Kansas City, KS | Vinyl records seeing continual growth as CDs decline in popularity: Bring out the turntables from the basement or buy a new one in the store because record sales have beat-out CD sales for the first time since the 1980s. The Recording Industry Association of America’s year-end report shows vinyl albums outsold CDs in 2022 for the first time since 1987. This is the 16th consecutive year of growth in vinyl with more than 41 million albums sold as CDs had 33 million sold. Mills Record Company at 4045 Broadway in Westport opened up 10 years ago and owner Judy Mills said she took a gamble seeing trends then. The reason this could be, she said, is that there are more choices to choose from than CDs overall. As tons of bands and artists out there now release vinyl records, but she does notice major labels are pushing the same 20 people over and over again. Overall, they feel confident in showing people coming in more options when they walk inside whether they do or don’t know what they want.
Schenectady, NY | Biz Beat: From rock to reggae, Love Vinyl Records in Schenectady is a music lover’s dream: Seth Nichols and Keri Kassing packed their life into a pair of moving trucks two years ago and headed east, leaving behind their old lives in Denver, Colorado for new beginnings in the Capital Region. Waiting for the couple was a home in Guilderland and an empty 1,200-square-foot storefront near the I-890 interchange on Erie Boulevard that they had only seen through a series of video calls before agreeing to sign a lease. The space had previously been a yoga studio, but after touring the property virtually, Nichols determined it was the ideal place to open a record store. He began moving his expansive vinyl collection into the shop the same day the couple moved into their home in October 2021. “We locked in this place without ever actually walking into it,” he said. “It was all remotely done within a month, which is crazy.”
Charlotte, NC | Charlotte record store taking in the ‘vinyl revival.’ There are a few different shops in Charlotte where vinyl albums can still be bought and sold. Repo Record in east Charlotte is one of those stores. Vinyl records have become popular again. According to the Recording Industry Association of America, in 2022 vinyl records outsold CDs in the number of units sold for the first time in more than three decades. There are a few different shops in Charlotte where vinyl albums can still be bought and sold. Repo Record in east Charlotte is one of those stores. Jimmy Parker, the shop’s owner, has been buying and selling vinyl records for decades. He said he is surprised that vinyl has regained popularity with music fans. Parker said he started to notice vinyl becoming popular again around 2012. “I’m very happy people are into vinyl. It’s kind of like going through a museum here now. I didn’t turn it into a slick (spot). It’s got a whole bunch of my knickknacks and they’re fun to look at,” said Parker in reference to his shop.
Minneapolis, MN | A safe space for ‘sad girl’ music fans: Inside Electric Fetus’ boygenius listening party: As it nears 4 p.m., the record section at Electric Fetus in Minneapolis swells with attendees in classic “sad girl” music garb: Dr. Martens, tote bags, femme energy and heavy eyeliner are on display. This is a safe space… that’s how those in the room describe it. The speakers come on and the first song from the album “the record” by boygenius — the supergroup created by Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus — begins playing. Hands grip tighter around each other and tears begin to fall. It’s the moment they’ve all been waiting for. Ellie Lazarchic, 17, and Sophia McQuillan, 15, were in attendance with Ellie’s mom, Jennifer. When the music first started, Ellie said she was stunned. “We held hands, we weren’t ready. They just casually started it,” she said. Sophia sent Ellie the Instagram post about the event and they agreed — they had to be there. “Yeah, this was happening no matter what,” Sophia said about attending.
Gen Z urged to confess vinyl obsession in new outreach program: …The program coincides with the first major upgrade to the Spin-Clean system in 50 years and includes digital and print ads, pop-up banners on vinyl user forums and record collector sites, and social media campaigns that specifically target young vinyl enthusiasts. The company has also released a white paper with information on vinyl care and playback basics. The inspiration for the consumer outreach program stems from recent research conducted by US-based MusicWatch, which found that 18 million consumers purchased vinyl in 2021, a 27% boost over the previous year. Of these, 46% were between 18 and 34 years of age, and 43% of respondents to the MusicWatch survey said they want to preserve or keep records in pristine condition for their collections.
Beckley, WV | A grand day in downtown Beckley: Vinyl Tracks. Joining the other three businesses, Vinyl Tracks is a music and railroad-themed shop featuring vinyl records, CDs, cassettes, unique vinyl record molded items and clocks, and branded merchandise. Owner Clint Blunt has tirelessly shared his business-building experience through his social media for several weeks, creating buzz around the new Prince Street store and venue. “I appreciate all the excitement that I tried to create around Vinyl Tracks,” Blunt said during his ribbon cutting. “I’ve been trying to keep a lot of this secret, and it is now out in the open.” Vinyl Tracks’ uniquely designed space with a cool ‘70s vibe offers visitors a modern, yet retro, step back in time. On the other side of the store is a performance space, known as Side Tracks, which is appropriately adorned with a disco ball, ‘70s-style seating, and large windows that overlook Rails-to-Trails.
Cambridge, ON | Vinyl Records and Turntable Listening Station: Idea Exchange now has vinyl records to check out. Celebrate the return of vinyl by borrowing a record to take home or relaxing with our in-house vinyl record listening station. Both are located on the second floor of Idea Exchange, Queen’s Square. Whether you are an experienced audiophile or exploring the warm sounds of vinyl records for the first time, everyone is welcome to experience our record listening station. The station’s Audio-Technica turntable is fully automatic and easy to use with two speeds: 33-1/3 and 45 RPM, playing both 7” and 12” records. Bring your own vinyl records and headphones (wired or Bluetooth) from home or use your membership card to borrow our headphones or check out a vinyl record from our collection.
How To Use Vinyl Albums As Art So You Can Spotlight Your Favorite Record Covers: Even with digital streaming, for many, the best way to enjoy their favorite music is through classic vinyl records. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned vinyl collector, the records are both wonderful to listen to and gorgeous to look at. So much so that many people like to incorporate album art in their home decorations. There are any number of ways to display vinyl album covers, but you’ll want to take precautions when doing so to preserve both the record itself, as well as the art. New albums tend to be pricey, and older records are incredibly valuable and oftentimes sentimental—destroying them in the process of displaying them would certainly be a loss. Luckily, there is a multitude of options for safely showing off your favorite vinyl albums, including shelves—both specifically for vinyls or using ones you already have—specialty furniture, and even mounting them directly to your walls.
