Why I Spin Vinyl
...And you may ask yourself, "Well, how did I get here?"
It’s easy, really. I love music, and I love “old” things.
Vinyl records aren’t even just an “old” thing anymore. Every year since 2007, sales of the physical music format, which has existed commercially in its standard 12-inch LP (Long Play), 33 1/3 rpm speed format since 1948, have risen.
Obviously, the word has increasingly gotten out among media consumers that vinyl still provides the purest way for listening to recorded music. Some of us have known that longer than others.
Vinyl records never completely left the music landscape, but the “Resurgence” of the past 18 years — and counting — has been as enduring as it has been surprising. I have ridden this sustained wave off and on since the early years, attaining a relatively small but enjoyable collection to this point.
Behind the Music
Not only do I love digging through bins of records, adding to my collection, and listening to music played on vinyl, but the stories behind the music have enthralled me since the days of regularly watching the VH1 television show of the same name as a teen in the late 90s and early 2000s. Pop Up Video consistently filled my TV’s bubble screen in those years, and I ate up any music countdown show.
My thirst to know the motivation, the thought process, and the life experience of the songwriters and performers I have voluntarily allowed to invade the filters of my mind for the past four decades has never been quenched. I do not imagine that changing anytime soon.
Caught Up in the Nostalgia
I’m a millennial. Therefore, my nostalgic bent knows no bounds. Things were just better “back then,” and everyone knows it.
Whether it’s sitcoms, movies, video games, or music, they simply don’t make them like they used to, right? I’m not a hater of all things modern. There’s just a certain sense of joy for me that comes from keeping the old with the new. That sentiment has only grown since I became a father for the first time in December 2011.
I get a kick out of being introduced to the trends of today by my three sons. In turn, few things give me a buzz like watching my kids enjoy almost any type of media or collectible from a bygone era.
Can You Relate?
Well, if you can, join me on this not-so-lonely road. There’s not much unique about the partial bio I just laid out, particularly among my fellow 80s & 90s kids.
Still, the company is welcome, as I banter about music from the 1960s-2000s, industry shifts and trends, genres, eras, and, of course, my newest vinyl record purchases. I’ll also share links to related shopping deals around the web, inform on concert/tour happenings, and maybe even recommend a new artist from time to time.
Regular Posts Incoming
My publishing goal is to post twice weekly (Tuesday, Friday) for the enjoyment of all readers who give any of their valuable time to this newsletter. I also look forward to regularly conversing in the comments and Substack notes.
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I’ve been collecting vinyl for over 20 years and won’t stop. I do it because once I purchase a record, the music is mine. I have something to hold while spinning the record. There’s substance that you don’t get from streaming a song or entire album. In my humble opinion.
Enjoying your posts. I hope you keep it up. 🍻