Could it be, as some sources are now reporting, that the vinyl record of the past is coming back? The ease of digital sound recording and the distribution of music digitally appeared to have made earlier music recording formats extinct. Now it appears that vinyl records are making a comeback, at least as a niche market.
Today’s market size is an estimated total number of vinyl records sold in the United States in 2007 and in 2010, a significant portion of which are newly pressed vinyl recordings.
Geographic reference: United States
Year: 2007 and 2010
Market size: 988,000 units and 2.8 million units respectively
Source: David Giffels, “Building a House of Wax,” The New York Times Magazine, October 23, 2011, page 28, available online here. Amira Jensen, “Dust off the Turntable: Record Sales Jump,” ABC News / On Campus, April 6, 2009, available online here.
Original source: Neilsen Company
Posted on October 26, 2011
Comment from Arsen, deleted by mistake:
This is quite an astonishing story. Interesting that the founder considered micro brewing. It is another, and for all we know not the _only_ other industry that shows a reverse trend in technology. Someday somebody will _print_ a book — and it will be news!
Vinyl will never return to its old glory. But there is a chance that there will grow a counter-culture which is sick of the MP3 files inflation and who is in love to the “mortality” of a vinyl record. Humans are ageing so why not the music we love. Owning a vinyl is still a sort of self-expression especially in a world where you can’t impress longer your girl-friend with a 5.000 MP3 files containing iPod. Owning a vinyl is a statement. You dedicate your attention, care and listening time to a record collection which you really love. When I was a kid and a friend came with a new vinyl that was an event. Probably people are missing such events and rituals. And for sure, nothing can replace the cool covers and sleeves of a vinyl record. My son grew up with PC based music. Recently he discovered my old vinyl record collection. THAT really impressed him.
Good points, Harald.
To more things in life that merit the word “event.”
Slowing down to notice something, with full attention and not while texting, that must be a good thing, don’t you think?
Cheers.
Monique
[One of the Editors]