Gen Z is the “driving force” of vinyl’s current popularity, survey finds: Gen Z’s enthusiasm for vinyl has pushed the format from its longtime “revival” status into the successfully “revived” category, according to a new survey by the Vinyl Alliance calling the generation the “driving force” in vinyl’s popularity. The global vinyl industry nonprofit collective has polled more than 2,500 music fans about their physical media habits to find that 76% of 18-to-24-year-olds reported buying a vinyl record at least once per month, with 80% owning a record player—shutting down the unsubstantiated chatter than younger vinyl buyers were buying records to possess only as a collectible. Half of Gen Z respondents said they enjoyed listening to vinyl because “it provides a break from digital life”, with a close 49% of Millennials agreeing, followed by just 34% of Gen X music fans. The survey also reports that the in-person shopping experience at record stores is still highly valued, with 84% of Gen Z vinyl buyers doing so and 57% saying it’s their preferred shopping method.
If You Really Want To Support Your Favorite Artists—Buy Their Records: …There are still plenty of reasons why you should be purchasing physical copies of your favorite movies, shows and albums despite what major corporations such as Netflix and Spotify might say. The first and most important one would simply be that purchasing physical media, especially while discussing music, is the best way to support your favorite artists/creators. It’s a poorly kept secret that Spotify and Apple Music pay artists next to nothing per stream. It’s theorized that artists get approximately $0.003-0.005 per stream on Spotify, while Apple pays slightly better at $.01 per stream. I don’t think that I have to explain how that’s not sustainable to make a living, especially for indie artists.
Jenkintown, PA | Smelly’s Vinyl Vibes, a new record shop, is coming soon to Jenkintown: Greg Wagner, 61, of Jenkintown, is in the early stages of launching a new record shop in Jenkintown called Smelly’s Vinyl Vibes. A Mt. Airy native, Wagner has lived in the borough for 26 years and was a resident of Glenside for six years prior. He purchased 744 Yorkway Place (across the alley from The Keep Easy) about a decade ago and currently works out of the first-floor office as a technology salesman for Web Age Solutions. Smelly’s Vinyl Vibes will gradually take over the office space until it’s ready to open, which Wagner said could be sometime in June. The project was born out of Wagner’s forthcoming retirements plans. “I needed something to keep me busy, so I thought of opening a record store,” he said.
Delhi, IN | Why Delhi is falling for vinyl again: As digital platforms dominate music consumption, Delhi’s vinyl collectors and curators are reviving analogue listening through records and community sessions. TMS examines how intentional listening is reshaping the city’s music culture. In an age where music lives inside phones, playlists, and algorithms, vinyl records offer a different kind of warmth—listening that demands patience and presence, as melodies unfold through faint crackles and soft pops. In Delhi, this analogue charm is finding new listeners, with vinyl parties, record stores, and a growing community of enthusiasts. Samarth Kotru, co-founder of Delhi Record Store (DRS), says vinyl culture has always existed in the city, but has gained fresh momentum over the past year, especially among listeners aged 20 to 35. According to him, younger listeners are driving the trend, but older collectors remain a crucial part of the ecosystem.
Dallas, TX | Jambaloo’s Women in Music Night Focuses on Record Stores: Jambaloo, the North Texas music festival that showcases local bands on stages across the region, isn’t just live music. Thursday night, independent record store owners talked about being a woman in the music business at Spinster Records. To the average music fan, Jambaloo might seem like any other festival, with a multi-day showcase of North Texas’s best music. But, it’s a lot more than a week of free concerts, and last night’s “On The Record: Women Behind DFW’s Most Influential Indie Record Stores” symposium held at Spinster Records in Bishop Arts was proof. Four record store gurus gathered for a wide-ranging conversation that included 
St. Louis, MO | Legendary punk band Story of the Year releases album in person at Vintage Vinyl: St. Louis natives and legendary punk band Story of the Year signed copies of their newly-released album, A.R.S.O.N. and memorabilia at Vintage Vinyl. 
He was accompanied now by bassist Jim Leverton, veteran of such ’70s acts as Noel Redding’s Fat Mattress, and drummer Fallon Williams, and he was not offering up a nostalgia show. While the new line-up certainly acknowledged his past, digging back into both the Small Faces’ catalog and Humble Pie’s fresh arrangements were as crucial as new material and unexpected covers.
Chicago’s Styx came to be in 1972, but its members were playing together long before that under the name TW4. A lightweight ELP but with catchier melodies, far better guitar hooks, and fewer grandiose musical pretensions—no “symphonies” or 93-part songs ever came from these guys—Styx was gigantic from the late seventies to early eighties, scoring four consecutive multi-platinum albums, a feat never matched by the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band.
Atlanta, GA | Neighborhood-Oriented, Black-Owned Record Stores Keep Atlanta’s Music Legacy Alive: Music has been said to be a very spiritual thing, especially Black music. The city of Atlanta has had a pulse for music since the early 20th century, thanks to the sounds of Southern gospel, blues and jazz. By the time that the Georgia city became known as the Black Mecca during the 1970s, influential artists like Thomas A. Dorsey, aka the father of gospel, and the Sacred Harp singing tradition came into play. …Home of some of the most influential hip-hop artists and helping to define modern trap music and Southern hip-hop thanks to Atlanta heavy hitters like Future, Lil Baby, Latto, Young Thug, Migos and more, this city continues to be 
Dallas, TX | Where to Find an Actual Vinyl DJ Set in Dallas: For the analog listeners living in this digital world. …We’re not believers in a DJ hierarchy, and we love dance music. But we have to admit, traditional track spinning makes for a really fun set. Analog disc jockeying requires a good ear to match beats per minute and seamlessly transition between tracks. In the ‘80s, before computers completely changed the industry, DJs would mark their records with crayons, noting exactly when to switch tracks. The technique was pioneered by Grandmaster Flash, who also popularized cutting and scratching on tracks, creating elongated, repetitive beats that further paved the way for rap music to emerge. Nowadays, most DJ sets, regardless of skill, look like a lot of button pushing and knob turning. The city still has a collection of DJs kicking it old school, though. Here’s where to 
Limited to just 1,000 units, the You Should Be Dancing box set will be a prized possession for music fans the world over and is available now for pre-order 
