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01. inch by inch 02. 33 revolutions 03. you belong in rock&roll 04. ashes to ashes 05. this is war! 06. sonic youth 07. because you’re young 08. back in black
09. Facts And Figures 10. Iconic Vinyl ALbum Covers 11. Acknoledgement
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A gramophone record, more commonly known as a vinyl record, in reference to vinyl, the material most commonly usxed after about 1950, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove.
The groove usually starts near the edge and ends near the center of the disc. Vinyl records are generally described by their diameter, the rotational speed per minute at which they are played, their time capacity, their reproductive accuracy, sound fidelity, or the number of channels of audio provided. It was way back in 1857 that Leon Scott, a French scientist, found a way to record sound on to paper that had been blackened with candle wax. This invention was called a ‘phonoautograph’. Twenty years later Thomas Edison invented the phonograph. Unlike
the phonautograph, it was capable of both recording and reproducing sound. It recorded the sound on to wax cylinder. At first they were made from a brittle substance containing shellac, a substance made from beetle poo, but by 1930 the first vinyl plastic discs were sold, which were much more difficult to break and less horrible to think about. The first flat discs were initially used in toys, but by the mid1890s Berliner had set up a gramophone company which sold the discs and the gramophones to play them on. Vinyl records were the primary medium used
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“Gramophone records were the primary medium used for music reproduction for most of the 20th century.�
for music reproduction for most of the 20th century, replacing the phonograph cylinder, with which it had co-existed, by the 1920s. By the late 1980s, digital media had gained a larger market share, and the vinyl record left the mainstream in 1991. However, they continue to be manufactured and sold in the 21st century. The vinyl record regained popularity by 2008, with nearly 2.9 million units shipped that year, the most in any year since 1998 and the format slowly regained popularity. DJs and audiophiles for many types of music especially use them. As of 2011, vinyl records continue to be used for distribution of independent and alternative music artists. More mainstream pop music releases tend to be mostly sold and distributed in compact disc or other digital formats, but have still been released in vinyl on certain instances.
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revolutions 01. “Mary Had a Little Lamb� was the first words to be recorded and played back, during an experiment by Thomas Alva Edison. 02. Hip Hop artist Dr. Dre sold his 80,000 piece record collection 03. Only the edge and label of should be touched. 04. The three main sizes of vinyl records are 7, 10 and 12 inches. 05. The actual dimension of a 12-inch is 11.89 inches, for a 10-inch it is 9.84, and for a 7-inch it is 6.89. 06. The smallest vinyl record to ever have been pressed was 2 1/2 inches in diameter. 07. Radio shows in the 1940s often pressed recordings on 16-inch vinyl records. 08. Vinyl records are played at a speed of 33 1/3 r.p.m, 78 r.p.m and 45 r.p.m for 7, 10 and 12 inch record respectively. 09. R.P. M stands for rotation per minute. 10. LP stands for LongPlaying and EP stands for Extended Playing. 11. LPs are full albums and EPs usually contain only about 3-5 songs.
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12. Vinyl material has a unique property that gives them a static charge, casuing them to collect dust easily.
18. In 1972, the Kingdom of Bhutan released several unusual postage stamps that were playable plastic records.
13. M any vinyl records are made on used or recycled plastic, which create noises such as cracks or clicks.
19. These miniature 33� RPM recordings feature either regional music or tourism information.
14. Vinyl records are also much stronger than other records. They are bendable and will withstand normal wear and tear. 15. Grooves represent specific songs that have been recorded earlier. 16. The first commercially produced vinyl records were introduced by RCA Victor in 1930 17. U nusual colors, and even multi-colored shellac first appeared in the 1910s on such labels as Vocalion Records.
20. The 1977 release of the 45rpm single of “Strawberry Letter 23� by The Brothers Johnson was produced by with a slightly pink center label, and had strawberry scent embedded into the plastic to make give off the odor of strawberries. 21. Odd shaped records were frequently combined with picture discs, a trend that was pushed by UK record company branches in the mid-1980s. 22. Usually taking up a blank side of the vinyl, one side of the disc can be pressed with etched or embossed images.
