Vinyl record sales continue to rise amid music streaming’s dominance

[RickS]

Interestingly, my daughter is 16 and asked for a turntable for her 15th birthday. She steals my LP’s - lol.

I found a screaming good deal on a new Pro-Ject Carbon Debut Esprit and had enough spare gear around to set her up with a proper little room system.

She and most of her friends buy vinyl.

If it keeps her closer to you, I'd say this is a major positive.

I did see another (older) study that said the top vinyl artists were Adele, Taylor Swift, and Billie Eilish. Just speculating, but seems to correlate with a young, female audience.

 

[RickS]

Go to a record store. The last time I did that, I was the oldest person in there. Most were 20s-30s, I’m in my 50s.

Not many near me (suburban Akron) and they are all used vinyl shops. However, we are often influenced by our own experiences, it is why I sought some market studies. After more than a couple of decades of market analysis, know the importance of looking at the overall market.

My daughter lives in a younger, affluent Cleveland suburb. Would likely a different demographic at her record store than if I went to an older community in Phoenix. We need more than just a small, localized sample to determine major market trends.

 

[MatrixS2000]

However, we are often influenced by our own experiences, it is why I sought some market studies. After more than a couple of decades of market analysis, know the importance of looking at the overall market.

My daughter lives in a younger, affluent Cleveland suburb. Would likely a different demographic at her record store than if I went to an older community in Phoenix. We need more than just a small, localized sample to determine major market trends.

Completely agree.

Here is another analysis - pg 20 for world purchasing view (dated 2022).

 

[PristineSound]

Indisputably digital measures better than vinyl.
But as scientists, or at least adherents to scientific methods, we are here to gather evidence.
And the evidence suggests strongly vinyl is going nowhere.
Not because it's a fad, or because the foolishness of youth, but because something else is at work in influencing the choices people make about their music listening media, something we have yet to discover, something we have yet to measure.
But this unsolved problem is no prescription for snake oil.
Stick with ASR and one day all the answers will become clear!

Do a search on ChatGPT for "is there a study as to why vinyl records are making a comeback?"

You will get a pretty good answer.

 

[RickS]

Completely agree.

Here is another analysis - pg 20 for world purchasing view (dated 2022).

I find it pretty ironic that there is a segment of vinyl proponents that may think the vinyl resurgence is a redemption of their criticism of digital delivery when the market study shows it is driven by Asians who like to listen to pop hits on pretty vinyl.

Along with my own family, I encounter many walking or exercising with wireless IEMs likely connected to their phones. This is certainly an intimate experience that vinyl will never replicate. So even if one likes the vinyl experience, it seems likely to me that they still are enjoying their music via streaming as they work out or drive around. The good news is (thanks to digital storage) the vinyl crowd will still be able to enjoy their music once the record producers have milked this resurgence for their profits. One estimate is that tariffs could raise album prices to $30 or more. If tariffs drive prices on essentials higher, $30+ for an album will become less attractive just to get a more intimate listening experience.

 

[deweydm]

Do a search on ChatGPT for "is there a study as to why vinyl records are making a comeback?"

You will get a pretty good answer.

Does ChatGPT’s training data include this thread?

 

[MattHooper]

I find it pretty ironic that there is a segment of vinyl proponents that may think the vinyl resurgence is a redemption of their criticism of digital delivery when the market study shows it is driven by Asians who like to listen to pop hits on pretty vinyl.

I’m not clear on how that follows. Perhaps I’m not clear on exactly what you mean by
“ redemption of their criticism of digital delivery.” But it’s a fairly common refrain that vinyl seems to satisfy an urge for the tangible in terms of music ownership that digital does not. And the example you site would seem to actually support that. (?)

Along with my own family, I encounter many walking or exercising with wireless IEMs likely connected to their phones. This is certainly an intimate experience that vinyl will never replicate.

I’ll never forget the magic of my first Sony Walkman. Just walking around outside yet hearing rich stereo sound. Mind blowing.

The young generation doesn’t realize just how awesome a step that was in music history.

So even if one likes the vinyl experience, it seems likely to me that they still are enjoying their music via streaming as they work out or drive around.

Having followed the vinyl revival, yes, it’s typical for the vinyl enthusiasts to also use digital streaming. It’s fairly common to hear that they use digital streaming for convenience, on the run, in the car or wherever, and also use it for music exploration. And then with vinyl, they tend to zero in specifically on music they want to own physically, and for many it also encourages them to sit down and just concentrate on the music rather than use music as a background wallpaper to other activities.

