It’s time to dust off that box of old vinyl you’ve got in your attic because records are back and better than ever. Over the past couple of decades, the sales of vinyl and CDs slowly dropped when music streaming services rose in popularity. But they didn’t disappear; vinyl sales have slowly been creeping up since the 2010s. 2020 was the first year since the creation of other physical music forms that vinyl has outsold CDs. 

At first, you would think that all these sales are the older generations trying to reminisce in the past, but you’re wrong. The primary source of popularity in vinyl is by the younger generations, such as millennials and Gen Z. In one RIAA study, researchers asked a group of 400 people ages 18 to 70 if they had a record player in their home. An astounding 55% said yes, furthermore in the same study, 18 to 29-year-olds were asked the same question, and an average of 60% said yes; in fact, they owned one or were planning on purchasing a record player. These numbers only further show the growing popularity of vinyl. We live in a world that is non-personal and provides instantaneous results. It only makes sense that the people of 2021 want to slow things down. 

Coming from a person who is running out of room for their collection, vinyl is something very special to me and so many others. The joy of vinyl begins with the hunt; whether it’s at garage sales, flea markets, or even your local record store, you can find excellent albums. And when you have it in your hand, it is tangible. Now there’s a small piece of history in your hand and soon your home. The feeling of opening it up to see if maybe you got a poster or there are hidden pictures inside is simply thrilling! A collection of records can bring so much joy and will stick with you for the rest of your life if you choose to keep them. 

There is also something special about the sound of vinyl. If it is new, then the sound is crisp. But true vintage vinyl sounds grainy on the record player. Old or new, vinyl provides a sense of warmth and peace. For me, it offers a safe feeling, even if I want to shut the blinds and turn off all the lights. I know that I have an album that I can place on the turntable to make me feel better. Records will not disappear soon; they will continue to bring the same happiness and warmth that they have for hundreds of years. That is the most extraordinary thing about them.