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23. Finnish electronica group Huminoida released a 7 inch called Self-titled, which B-side was hand carved by the band members. It was limited to 300 copies. 24. Vinyl pressings come in various weights. The heavier the record, the longer the press cycle, the more expensive it is to press and produce. 25. A ‘tip on’ jacket, is an old style record jacket that is often hand glued and fabricated in order to match the quality and style of historic record jackets. 26. Master tapes are considered to be the purest form of a recording and in most cases, closest to what the artist heard and desired while making the album. 27. When we master a record, there is an actual physical cutting process, involving a 14 inch lacquer-coated aluminum disc and a precision cutting stylus/ lathe. 28. The average 33 1/3 r.p.m. 12”, has nearly 1,600 feet of groove per album, or about one third of a mile. 29. A heavier weight record is thicker and therefore allows for deeper grooves and more dynamic mastering. 30. Records should be stored vertically, away from any direct sunlight. 31. T he 180gram record is usually flatter and quieter than a regular weight record. 32. The term “cutting a record” comes from the diamond or sapphire-tipped stylus cutting the vibration grooves into the master disc at the beginning of the manufacturing process. 33. Record Store Day is an internationally celebrated day observed the third Saturday of April each year.
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YOU BELONG IN ROCK &ROLL
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Double-sided disc records started to become popular in 1904. The Victrola gramophone designed by Eldridge Johnson in 1906 was mass-produced. It became a bench mark for record players for many years, appearing as a piece of furniture with the mechanism hidden from view, the record player becomes an acceptable piece of household furniture.
The first commercially produced vinyl records were launched in 1930. They measured 12 inches in diameter and were designed for playback at 33 revolutions per minute (r.p.m.). The sound quality was much better with fewer noises and crackles that that of shellac records, which were common at that time. Unfortunately, they did not gain popularity because of the lack of
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“ there seems to be a correlation between the rise in popularity of music to the increased productivity of technology.�
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affordable playback equipment due to the Great Depression. Moreover, there was a rise in popularity of the radio as it was free. Even though the vinyl did not achieve commercial success, Columbia Records continued to make extensive developments to improve recording and playing back concentrating on narrower grooves and developing inexpensive, reliable consumer playback equipment to cater to the needs of the public. By mid 1940, the 78-r.p.m vinyls had become the DJs choice cut. With the oncoming of World War II, shortage of shellac halted the production of records. However, mobile DJs became popular around the world as entertainers for military troops and there was a high demand from the latter for recordings to remind them of home. Vinyl soon replaced shellac as an alternative to records. From then on, vinyl was the material which records would be made of, coining out the term vinyl records.
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The new vinyl records became popular in the 1950s with the decline of the 78-rpm shellac, because of improved sound quality and more affordable prices. New standards were created for recording playing speeds for vinyl records with the introduction of the 33-1/3 rpm, 12-inch LP and the 45-rpm, 7 inch single. The two speeds introduced by Columbia in 1948 continue as the standard recording speeds of albums and singles recorded on vinyl to this day. With the birth of rock ‘n’ roll, the new 7 inch single would become the iconographic image the music took
its physical form. The new era of rock ‘n’ roll ushered in a new era of quality in music with The BBC broadcasting in FM for the first time in 1955 and stereo vinyl becoming the dominant media for recorded music. The growth and popularity of rock ‘n’ roll caused the technology used to support it to have to pick up the pace. In hindsight, there seems to be a correlation between the rise in popularity of music to the increased productivity of technology in the music industry. Entering a new decade, attention switched toward perfecting the cassette, the laser disc format
and the Sony Walkman. However, it was only until 1982, when the indestructible compact disc format was introduced that vinyl records went on a decline. For the first time ever, in 1988, CD sales surpass record sales, and CDs and cassette tapes became the two dominant audio listening formats for consumers.
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ASHES to ASHES With the rise of the compact disc, vinyls went on a decline and lost its popularity amongst consumers. Other technological advances also contributed to the downfall of the vinyl. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, and how the vinyl lost its appeal.
