In recent years, vinyl records have been on the rise. They are everywhere you go to shop; Target, Urban Outfitters, Best Buy, Barnes & Noble, all of these places have their own dedication to the nostalgic listening experience. It seems as if every store has its own pressing for a certain album these days. But, what makes this certain means of listening to music so attractive? And where did they even come from, what’s the appeal?
This question was brought up to the editors at The Outlook, and out of all of them, only one said they purchased vinyl records. “I have been collecting vinyl since I was in middle school, my collection currently contains over 500 of them!” While one editor expressed their passion for the vinyl, others could not see its importance. One editor stated, “I don’t see the appeal. They look really cool and I’m intrigued with the process, I think I would rather listen to music on my phone.”
Around the year 2007, vinyl records experienced a resurgence in the industry. Vinyl used to rule the 60s, 70s, and 80s, as it was one of the only ways to listen to music. In the 90s, this all changed with the introduction of CDs and digital music. Some credit this resurgence to Taylor Swift, who released multiple variants of her albums on vinyl before it became popular, but at The Outlook, our editors expressed their own opinions on the topic.
One editor went on to say, “People used to use them to listen to music while I feel as though nowadays, they are being sold for collecting purposes more than the use of music.”
“I feel like vintage items from the 60’s-80’s have become all the rage. I think our generation looks back on and up to the past, pre-social media, generations, and longs to live in those days,” another editor concluded.
With vinyl back in, is there a possibility that something else will become the next craze, something even more popular than streaming? One editor predicts, “I feel like technology is always improving and changing so I wouldn’t be surprised if there is a new way to listen to music in the upcoming years but I do think it would get increasingly farther away from vinyl.”
“I really don’t think so. I think there will continue to be a battle between the streaming services. Maybe they’ll evolve into something more like only offering certain artists on certain platforms. But it’s all a money game, so whatever is drawing in the most revenue is going to be the most popular,” another editor remarks.
The renewed popularity of vinyl may not appeal to everyone, but it does demonstrate the significance of music in our culture, showing that it will never fade away.
Friday, September 27, 2024
