Photo Source: Jakob Rosen on Unsplash.
It’s 2025 and we’re playing back the era of vinyl!
With EP and single records being sold for up to 1.2 billion dollars, the demand for vinyl seems to build up with every passing year. But will this new fad lead to nothing more than a crescendo or will it continue to stay alive, like a broken record of our past? We have to ask- why is vinyl making such a comeback?
Why the playback?
It could be argued that it’s simply romanticized nostalgia for older generations and the past by the younger generations that’s led to the resurgence, which I can’t exactly deny. From the beautifully designed and artistic covers and CD’s to the comfort of sitting back and watching a record spin, there’s an undeniable charm to the vinyl that prevails.
Before modern music, even if you didn’t own a gramophone there was always the option of hanging up the album covers or CDs as posters on your walls, one of the earliest forms of merchandising to exist in our time. I for one, certainly have had my fair share of impulse purchases from my local vinyl shop for Aerosmith merchandise. In a way, I guess you can’t really spell vintage without vinyl.
But looking at the past with rose-tinted glasses will ultimately end up driving us all in circles, which we certainly can’t afford in a world heavily affected by changes in trends and algorithms that shorten our attention spans. So, what else audiophiles?
Care and Connectivity
Well, if we go back in time and take a look at everything a bit more clearly, we may just find a nifty little answer that ties into the purpose of humanity according to philosophers such as Aristotle – connection.
Borrowing the words of Aristotle for a while, humans are the equivalent of political animals with a natural affinity for living and interacting in communities. But why the sudden lecture in philosophy?
Well, I think the idea relates to vinyl in more ways than we initially imagined. Think about it – when was the last time you could show off your favorite artists to your friends by talking about that one album you loved so much that you bought a physical copy of it? The evidence of your passion can sit vibrantly in your bedroom, letting you experience the cozy curiosity of watching it spin new songs together with a friend, or the tech-unsavvy parent that bought it for you in the first place. When was the last time you had a candid interaction with a fellow vinyl enthusiast as you excitedly exchanged albums and ragged on the shared pain of keeping your records in good condition? Looking at you, my minutes to midnight album!
In a world of artifice and algorithms, vinyl embodies the values of personal curation and authentic connectivity. This renaissance is a small shift in the mindset of viewing music as a cost-effective and convenient commodity like any other.
So, rock on vinyl!
… anyone free to meet up with me to trade my spare Queen album?
Edited by Freya Harrod.
