! KEITH O’CONNOR
F
NATHAN BLAIS
irst came the vinyl record created in 1930 by RCA Victor. In 1982, the first commercial compact disc, Billy Joel’s “52nd Street,” was released in Japan. It was the beginning of the end for vinyl and CD sales overtook the format in 1988, essentially ending the vinyl era. Then came streaming which gained popularity in the mid-2010s and put a major dent in the sale of compact discs. Despite the many changes in the recording industry over nearly 100 years, vinyl has made a resurgence. “I’m not really sure what is driving the turnaround, and I’m not sure the trend is sustainable. However, hard core
collectors are always going to purchase records. Most of my customers are regulars, I’m not seeing a lot of new faces,” said Andy Crespo, owner of Electric Eye Records in Florence. There are theories as to what is driving the sale of vinyl once again among millennial and Gen Z consumers, not just those who grew up on the format. Compared to streaming, record albums are something you own and are tangible. Then there is the sound. Many loyal record owners say the analog tone of vinyl is warmer and fuller than digital audio. While others who can’t stand the “pops and clicks” that come along with vinyl pressings rejoice in CDs. Also,
compact discs don't have the wear that the vinyl grooves of records have after many playings. According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), vinyl record sales have now outsold CDs in the United States for the first time since the 1980s. The RIAA also noted in a recent report that streaming accounts for greater than 85% of all music enjoyed, and only 6% is now download. “For now, I’m just trying to sell quality used vinyl to people who share the same passion as I do,” he said. Before opening Electric Eye Records in 2016, Crespo was a printing press operator for 20 years. GOLOCALMAGAZINES.COM 41
