CNBC: Why Millennials Are Buying More Vinyl Records

[Ron Resnick]

Seeking a more "tangible" music experience, more millennials are buying vinyl records and driving U.S. production and sales not seen in decades.

http://www.cnbc.com/id/103146700

 

[Barry2013]

Yes very similar here in the UK.
HMV have a large store where I live and earlier in the year started to stock more vinyl but initially around twenty titles. They now have a rack of about 20 feet in their store with at a guess 100 to 200 titles. All popular and rock at this stage.

 

[Johnny Vinyl]

Yes very similar here in the UK.
HMV have a large store where I live and earlier in the year started to stock more vinyl but initially around twenty titles. They now have a rack of about 20 feet in their store with at a guess 100 to 200 titles. All popular and rock at this stage.

This is about the same for a retailer called London Drugs in Western Canada. The name is a bit of a misnomer as they are more of mass-merchandiser now. They run some excellent sales (Buy 3, get 1 free) and their pricing is as good as Amazon most times. Five minutes from my house, so I'm lovin' it.

 

[Phelonious Ponk]

I know some of these vinyl kids. They talk about being into the sound, but few have particularly good systems, even worse tables. I think what they're into is experiencing the music in a way they just can't when bouncing from artist to artist on a playlist into headphones. All they really needed to do was sit down, shut up, and listen to entire albums. Maybe jump over to allmusic.com on their phones and get some background on the artist that is usually much better than liner notes, as they listened. But if it took a shift to an old tech to get them there, fair enough. As long as they're really listening again.

Tim

 

[rockitman]

Good to hear millennials are doing something right...lol

 

[Johnny Vinyl]

I know some of these vinyl kids. They talk about being into the sound, but few have particularly good systems, even worse tables. I think what they're into is experiencing the music in a way they just can't when bouncing from artist to artist on a playlist into headphones. All they really needed to do was sit down, shut up, and listen to entire albums. Maybe jump over to allmusic.com on their phones and get some background on the artist that is usually much better than liner notes, as they listened. But if it took a shift to an old tech to get them there, fair enough. As long as they're really listening again.

Tim

Really Tim? Did you have something particularly good when starting off? I think they mean a "difference in sound" as compared to what they are used to.

 

[Groucho]

Do all these vinyl discs come with a digital download voucher by any chance? If they were really serious about eradicating this disgusting, nausea-inducing numerical filth from our lives, then the manufacturers and purchasers wouldn't be so half-hearted about it.

(* I actually love digital audio, but I am inferring the general sentiment from various forums and well-known audio pundits' writings).

 

[Johnny Vinyl]

Do all these vinyl discs come with a digital download voucher by any chance? If they were really serious about eradicating this disgusting, nausea-inducing numerical filth from our lives, then the manufacturers and purchasers wouldn't be so half-hearted about it.

(* I actually love digital audio, but I am inferring the general sentiment from various forums and well-known audio pundits' writings).

I usually give mine away (the DD's that is).

 

[Phelonious Ponk]

Really Tim? Did you have something particularly good when starting off? I think they mean a "difference in sound" as compared to what they are used to.

I actually started with pretty decent stuff, but that's not the point. I know they hear a difference in sound. Heck, a lot of them were probably listening to earbuds or docking stations when the got into vinyl, so the change to vinyl was a complete change of experience. But I think it's mostly about the human experience. They slowed down, sat down, and listened. It's a powerful experience compared to constantly listening to iPods while multi-tasking.

Tim

Tim

 

[Johnny Vinyl]

I actually started with pretty decent stuff, but that's not the point. I know they hear a difference in sound. Heck, a lot of them were probably listening to earbuds or docking stations when the got into vinyl, so the change to vinyl was a complete change of experience. But I think it's mostly about the human experience. They slowed down, sat down, and listened. It's a powerful experience compared to constantly listening to iPods while multi-tasking.

Tim

Tim

Agreed!

 

[Aluminous Audio]

Seeking a more "tangible" music experience, more millennials are buying vinyl records and driving U.S. production and sales not seen in decades.

http://www.cnbc.com/id/103146700

Nice find on the article Ron. I witness the LP buying surge here in Spokane, WA and Northern Idaho. A couple NEW record stores have opened selling both new and used records. Often times, the customers are anywhere from 18 to 50 years old. I would guess the average customer is 30 years old.

 

[PeterA]

I know some of these vinyl kids. They talk about being into the sound, but few have particularly good systems, even worse tables. I think what they're into is experiencing the music in a way they just can't when bouncing from artist to artist on a playlist into headphones. All they really needed to do was sit down, shut up, and listen to entire albums. Maybe jump over to allmusic.com on their phones and get some background on the artist that is usually much better than liner notes, as they listened. But if it took a shift to an old tech to get them there, fair enough. As long as they're really listening again.

Tim

Tim, yes, perhaps "all they really needed to do was sit down, shut up, and listen to entire albums." But they didn't. Perhaps, there is more to it and perhaps they think not particularly good systems and even worse tables sound better than their digital MP3s and ear buds. Yet you talked to them and they said they were into the sound. Why not just accept what they are telling you?

I think it is pretty exciting and vinyl sales figures don't lie. That is a measurement that can be taken to the bank.

