers Launch Portable Vinyl Record Player: Zig-Zag Rolling Papers have introduced a new limited-edition portable vinyl record player in celebration of the brand’s rich music heritage. Zig-Zag says it is synonymous with creative expression in music culture, from gracing iconic concert posters to featuring on album art like Dr. Dre’s The Chronic. The suitcase-style turntable is designed for music enthusiasts on the move. It features a convenient carry handle, making it easy to enjoy vinyl records no matter where you are. The record player is equipped with built-in stereo speakers that deliver crisp, clear sound, or you can plug-in your favorite headphones and immerse yourself in the music. The three-speed, belt-driven turntable minimizes vibrations for smooth playback and wireless Bluetooth connectivity allows streaming music from up to 33 feet away. It also includes a USB port, enabling the playback of music directly from a USB drive so a digital music collection is just as accessible as vinyl.

Carole King’s 1975 Children’s Album ‘Really Rosie’ Returns on Vinyl for Its 50th Anniversary: King didn’t “dumb down” her songwriting just because the songs were aimed at kids. Carole King’s Really Rosie, her 1975 collaboration with legendary children’s author and illustrator Maurice Sendak, marks its 50th anniversary with a vinyl reissue on Feb. 28. It will be the first time the album has been released on vinyl since its original release on Ode through A&M Records in 1975. (The album was released on CD in May 1999 on Ode through Epic Records.) King was riding high in 1974 when she worked on Really Rosie, which featured 11 songs which she composed and performed, with story and lyrics by Sendak. The project encompassed an animated TV special that aired on CBS on Feb. 19, 1975 and also a soundtrack album. The album did very well, reaching No. 20 on the Billboard 200 and later receiving a Grammy nod for best recording for children.

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