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1979, the year, which welcomed the new Sony Walkman, revolutionizing the music industry This simple invention took personal music listening to a whole new level, out of the home and into the streets. The Sony Walkman started the trend in which people would wonder on the streets with their headphones, a trend that still stands strong till this day. The walkmans created
much convenience for consumers, allowing them to carry their music collection with them with ease. The next great revolution in music technology was described as the wonderfully indestructible compact disc format. Originally introduced in 1982 by Philips and Sony, the new format offered crystal clear sound quality, while being virtually unscratchable. Initially, the people did not welcome the introduction of this new media warmly. At this point in time, many had huge collections of vinyl records and were reluctant to change to CDs. Furthermore, audiophiles felt that the
crystal clear sound promoted by the new media lost the ‘soul’ of original vinyl recordings and therefore rejected it. This, along with the fact that there was an inevitable price rise of the new technology, caused the CD to only gain popularity and become the dominant media for recorded music in 1988. The sales of CDs and cassettes took the shine off vinyl. Vinyl is dead, it had seemed. It was now uncommon to find independent record shops. With the advancement of technology and the growth of the
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“introduced in
1982
by Philips and Sony, the new format offered crystal clear sound quality”
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Internet, vinyl records suffered even greater. With websites such as Amazon, it has become increasingly easy to find music choices online and this has cause a wave amongst small retailers as they struggle to compete. Now, with digital downloads, even the CD is losing its popularity in the music industry, let alone the vinyl records. It is obviously sad to see
many record shops struggle and disappear, and it must be even harder for the people involved, but the reality of it is to question ourselves if listeners of today truly need this trade. With the majority of the public now turning to the Internet to listen to music as well as to buy it, there is less of a requirement for shops to offer this service.
Furthermore, in today’s fast paced society, convenience is what the people look for during purchase, many a times resulting in a neglect toward the quality of the items. With digital downloads and purchases, the public is able to have easier access to more music and at the same time, are able to obtain them in almost an instant. In addition to that, there is less hassle in the playing of the music itself. For digital downloads, all consumers have to do is download and click play, saving them the trouble of messing around with a stylus of a turntable and the ‘chore’ of getting up from time to time to flip the record. The equipment used to playback vinyl records is also a major consideration
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for the people, in terms of cost as well as space constraints they may face. The price of these digitally obtained music is also another attractive feature. Comparing to CDs or vinyl records, digitally obtained music is definitely cheaper. Considering that many are not audiophiles, it is evident and understandable the reasons behind their choices. The biggest shame is possibly that the current situation may be the beginning of the end for the physical format of music. The other great loss is the people who ran independent record stores, who genuinely cared about the music. Vinyl records were the main format for commercial music distribution in the 20th century. But the big black disks, called LPs, nearly disappeared after audiocassettes and then digital media, like CDs and MP3s, took their place. By 2001, the format was on its knees, shifting just 178,831 copies.
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this is
WAR vinyls vs CD
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PICK
YOUR
SI DE 1. The CD is more accessible and affordable to the public. 2. User friendly and it is able to work on most modern equipment. 3. It is much more portable if it needs to be carried in bulk, for example for DJs, as it is lighter than vinyls 4. It is more durable, hassle free and can store more music. Duplication is also fast and easy.
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In the battle between vinyl and CDs, DJ Zushan gives us an insight on the advantages and disadvantages of the two mediums and how it affects him as a DJ. Do you still use vinyls for DJing today? Zushan: Nope Why not? In the past, did you use vinyls? Zushan: I used to use it a long time ago, but nowadays with new technology, it is pretty inconvenient to lug crates of records around to our gigs. With the technology now, I can just bring a thumb drive to my gigs, plug it into the CDJ (a type of CD player) and I’m good to go. Is there a difference in the sound quality since it is known that nothing beats vinyl? Does using digital files change the experience and feel? Zushan: Yes definitely, it does. The feel of a record
is organic, and definitely, the sound quality of the vinyl is the best
Vinyl will always be around, but in the DJ circuit, the closest one comes to using real vinyl So why do you still choose now is digital vinyl, which digital over analog? ultimately is still a piece Zushan: With the new of record but with digital conveniences, it makes time code on it. things, for instance, beat matching, slightly For most big DJs, it easier and we can focus is much easier to go on adding more tricks with technology than to make our sets more compared to having super interesting. It is basically heavy luggage, which for convenience sake, may cause problems with comparing carrying a few customs round the world grams to lugging 20 kg when you tour and check says a lot. For some who in our record bags. use digital vinyl, which uses a laptop to send music a pair of records instantly that never changes, allows that DJ to still get a raw vinyl feel yet carry less load as well.
