What is the allure of vinyl records? If you were born before 1995, you grew up with vinyl records. Along with so many other vintage items that were once supplanted by a newer technology, vinyl has made a comeback of sorts.
Collectors of vinyl records come in many types. There’s the rarities collector who is looking for albums made in short supply or for albums that have become collectible. There is the nostalgic collector who’s looking for the music of their childhood or teen years. Then there’s the younger collector who is purchasing new recordings on vinyl. Of course there are the audiophiles who collect albums because of the superior sound quality. And we can’t forget the music lovers who just want to read the liner notes, enjoy the album art and listen to a whole album front to back.
Vinyl records have a sound that can’t be easily reproduced on tape, CD, or digitally. There is something about the physicality of both the record album itself and the accompanying inclusions. Many of those original inclusions are collectibles in their own right. There is a rabbit hole of reasons to collect albums including: first pressings, altered or replaced album cover art, limited edition pressings, signed album covers, pressing locations, record company or band member changes, and more.
A few of the most valuable records include: The Beatles first single “Love Me Do,” released in 1962, which contained a misprint listing the drummer as Andy White instead of Ringo Starr; the Velvet Underground and Nico, which sported a banana designed by Andy Warhol that peeled off to reveal a human torso (this has been reissued); and Motley Crue’s first album released under their own label Leathür Records, when they were still playing Hollywood night clubs in 1981.
If you’ve been to a flea market in recent years, you may have noticed a growing number of record sellers. We’ve all heard the saying that music is a universal language. Even if you don’t consider yourself a music lover, you are still exposed to music regularly in everything from the ringtone on your phone to the background music in your favorite TV show. Some of us have even gotten to the age where the Muzak in the grocery store plays some favorites.
With everything digital and on demand, record albums bring us back to a different era; a time when we went to the record store to pick up the latest from a favorite artist. Those records, wrapped in thin plastic, with album covers meant to pique your curiosity held our interest for hours. There was a ritual involved. It began with the original purchase, bringing the album home in anticipation of hearing new music. Most albums contained a track that was a single, a song meant to whet our appetite for more giving us a hint as to what to expect. That single was played over our local radio stations, sometimes chosen by the DJ or hyped by the record company in anticipation of an upcoming tour and the possibility of a live show in your town.
Upon bringing the album home, we would unwrap it and slide it out of the album cover and inside jacket. Often there was more inside as well. Sometimes a printed lyric sheet, or maybe even a small booklet with photos and a bit of background. Or maybe a poster to hang on the wall. After gently removing the album and holding it carefully by the edges so as not to get finger soil on the grooves, we would tenderly place it on the turntable and set down the needle. And then we sat back and listened to side one, turned it over and listened to side two, taking in the whole album in its entirety.
The act of being still and simply listening intently, taking in every note, every high and low, every break, shift in notes, style, vocals, instrumentals. We took it all in. And often, we did it over and over again. That’s the allure of vinyl. The ability to slow down, take in the sounds, process them in our mind and react to them. That’s something we’ve lost and are searching for. This is the reason for the allure of vinyl records.
Now that we’ve got you thinking, let us know about some of your favorite albums. What was the first album you ever bought?
In case you’re interested, Wikipedia has a list of the most valuable records here.
Rough Trade Records has a guide to cleaning, restoring and storing vinyl albums.
Watch for Record Store Day every year in April.
