Besides the great sound, ritual, and process, a huge part of vinyl’s lasting appeal is undoubtedly the aesthetic. Enthusiasts hail the large format artwork and the sense of satisfaction that comes with physically owning the music you love as just part of the reason why vinyl record sales continue to grow year-on-year. Many album covers are pieces of art in … Read More
How to Grade Vinyl Records – Full Guide
Whether you’re selling off some of your collection or hunting for your next holy grail vinyl purchase, understanding how used records are graded is fundamental. It’s important as a seller, as you want to provide an honest and fair assessment of what you’re selling, but it’s also important for the customer as a key indicator of quality. This is particularly … Read More
Best Record Cleaning Kits – Bring Your Vinyl Back to Life
Keeping your vinyl records clean is essential if you want to enjoy the best possible sound from your collection. Even the most careful collectors will occasionally find they need to give their records a quick pass through a record cleaner to eliminate annoying pops and clicks. The best record cleaning kits get the job done quickly and safely without causing … Read More
Classic Albums: Blondie – Parallel Lines
Guest contributor Brandon Stoner tells the story behind Parallel Lines, a 70s classic that packaged up so much of what defined the era. A huge thank you to Vinyl Pursuit who provided the album for this Classic Albums feature. Learn how you can get vintage vinyl for 15% less at the bottom of this article. Make no mistake about it, Blondie was never your … Read More
The Best Vintage Turntables for Audiophiles
Buying a vintage turntable can offer many advantages over shiny new decks fresh off the production line. First and foremost, going vintage can make obtaining a higher-quality turntable more affordable. The potential to grab a bargain will undoubtedly appeal to many record collectors, as, let’s face it, HiFi audio and record collecting isn’t exactly the cheapest of hobbies. When choosing … Read More
The Best-Selling Albums of All Time – USA & Worldwide
Crafting the perfect album is a true art form. There’s a certain level of skill required in taking a collection of individual songs and compiling them into a finished body of work. When everything comes together, an otherwise ordinary handful of tracks become something extra special, capturing the heart and minds of music fans for decades to come. So what … Read More
Rough Trade West – Record Store Spotlight
Opened in 1976 by Geoff Travis, the original Rough Trade store based in West London would eventually spawn a series of record stores and a record label responsible for some of the most loved acts to immerge from the British independent music scene. Sound Matters visited the iconic Rough Trade West to explore what makes this place historically important and a … Read More
Classic Albums: Rolling Stones – Let it Bleed
Guest contributor Brandon Stoner tells the story behind Let it Bleed the 8th British and 10th American studio album from The Stones. A huge thank you to Vinyl Pursuit who provided the album for this Classic Albums feature. Learn how you can get vintage vinyl for 15% less at the bottom of this article. Gimme Shelter In 1969 the world … Read More
VMP Announce New Audiophile Pressing Plant
As the industry continues to feel the strain of long production times and frustrations with quality control, could this be a sign of more things to come? In a recent major statement, the leading vinyl record subscription service, VMP (Vinyl Me, Please), announced plans to open its own pressing plant in Denver, Colorado. In the statement, VMP CEO, Cameron Schaefer … Read More
Eight Bad Habits That Will Destroy Your Vinyl Records
Getting the best possible sound from any vinyl record collection requires a significant amount of discipline. Unlike digital music, it requires lots of time and maintenance to keep the music flowing and the sound quality sharp. As vinyl collectors, we like to think we possess the patience necessary to reap the rewards – but come on, be honest, you’ve been … Read More