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SONIC YOUTH
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the digital age belongs to the
YOUTHS of today
As victims of the digital age, many of them are influenced and attracted to the allure of convenience and easy access. This has resulted in the flourishing of digital downloads and has aided in the downfall of other music media. Nonetheless, youths of today have rediscovered the beauty and wonders of the vinyl records. Many of them have gained exposure to the wonders of vinyl records through sifting through their parent’s stash of old records and connecting with the music of the old days. Others have learnt about it through the internet, a familiar sight in today’s digital age. Some have also turned to vinyls as a form of individualism in an effort to stand out from the crowd.
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In today’s youth culture, there is a strong longing for the old school.
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For instance, vintage is the new black. It is now considered fashionable to own and wear vintage style concert T-shirts and retro sneakers. Vintage inspired clothing and shops are flooding shopping malls and popular hang out spots for youths. It is no wonder they have turned to vinyl records as well. With the revival of the vinyl records, there is also a strong need for the industries to attract these youths, so as to expand their consumer market. Record labels are adapting to modern realities and giving listeners the best of both worlds by pressing records with clean, highresolution sound and including with it, free mp3 downloads to keep the portability of music,
which is of importance amongst youths today. Some LP releases even come with bonus tracks not on the CD version, giving customers added value. Also, vinyl’s different shapes, such as hearts or triangles, and eye-catching designs with bright colours and sparkles are created to appeal to a younger audience. Even the turntables have upgraded to keep up with the times.
Today, you can easily find turntables fitted with USB cables, which allow their users to convert their records into MP3s to bring around. Newer and mainstream artists are also pushing out more and more vinyls in the form of limited edition pressings to keep up with the growing trend. This in turn would also encourage the youths to be more exposed to the cultures of vinyl records.
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because you’re young,
You’ve missed the glorious period of the vinyl and old school rock and roll.
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Thankfully, the past four years have seen a revival of the gramophone record and the youths of today can experience what the previous generation had enjoyed before the dawn of the digital age. Here, a first hand experience of a youth of today, going back in time and exploring and experiencing the vinyl. “The vinyl had been merely a word to me before 2010. Vinyl records were, to me, a thing of the past, nothing important, nothing significant. As I reached the time of my life where I started to explore more non-mainstream music and get more influenced by music, I stumbled upon an indie band.
Being a fan, I decided to buy the band’s first limited edition vinyl. It was exciting getting my hands on a vinyl, and a limited edition, green vinyl. But it was, to me, just something novel, a limited edition. Without ever playing that vinyl because of a lack of equipment, I had not fully experienced a vinyl. It was not until 2011 that I had a glimpse of what heaven might sound like. As I grew older, my music preferences matured with me and I was getting into classic rock. I got to know more people who enjoyed the music that I too enjoyed and the mention of the vinyl increased, with comments like ‘nothing
can compare to the sound of the vinyl’. This really triggered an interest as to what a vinyl sounded like. I had been collecting vinyls from my favourite artists but yet had never once heard them. After almost a year of collection and about 15 vinyls in my possession, I decided it was time to invest in an audio system. Going around Sim Lim towers and The Adelphi and other audio houses, I realized it was a major investment and I had to question how much I wanted this. By this time, music had become a major part of my life, influencing me in almost every way. Seeing as I was in a
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dilemma, my parents decided to chip in as a form of a birthday present. After comparing prices and design, my audio system was finally set up in my room, with a turntable and an amplifier system. The moment of truth came, when I tested my system, putting on a favourite record of mine, flipping the switch with high expectations. The record crackled and buzzed and the first song started. The warm sound
filled the room, and the instruments on the track, had depth and volume to it. It was quite magical, an entirely different perspective to listening to music. It was almost symphonic and I was able to see more clearly how the artist had wanted his songs to be interpreted and heard with the flow and production of the record. Ever since, it has been hard to compare what I would hear on my CD as compared to my
vinyl collection. Now after being able to fully experience the vinyl, watching it spin, hearing it crackle, I am a huge fan of it and I have been trying to spread the word about it, inviting friends over to enjoy the warmth of it with me. It really is an entirely new difference and I believe that experiencing the vinyl should be on everyone’s bucket list.
