Vinyl Records Are Making a Comeback in this Revival Era

Vinyl records used to be the thing of the past! Now they are making a comeback and today, we are living in the vinyl revival era. People of all generations are on the hunt to find vinyl records all over the place from attics, to thrift stores to the used section in record shops. Annually, record sales have seen a rise since 2006.

It was the Golden Era of Vinyl, when the record industry boomed as sales peaked at $2.5 billion dollars. The music industry saw total revenue sales from recorded music, nearly at 60 percent during this 1960s and 70s. As usual with change, skepticism is experienced. Eventually, home audio equipment became more reliable and accessible and that is when home audio started rising. Record clubs grew in popularity, so much so that, music labels used record clubs to target new audiences. In the past, record clubs were mail-ordered services that delivered a variety of "Club edition" music to the home of music lovers. Much like today, where we can subscribe to various platforms to have our music of choice, downloaded to our cell phones and home audio devices.

As some say, "All Good Things Must Come to an End". That's what happened to vinyl records in the past. Technology advanced, and there was a better way to experience music and playback amongst consumers. The year was 1979 to be exact, when the Sony Walkman came into the picture and a steady decline in vinyl record sales began. It's interesting to find out that back in 1982, CDs were created and it too, aided in the decline of vinyl records. CDs became the chosen form of recording music because they are long-lasting. There was no interruption or possibility of physical contact between the disc and the playback feature. So, if a consumer took care of the CD, the ability to play over and over again with absolutely no degradation. According to research, CDs were so successful in music business because they are portable, durable and they have the ability to reproduce sound with perfect clarity and no distortion. In addition, they can hold more music than previous media.

Now we are experiencing a resurgence of vinyl records and you may be wondering why, why now? Simply put, vinyl records experienced a decline but, they never went out of style completely. Now we are seeing new supporters of the format and others that are taking interest in collecting old-school records and then there are those who just sit down, listen to the music and relax, decompressing from the day they've experienced. Then there's the nostalgia of it all and visiting local record shops is now a hobby and way to have fun.

We reached out to The Sound Explosion Records of Inkster, MI and spoke with owner, John Frazier. He gave us his take, thoughts and viewpoints of the latest era of the vinyl revival. "Yes, there's been in increase in vinyl, there is a resurgence. I see younger people picking up vinyl records. It has become multi-generational."

Frazier then spoke to us about the various genres and artists whose music are piquing the interest of his customers. "I am noticing that a lot of the obscure music, not a lot of the big hits, but those that didn't make it big, that record collectors are looking to purchase. Seventy and 80s, Rock is popular now! Rock music is and has been a collector's item. A lot of the early jazz, Miles Davis, Coltrane and other jazz artists records, collectors want the vinyl records to be pristine having no marks or anything. In addition, Jazz and R&B has always been collector's items. Detroit record companies like Rick Tick, Golden World and Detroit's Gospel Music have always been collectables."

Locally, Detroit to Inkster and beyond, the vinyl record community is full of people who have a passion and love for music. Vinyl records is such a big thing nowadays, that Billboard, has tracked more than 1 million records sold during the first Record Store Day, that launched in 2021. It is now a worldwide event that brings fans, musicians, shop owners and others together to celebrate music and the culture of collecting records. Ultimately, there is a vinyl record that can fit into anyone's life. It's a full experience, one day head to your local record shop and see what the hype is about for yourself. The vinyl record era is revived!