More than anything that’s the theme that keeps popping up in the vinyl revival - the way it seems to have brought many back to yet I’ve actually sitting down and listening to music for its own sake, versus using music as an accompaniment to other activities.

As an old fogey, I do appreciate that phenomenon coming back.

The good news is (thanks to digital storage) the vinyl crowd will still be able to enjoy their music once the record producers have milked this resurgence for their profits. One estimate is that tariffs could raise album prices to $30 or more. If tariffs drive prices on essentials higher, $30+ for an album will become less attractive just to get a more intimate listening experience.

Yes, they’ve been complaints of the rising prices for years, and it’s fairly common in the vinyl forums to see people cutting back on their purchases at this point. There are some people that are going to CD instead.

 

[Chrispy]

I did see that since reintroduction of the Technics tt line, they have added lots of models/capacity due demand. Crazy to me having grown up with it but suppose it has some advantage to those not experienced (otoh still have my SL1200mk2 for 40 years).....

 

[RickS]

I’m not clear on how that follows. Perhaps I’m not clear on exactly what you mean by
“ redemption of their criticism of digital delivery.” But it’s a fairly common refrain that vinyl seems to satisfy an urge for the tangible in terms of music ownership that digital does not. And the example you site would seem to actually support that. (?)

What I meant was the claim by some vinyl advocates that digital makes music less listenable. I can relate to the more tactile experience aspect being more engaging. If engaging includes the visual aspect, I suppose is still true, but is more nostalgia imo as music videos are the successive experience. Aside from the tactile, see no reason that digital cannot deliver as much and more than vinyl if the effort was made.

I’ll never forget the magic of my first Sony Walkman. Just walking around outside yet hearing rich stereo sound. Mind blowing.

The young generation doesn’t realize just how awesome a step that was in music history.

Perhaps, but realized I neglected the transistor radio as a mobile platform. But just as FM stations could offer more variety, the mp3 player and its successors allowed that to be taken to more personal level. Once streaming came along, you got all of the previous tech advantages without the shortcomings (for a price).

I will readily admit some personal bias as have always been more forward looking than back. However, historical data analysis and forecasting has been an interest and part of my career. So has recognizing data from marketing or media spin. Had not really researched vinyl’s resurgence until now. Am sure there is more to be learned. For example, are the Asian sales volumes driven by actual vinyl listening? There does not seem to be a comparable resurgence in inexpensive turntables. If that were the case, there would be some downward pressure on better turntables, but just the opposite is in play here.

When this resurgence wanes, it is likely to be a good time to pick up a high quality new or used turntable. I bought my Audio Technica as a future hedge though but has been more of a pretty relic for me. Enjoy it while you can!

 

[Gorgonzola]

I bought my last LP circa 1995. By then I'd already had a CD player for over a decade but, surprisingly perhaps, there were recordings still only available on LP at the time; that's why I bought the odd LP at so late a date.

The current interest in vinyl strikes me today as a sort of fetish. Of course people are totally permitted to indulge their romantic imaginations but for my part vinyl is of no interest.

Two things about me:

1. I don't stream because (i) I begrudge monthly subscription fees, and (ii) browsing capabilities for Classical of major streaming services such as TIDAL and Qobuz are awkward, e.g. looking for 'Composer'.
2. I still buy CDs as a delivery medium of the music from the seller.

Nowadays I don't play CDs. All CDs I own have been ripped to lossless computer files, and all new CDs I buy are immediately ripped.

 

[JohnnyNG]

I did see that since reintroduction of the Technics tt line, they have added lots of models/capacity due demand.

And they just keep going with new technologies, etc. When a corporate titanic like Panasonic changes course after having dropped turntables for a few years, they seem to define "fad" differently than virtual pundits do.

 

[MatrixS2000]

Nowadays I don't play CDs. All CDs I own have been ripped to lossless computer files, and all new CDs I buy are immediately ripped.

I do the same with vinyl. I rip it on first play, de-click, de-noise and EQ then that is the version I listen to from that point on. Rarely does the record get a second play.

 

[CT Man]

I'm a jazz fan and for musicians an important part of the vinyl revival is the financial supplement it provides for a genre where live performances are usually played in small venues. Jazz accounts for only around 1% of music sales and streaming pays pennies. Typically musicians pay all the recording and production costs for their albums. Selling CDs at performances used to be an important source of income but not anymore. Now higher-priced vinyl sales after sets are more typical.