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In a digital age, the vinyl is making its comeback. To understand this phenomenon better, an interview was conducted with four full time record storeowners. Through their thoughts and responses, it is evident that the revival had begun a few years ago and its popularity has been rising since.
The first interviewee was Richard from Roxy Disc House at The Adelphi. “Basically, anything that is well recorded, I will bring them in. My store caters to the audiophile family. It started as a hobby. I started this in my later part of my life, because I didn’t want to continue to work as a normal worker. I wanted to do something that I love, listening to music, which was a passion. I chose this shopping mall, because it compromises of mainly hi-fi shops. It used to just completely deal with all things audio.This is one of the places where vinyls are housed under one roof. I started (collecting) during my working days, when I was in the civil service. I hung out with a group of hi-fi enthusiasts, so we would go around buying these and that’s generally how it started. The sound,
the package, of the vinyl is what attracts me. It is really more than just listening to music. Sometimes, it brings back memories, all the good times. At my age, you would tend to like these things and reminiscing. Now that I am getting old, I want to keep all the old things.” Our second interviwee, Sia, is the storeowner of Roxy Records and Trading located at Excelsior Shopping Mall, has been in this business for 49 years. Starting out as a family business, they had shifted here around 2004, about 7 years ago. Previously situated in Funan for 20 over years and prior to that, was Capitol shopping centre. And before that. their shop one of the shop houses around the area, before they had it pulled down. “I used to collect records but when you start going into selling the records, you’ll
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stop collecting, because you will realize you want everything. I’ve stopped collecting for a while now that I’m older. When you’re young and passionate, you’ll want to own something. But as you get older you’re more like ‘okay la’, and you just let go of everything. There’s a contradiction of interests, on one hand you’re selling, but then again and you want to keep and end up not selling. So I’m doing it one way, and just selling. Chang, the last of the inteviewed, is storeowner of The Attic at Far East Plaza has a unique view point about vinyls after working for 14 years. “ I don’t really collect vinyls. I listen to them and I keep certain ones, which have nice covers. I started when I was about 17. Basically I was hanging out with older people when I was a teenager, so they, who were collectors, influenced me. You could say that I am
attracted to vinyls because they are visually appealing. The artwork is by itself a piece of work, not only the music. I collect it because of the first visual experience I get from the cover. From there, I sometimes find out about the music. That’s what I am most attracted to about vinyls. For vinyls, it is more visually appealing than compared to playing a CD. You get to see the record spin. It was more hands on, you have to move the needle yourself, to change the section to the next track, as opposed to using a remote controller, so it is more interactive. It is an entire package, the entire experience, which appeals to me.
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Have you noticed a rise in interest towards vinyl? Sia: Yes, for vinyls, recently there has been kind of a second revival. The first revival was in the early nineties. When CD first came out, in the late eighties, vinyl went on a decline very fast. However, it made a come back after a period of time. Thereafter, the mp3 and downloading was introduced, there was then a decline in
everything, for both vinyl and CD. And today, vinyl is making its comeback again, because the sound is still warm. The market in Singapore is still a small market. So, even though there is a revival, it’s still a small market. It is a niche area. It does, to a certain extent become a collector’s item because it is a niche area. Not many people own turntables, thus for production, they do not produce a lot of vinyls.
Richard : For the revival of vinyls, based on my sales, what I noticed was about 3 or 4years ago, the trend started and more people started to get into vinyls again. Generally, majority of my customers used to be in their forties, but now I can see more young people coming in. My youngest customer is a primary school kid. His father had introduced him to the vinyls and now he is enjoying vinyls more than anything.
