So you’ve decided to start collecting vinyl. Fantastic! In our great digital age, vinyl records offer an experience that is authentic and rewarding. At this stage, there’s a good chance you’re looking for something a little more from your music than a streaming service and a laptop. But most of all, you’re likely hooked on vinyl as a physical medium; … Read More
Watch Out for These Faults When Buying New Vinyl Records
Marc Henshall
Culture & Industry, Record Care10 Comments
There are many reasons to love vinyl records. After all, when at their best, they sound great, they look beautiful, and they truly add something extra to the whole listening experience. However, while the resurgence in consumer interest for vinyl records is undoubtedly something to celebrate, there is a growing concern within the vinyl community surrounding quality control. In a … Read More
Surface Noise. How Vinyl Speaks to Our Desire for Authenticity
Marc Henshall
Culture & Industry7 Comments
John Peel’s famous surface noise quote is held up as capturing perfectly the sentiment behind vinyl’s unlikely revival in the digital age. Digital music production and playback has allowed us to clean up the noise of analog tape and production techniques to a level of perfection never thought possible throughout most of the 20th century. In many cases, electronic musicians … Read More
It’s Personal. Norman Records are Keeping Independent Online Vinyl Alive and Well
Marc Henshall
Culture & Industry2 Comments
The struggle for independent record stores to compete against large global behemoths—such as Amazon—is a well-documented story. What is perhaps less understood, is the equally challenging position of running an independent online music store. One such outfit is Norman Records, based in Leeds, England. Norman Records started when the internet was in its infancy, and thanks to a huge amount … Read More
Spinning Forward: Record Store Day Observations with Co-Founder, Michael Kurtz
Marc Henshall
Culture & IndustryLeave a Comment
In a recent Sound Matters feature, we asked a cross-section of the industry what Record Store Day (RSD) meant to them. Overwhelmingly, our contributors spoke highly of the RSD, citing the benefit it brings to independent stores and the continued growth in consumer interest for music on wax. The event draws huge crowds each year as people all over the … Read More
What Does Record Store Day Mean to You?
Marc Henshall
Culture & Industry2 Comments
Now in its twelfth year, Record Store Day is one of the most significant dates in the musical calendar. Fans across the globe gather at participating independent shops to discover new releases, watch live performances, and absorb the great atmosphere. The sales numbers are pretty impressive too, with last year’s event helping to shift 733,000 vinyl albums in the US … Read More
Creative Ways to Display Your Vinyl Records
Marc Henshall
Culture & Industry, New to Vinyl, Record CareLeave a Comment
Besides the great sounds, 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
Is Vinyl Still Relevant in the Digital Age?
Marc Henshall
Culture & Industry5 Comments
We live in an age of digital convenience; an age of instant gratification with the world at our fingertips. Streaming services such as Spotify and Apple Music now dominate music consumption, enabling mass consumer access to a staggering volume of music spanning all manner of decades and genres. And yet, while physical music overall is in decline, one format continues … Read More
Top Five Reasons to Buy Vinyl
Marc Henshall
Culture & Industry, New to Vinyl27 Comments
In a world where we can access almost any piece of music at the click of a mouse, or the tap of a screen, who would think that a physical format like vinyl would continue to endure? Far from being a nostalgia trip, vinyl records are now enjoyed by a wide range of ages by music fans searching for something … Read More
The Importance of Music Ownership
Marc Henshall
Culture & Industry7 Comments
If you own your own home, do you not take better care of it? Do you take more pride in your surroundings, perhaps invest more money in maintaining it? If you own something, you have a stake in it. As Martin Luther King JR said, “There is nothing more dangerous than to build a society with a large segment of … Read More