Vinyl, it appears, has caught its second (third?) wind…

As someone who owns a good number of Vinyl LPs, I have a few hypothesis on why this is occurring:

The type of bands that still produce vinyl LPs are the types that would attract the niche market that are vinyl collectors.

As music moves to the more portable, digital medium – there is still a yearning for a physical connection with the music. More than any current medium – Cassette, CD, MP3 – a vinyl record involves active listening. You queue the record up, turn it yourself, and have a more intimate relationship with the product.

The artwork – while existent in CD/Cassettes – is blown up; bigger, brighter – causing a more visceral reaction and connecting with the listeners senses in a similar way the physical connection does.

They are cool. duh.

Often LPs are coming with companion digital downloads – meaning you can get the high quality digital download along with the physical record. This is the best of both worlds.

LP sales are often a way for Independent stores to provide a niche that the Best Buy Big Chain stores wouldn’t. This may change now that the market’s opening up – but, buying vinyl, was often a sign that you were in the in crowd.

My vinyl purchasing has waned for the most part in the past year – as memories of me carting 1/3 of my record collection cross country still haunt me (Toughest.Thing.Ever). Still – I love my collection and will occasionally get my records out, put them on, and swim in a sea of Vinyl. No matter how hard an iPod tries – it can never give me that….