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Describe the difference between vinyls and CDS. Richard: Listening to cds, you may not notice, but probably, you’ll get tired after a while. But for LPS, this isn’t the case. They are forever. The only problem with LPS is that after three or four songs, you’ll have to get up and change the sides. But when we use the phrase ‘play music’, we’re talking about vinyls - we really do play the vinyls. Whereas for cds, it’s just listening. You just pop in the cd and it’s playing in the background whilst you do other things. Sia: The sound of vinyl is irreplaceable. The sound of a vinyl is the closest to the song itself and how the artist wants it to be heard. It is like a concert sound and it is lasting to the ears, you can listen to it for a longer time as compared to listening to the CD. It is like talking to your friend, very warm
“Because of the trend of the rise in attention to the vinyls, I did have to bring in more genres of music.” and you wouldn’t mind going on and on and on. How has your business changed due to this revival trend? Richard: Because of the trend of the rise in attention to the vinyls, I did have to bring in more genres of music. Before, I used to bring in more of what I like, and what my customers like. But since the customer base is wider, the only way to survive is to bring in more titles and genres. Sia: In fact, business has not changed much. Its is a small market, now there are more players, more people selling, so in a way you find that there is a slight decrease in sales. Even though there is an
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expansion and more people are buying, but then there are more shops now selling vinyls, so on a whole there still a slight decline. Sort of like the music industry, they call it a sunset industry; you find a lot of big shops downsizing and small shops disappearing. Basically, it’s still the same operations because my customers remain more or less the same. Most of them are regulars.
What are your views on youths being more exposed to vinyls? Richard: I believe the young are catching up and getting to know more about vinyls. If you notice, the recording companies are releasing new titles, which cater to the young ones. And they release these new titles in vinyl. They try to cater these things to the younger crowd, to get them interested in vinyl. If you’re referring to the older generation, they wouldn’t want these technological fusions. Analog is still analog, they
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wouldn’t want their analog to turn out digital. But then again, as I mentioned, they try are trying to target the younger generation and get them interested. Sia: I think most of these younger and newer generation artistes, majorities are not into vinyls because they cater to their fans that don’t play vinyl, so they have it digital. Yes, it is true that they have limited edition or picture vinyls, remixes, but they focus more on the packaging, where the imagery is nice, just like Lady Gaga. For Lady Gaga, I don’t think the sound compares. The attention is more on the packaging. Some people buy the vinyls but do not play them. Some do not even own a turntable and they purchase it for collection’s sake, just to enjoy the picture and artwork. However, it is hard for youths to
get into vinyls because it is quite difficult to own a turntable and amplifiers and other equipment. These are big investments for youths. And youths especially, nowadays they don’t have much time also. They have so much more to worry about, like their studies, career. Chang: It’s a good culture, because it’s basically a good thing to relive the old culture, nothing beats it. Like buying a book, you can use the kindle to download your books and stuff and read off an electronic device, but actually feeling the pages, flipping through and seeing the artwork, it’s different from downloading. For vinyls, it’s the same thing, its very different from downloading mp3s.The newer artists have their own target audience, and putting it in vinyl is
just a concept, it’s just a form of packaging for them. I guess the sound is still as good; a record is still a record. Just that as a vinyl, it is a very traditional way of doing it. Ultimately, that’s the reason why we call artists record artists. It’s very individual. Encourage, yes but they are always catered to a certain area, people who are interested in the vinyls. In today’s fast paced society, not everyone would appreciate these things; there must be passion for it, in order to go into buying records. There are space constraints.
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2 01
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acts& igures
VINYL RECORD
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SALES
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59989 units
increase in vinyl record sales in 2011, compared with the same period in 2010
13%
220%
Total Album Sales of 2010
increase in LP decrease in total record sales on album sales from Record Store Day 2009 to 2010 in 2010
vinyls
digital downloads CDs
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When vinyl gave way to CDs in the 80s, record collectors were up in arms and the same is happening today with digital releases. The artwork and sleeve notes that come with buying a record are an important part of the process for many music fans. According to various music industry reports, vinyls have been regaining its popularity by leaps and bounds over the last few years. As we rush toward a digital age, many believe that we will all end up downloading our music from our homes, through the internet. This is a scenario a number of musicians and fans are trying to prevent. Music has always been and will always be a major part of people’s lives, whether one knows this consciously or unconsciously. As convenient as today’s modern methods of music transmission and distribution is, many are starting to realize that there is something still lacking in it and most cannot quite put their finger on it.
