The Return of Vinyl & Cassettes?

According to Under the Radar magazine's February edition (#34), "sales of the vinyl LP have increased nearly 300% since 2006, with most vinyl LPs being sold at independent record stores" (such as Rhino Records in Claremont, CA). "According to Nielsen SoundScan ratings, 2.1 million units of vinyl were sold between January and mid-October 2010, and though this only represents about one percent of overall music sales, it is still a noteworthy chuck of product!" And what artists, you might ask, are actually selling vinyl these days? "After The Beatles' Abbey Road at #1, you have Arcade Fire, