COLUMN: Collecting vinyl is a resurging hobby

What once seemed to be a hobby reserved for hipsters, collecting vinyl records, has taken off again. The resurgence of this type of music is odd, especially since we live in an age when an artist’s entire discography is available at a listener’s fingertips through a variety of music streaming apps at a low cost.

Reasons behind vinyl’s comeback are varied as well. As a Los Angeles Times article points out, it’s definitely not because of the nostalgia factor. Growing up, most people of my generation weren’t buying vinyl as the norm to listen to music. No, our days were filled with the rise and fall of Napster and Limewire, the invention of iTunes and the iPod and burning CDs. The CD holder I had in my car in high school is proof of that.

Nostalgia isn’t the deciding factor in choosing how you listen to your music — though it also might explain why cassettes are coming back, too. For me, there are a number of reasons why I collect vinyl, the most important being the experience.

I love sliding the record out of its sleeve and looking at the tracklist and artwork in the center of the record. I love putting the needle down and watching the record endlessly rotate as the warm sounds from the record play from my speakers, only stopping when I have to flip it — which I also love. I love the front and back cover of the record jacket, and I appreciate the artwork, knowing that someone took their time to design it to give the listener a better experience.

For my jazz records, there’s usually a blurb that describes how the artist made the record, the personnel that helped in its creation and the types of sounds you can expect on each track. Some of my other records include photographs or artwork that go hand-in-hand with the listening experience.

A vinyl record feels more personal than streaming music from your phone or computer. You get a better sense of the artist making music for the fans, and it’s almost as if each record is a personal gift from the artist.

In return, your conscience benefits from buying records too, since you know that a
$20-$30 vinyl is definitely supporting an artist more than a stream on Spotify or Apple Music. Since you took the time and care to spend your money on an artist’s music, they are also taking the time and care to give you a more personalized package of music.

You can also physically feel an artist’s product; actually touching the record and having a physical copy is a lot like reading your news from a newspaper instead of online. You can touch which songs you want to play on your phone, but that’s not the same as holding an entire album of music and knowing that it’s yours and yours alone.

Someday, vinyl may fall to the wayside again. Since it’s hard to maintain, it can get to be really expensive, and it will never sound as good as digital music. But it’s a great hobby if you’re obsessed with music. It’s also hit the stage where it’s past ironic, so people won’t think you’re a dirty hipster when you show them your collection.

If you have the money to spend, get yourself a good turntable and a few records so youcan see what the hype is all about.

Spencer Lee is a junior majoring in narrative studies. His column, “Spencer’s Soapbox,” runs every other Thursday.