Twelve years after the CD had promised and promoted its ‘perfect sound forever’, producers of Mariah Carey’s album, “Music Box” deliberately added static crackle and surface noises to the mix. The allure of perfect sound was losing its charm, and musicians are going back to their roots and imitating the sound and soul of vinyl records. As Neil Young wrote in a music magazine essay entitled “Digital Is a Huge RipOff,” “It’s an insult to the brain and heart and feelings to have to listen to [CD sound] and think its music.” Vinyl albums and tube amps really do sound richer and warmer than their successors. For most of the last
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vinyls will never die and will continue to have a niche demand”
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decade, pop music took delight in its plasticity, and the technology of the era played along: synthesizers could change your sound, video could change your identity, and any ambiguities of race or gender were strictly up to the performer. Low tech arrives as an attempt to strip away artifice. It strives to separate identity from technology, to remind us of who we are. The numbers still aren’t big, but both nostalgic and audio-quality-minded fans gave vinyl records another spin in 2008. Total record sales jumped to 1.9 million last year, up from 858,000 just three years ago — making ‘08 vinyl’s biggest year since SoundScan began tracking music sales in 1991. In 2007, sales of LP records went up to 6 million units amidst the digital revolution in music. However, in the
digital age that we live in, technology never really loses these battles. Vinyl albums, for all their new cachet, still account for less than I percent of all sales. It is proposed that vinyls will never die and will continue to have a niche demand, unless a CD that sounds as musical as an old vinyl is invented, that progress be as good as what came before, and not worse. In recent years, labels have increasingly added limited edition versions of 7-inch singles to their armory, which are targeted at “indie” rock consumers as trendy collectibles. Among the artists who have already released a vinyl version of their albums include Metallica, Madonna, and Coldplay. Newer bands like The Killers are pressing their albums on vinyl in addition to putting out CDs and digital music copies to keep up with the trends. Old favourites
are constanly being reissued as well. So, exactly why are people returning to vinyls? To some people, vinyl records bring back memories of growing up in the 1960s and 70s when rock and roll was king. For others, vinyl is a way of reminiscing the old days of interacting with music. They like the warmer sound quality of records, the more elaborate album covers and liner notes that come with them, and the experience of putting one on and having to sit through an entire album as the artist had intended. Vinyl also has a certain aesthetic appeal to them, especially on the cover of the record itself. Record companies are also embracing the reincarnation of vinyl for many reasons, including the fact that vinyl is another source of revenue that can’t be illegally downloaded.
ICONIC VINYL COVER ART A quick look at a few of the most iconic vinyl album covers which has spanned decades and are still relevant today.
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Ack now ledge ment
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Inch by Inch: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gramophone_record http://musicouch.com/musicouching/20-random-music-facts/ 33 revolutions: http://musicouch.com/musicouching/20-random-music-facts/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Record_Collector http://www.funtrivia.com/askft/Question80092.html http://www.needlengroove.com/?p=70 http://www.ehow.com/about_4567098_vinyl-records.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unusual_types_of_gramophone_ records http://www.becausesoundmatters.com/vinyl-terms You Belong In Rock & Roll : h ttp://www.wwwk.co.uk/music/vinyl-years/index.htm http://www.heydj.com/blogs/hello-world/ Ashes to Ashes: http://www.stereoboard.com/content/view/97303/9 http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/upfront/back-onblack-1003494440.story Sonic Youth: http://m.missoulian.com/news/local/article_8b073466-ca17-11e0a42b-001cc4c002e0.html Back In Black: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1702369,00. html http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/1995/02/26/soundand-the-fury.html Facts & Figures: http://www.npr.org/blogs/thereco rd/2011/01/06/132694660/2010-was-a-very-bad-year-for-tryingto-sell-music http://www.forbes.com/sites/ zackomalleygreenburg/2011/07/13/vinyl-vs-cd-the-tables-areturning-rolling-stones-dom-lyor-cohen/ http://digital-stats.blogspot.com/2011/06/vinyl-sales-in-us-haverisen-nearly.html Vinyl Album Art: http://music.ign.com/articles/117/1171117p1.html Special thanks to Richard, Sia, Chang, Zushan Karlene, Sarah & Cheryl
Designed, bound and packaged by Clara Koh January 2012
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