 

[Bill Hart]

Couple thoughts: there are as many different kinds of vinyl buyers as there are types of records. Some younger listeners, new to vinyl, already know about "RL" and "LH" in the deadwax and understand that some of the older pressings are going to sound better than a ubiquitous piece of vinyl pulled from a digital master just to cash in on the cachet of "180 g 'Audiophile'" vinyl. Others may buy used records from the bins simply because they are often cheaper than new reissues-- say 8 bucks (or less) rather than 20 plus dollars. And that only scratches the surface in many respects- the industry usually doesn't count used record sales. The stuff that the younger generation is buying isn't limited to new bands either. The first stuff to go out the door is often LZ, Black Sabbath, The Band and a few others. (I keep turning 20 somethings on to Spirit's Dr. Sardonicus- they are usually blown away- it isn't a demo disc, but the music is so good, it grabs them immediately).
I think there are many older people that have 'come back' to vinyl as well and are buying Blue Note reissues or Miles or classical records. None of these folks are hard core gear heads- they may have a cobbled together a system of old gear equivalent to the college dorm system of the '70s, or something a little better, like a modern low cost system. I've also met a few a long the way who, like Steve Wms. here, are long time, serious audiophile/listeners who decided to dive in (again).
The serious collector market really has nothing to do with the vinyl resurgence as far as I can tell. In fact, some of the stuff seems to be losing value compared to a few years ago. On the other hand, there are some blue-chip collectibles that seem to be holding value if not increasing slightly, depending on a lot of different factors. The boom in sales among younger folks has nothing to do with the collector market, as such, but in the long run, I think it may help vinyl consumers generally- more money put into refurbishing plants and infrastructure. Granted, not all of that stuff is worth the vinyl it is inscribed on, but the 'rising tide' may help support the better efforts at mastering and pressing too.
Some one who likes Dead Can Dance can buy a MoFi copy instead of the old 4AD at a fraction of the cost. That helps plants like RTI, Chad and others who are manufacturing specialty vinyl. And, if the trend is a 'fad' on the non-audiophile side, so be it. There will be more equipment, more infrastructure, and presumably more trained personnel to stamp out new records. We really hit a low point after the death of vinyl(TM)- much of the stuff was only released in the EU and was costly or inaccessible. Some of it wasn't particularly well made or handled either.. (A lot of warps in some of the 'newer' material that was only released in EU, perhaps due to poor handling, temperature control in warehouses, etc.). If the consumer has any leverage, it is when the market is bigger rather than smaller. What was the fall out when EMI did that Beatles stereo box a few years ago? I had the impression one of the reasons the mono box was mastered analog was because the stereo stuff didn't sound very good and there were a fair number of QC issues on the U.S. side. (I'm basing this on memory and some conjecture; correct me if wrong).
The whole experience of going to the record store is back too, which is kind of fun if you have the energy.

 

[c1ferrari]

Now, I hope they get into tape...reel-to-reel.
Cassette would be cool, too!

 

[Al M.]

Tim, yes, perhaps "all they really needed to do was sit down, shut up, and listen to entire albums." But they didn't. Perhaps, there is more to it and perhaps they think not particularly good systems and even worse tables sound better than their digital MP3s and ear buds.

While their not very good tables may 'technically' not sound better than their digital MP3s, they may sound 'nicer' to them. That is a matter of taste of course. What is not a matter of taste though is that there is a good chance that the cheap tables have better rhythm, a musically vital feature.

Rhythm comes so much more natural to vinyl than to digital. Even cheap turntables have an effortless and infectuous 'foot-tapping' quality that average digital does not possess. On the other hand, I have no doubt that my CD transport/DAC combination leaves all cheap turntables in the dust when it comes to rhythm & timing, and can compete in this area with the best turntables. But that is digital replay on a quite high level, even though it is not state-of-the-art.

Yet while all my previous digital replay was on a higher level than average digital, it was always lacking in the rhythm department too, especially when it came to the ability to rock. My current digital combo is the first one that I had that finally gets it right. I've been through four CD playback systems prior to that.

 

[asiufy]

I think Bill is on to something... In the store, the public for vinyl is nicely split between younger folks who're buying mostly the used catalog of classics (very price sensitive here) and the eventual new LP by new artists, and the older folks, who had vinyl once, but for some reason or other got rid of most of it. These two demographics are the most common.

 

[Groucho]

... but for some reason or other got rid of most of it.

What do you think the reason was?

 

[edorr]

Folks. Millenials buying vinyl has nothing to do with sound quality. I saw a $199 record player with build in speakers right next to the vinyl collection at Barnes & Noble. Millenials don't have the kind of cash to build the system to get the better (according to some) performance of vinyl. If they do, they'll spend it on a car. They buy vinyl strictly a fashion / lifestyle statement.

 

[Bill Hart]

What do you think the reason was?

because it is a giant PITA?

 

[Bill Hart]

Folks. Millenials buying vinyl has nothing to do with sound quality. I saw a $199 record player with build in speakers right next to the vinyl collection at Barnes & Noble. Millenials don't have the kind of cash to build the system to get the better (according to some) performance of vinyl. If they do, they'll spend it on a car. They buy vinyl strictly a fashion / lifestyle statement.

Edorr- i'm not a millenial, but I talk to an awful lot of people about records. And some younger folks 'get' it, they may not have the bread for it (some do and spend it on fi as well as cars), but build just as we did when we were younger and didn't have the cash. Decent table that won't destroy the records, some knowledge of older, good sounding copies, etc. Not everybody wearing a flannel shirt is a lumbersexual. And sometimes a craft beer is still just a beer.