Nostalgia among older music fans and a new generation of younger devotees are two the key forces record store owners say are driving a big comeback for vinyl albums.
Vinyl album sales in the U.S. last year officially outstripped CD sales and ended 2022 as the top physical format for music for the first time since 1987.
But what’s led to this momentous comeback, making one of the original forms of recorded music a staple in homes once again?
Simcoe County, Ont. shop owners have a few ideas, but say a key factor is how inter-generational record collecting is becoming and continues to be.
Mike Rothwell opened Alleycats Music in 2012 and has seen his original seven-foot-wide space expand into three storefronts in downtown Orillia.
“We just thought that vinyl would be a great thing to sell, and it turns out we were just in the right time.”
The business has seen steady growth with a mix of customers, but for Rothwell, one thing leading to the growth is seeing younger people take an interest.
“A lot of teenagers and people in their twenties, that’s pretty strong for vinyl now,” he said. “For example, look at Taylor Swift. You know, like, we can’t keep Taylor Swift’s record here because they go so fast, and that tends to be younger people buying them,” he says.
“When we first started, there was a lot of interest in the classic rock titles. You know, the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, that kind of stuff… There’s still a lot of interest in that, but we’re seeing more interest in newer indie rock bands. Phoebe Bridgers would be one that’s quite popular.”
Rothwell notes there is also interest in newer bands with a classic ’70s sound, such as neo-soul band Durand Jones and The Indications, or in newer country music singers.
“That’s probably the biggest change; we’re seeing more newer bands being sold.”
But Rothwell notes the shift away from CDs has been gradual. Whereas, in the ’90s, it would have been harder to find a record version of your favourite artist; these days, he barely carries the CDs version.
As to why the record is surviving the switch to streaming, Rothwell thinks the experience of purchasing and playing vinyl is something other formats never quite managed to capture.
“Streaming can’t replace the experience of buying a physical record, putting it in a bag and driving home with that, and excitedly opening it up at home, pulling the vinyl out of the sleeve, and putting on the turntable. That’s something that, you know, will always be there.”
“Record stores have become little community centres in a way, and everyone’s different; everyone has their own special flavour,” Rothwell added. “I think that’s something that gets people out of the house, and it gets them doing something real instead of just sitting in front of their phone and having a virtual experience.”
It’s a yearning for the past that brings people into the store and makes record collecting a multi-generational experience, with a mix of both new and vintage finds, Rothwell continued.
“We find that young people are pretty well versed in each decade. Not everybody, but many young people do the research and they become knowledgeable about bands like The Velvet Underground or The Beatles.”
But it’s not just the new artists pulling people in; store owners say the classics are still a favourite of those young and old.
Dead Parrott Records opened a year ago in downtown Barrie and specializes in vintage and original records.
For Paul Russell, who owns the store, the one thing that remains true is the long-lasting impact of classic rock greats.
“I wanted to be a vintage record store selling vintage records… It seems to be working nicely,” Russell says.
“I set the store up to be like a record store from the 1970s, how I used to remember it… I find a lot of vinyl is coming in, and a lot of vinyl is going out.”
Russell, who moved to Canada from England 19 years ago, said his passion for record collecting and music started at age 13 and never stopped.
“The record industry died off (with) downloading an MP3 and everybody was going small on their phones. People would rather have a thousand songs on their phone and they weren’t physical albums, but that turned full circle and is back again,” he says.
Although there is now a resurgence of interest for vinyl coming from younger generations, for people like Russell, the collecting never stopped.
“We went on to CD but I never downloaded or got anything like that… I was always looking out for vinyl and I still collect to this day.”
On top of the die-hard record collectors, it’s the new generations coming into his store that speaks to lasting power of classic rock albums and the vinyl format, Russell says.
“The amount of youngsters coming in, 13 and 14-year-olds who want to buy ABBA or they want to buy Janis Joplin or Hendrix, is fantastic. So to me, the classic music just goes through — it defies the eras.”
“Their parents come in as well. Mom and dad have still got records, and just bought a turntable for Christmas for their kid. I heard that a lot last November and December leading up to Christmas. ‘We just bought them a turntable. We want to get some records, and then they will leave mine alone.’”
Russell feels what will always be true for vinyl lovers is the excitement that comes from finding something original.
“They want to come back and buy records that were around 30, 40 years ago rather than just a $40 brand new pressing that was only made last week. They want to collect for the nostalgia value.”
With files from Global News’ Kathryn Mannie
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