As a high-quality physical souvenir of the performance vinyl is better than CDs. Buyers also want to support new jazz recordings. In addition to directly supporting artists, recordings are vital to propagation of new music through streaming and radio, which then complete the circle by boosting club and concert bookings.

Fans are acutely aware of the precarious condition of the genre and vinyl helps keep jazz a living art form with a future.

 

[MatrixS2000]

Buy the vinyl listen to the streaming service.

Report Shows Half of Vinyl Buyers Don’t Own a Turntable

We all know vinyl is back in a big way, but for some reason, that hasn't translated into people actually owning turntables.

wmmr.com

That does not preclude them from buying a TT in the future. The author did not consider that and came to conclusion that they never plan to play the vinyl. They based that conclusion on a single person hanging their vinyl on the wall as decoration! They should have followed the question of whether they currently own a TT with whether they plan on purchasing a TT in the future. Very few people buy things they have no plans of using - but there are the some for example stamp collectors or coin collectors.

I'm a jazz fan and for musicians an important part of the vinyl revival is the financial supplement it provides for a genre

Same thinking here. I listen to mostly smaller, less well known bands. I support them via Bandcamp and when you buy the LP, the digital version is usually included.

 

[RickS]

Buy the vinyl listen to the streaming service.

Report Shows Half of Vinyl Buyers Don’t Own a Turntable

We all know vinyl is back in a big way, but for some reason, that hasn't translated into people actually owning turntables.

wmmr.com

Please give this a bit more meat in the form of a summary.

It has a real survey data behind it but notably was a 12-month study and was US-centric.

 

[JustJones]

Luminate in 2022 found similar findings of 50% without a turn table though it was another US based survey.
It's believed they purchase to support artists.
Have something tangible, to see and touch as much a listen to.
Purchases might be for gifts to friends and family with turn tables.

Superfans those who spend above average are another group driving sales.

Three core behaviors

• First, they engage in social signaling (i.e., they want people around them to know about their passion for a particular genre or artist);
• Secondly, they view music as an expression of their identity;
• Thirdly, they engage in a community centered around music.

All of which suggests that the music industry could make serious money off of superfans’ love for vinyl in the coming years – regardless of whether or not they end up playing the format on a turntable

 

[Gorgonzola]

I do the same with vinyl. I rip it on first play, de-click, de-noise and EQ then that is the version I listen to from that point on. Rarely does the record get a second play.

Interesting; so I presume you buy the vinyl because the music isn't on CD? Or because you like the vinyl sound.

Remember about 20 years ago debating on another forum with a diehard vinyl proponent. He admitted that the LPs he ripped using a CD recorder, retained all the sound qualities he liked of the original vinyl.

 

[MatrixS2000]

Interesting; so I presume you buy the vinyl because the music isn't on CD? Or because you like the vinyl sound.

Remember about 20 years ago debating on another forum with a diehard vinyl proponent. He admitted that the LPs he ripped using a CD recorder, retained all the sound qualities he liked of the original vinyl.

I buy vinyl because it usually, not always, has less loudness maximization processing applied because the vinyl format simply cannot support that loud of a cut.

I use a Tascam DA-3000 to record, when I play it back before doing any further processing, it sounds exactly like the vinyl - warts and all. I then process it through Izotope RX, Ozone and several other plugins to “restore” it.

Here is a short example of the final outcome for Tool’s Chocolate Chip Trip.

 

[Groove01]

More than anything that’s the theme that keeps popping up in the vinyl revival - the way it seems to have brought many back to yet I’ve actually sitting down and listening to music for its own sake, versus using music as an accompaniment to other activities.

This.

I can only speak for myself, but I work on my laptop all day (often into the evening). I’m on my phone all day, (often into the evening). The idea of using either to scroll and search for music is not remotely relaxing.

Physically flipping through my vinyl collection and picking 2 or 3 is relaxing. No distractions, scrolling title info, endless options to choose from, etc.

Just the music and being forced to listen to songs I may have forgotten because I’m too lazy to get up and skip a track/flip sides

 

[RickS]

I have little very vinyl and most of my music is on CD. I also have 2 streamers. Rather than searching for a CD, I say “play album by artist” and the streamer plays it. Same in my car with Carplay. Using a couple of smart speakers, do the same in the office or my workshop.

For my nolstalgia, am trying to find some nice VU meters. I will likely sell most of my remaining vinyl. Will keep some around to show the grandkids what we used to have to do to listen to music. Will hope the old phono preamp still works!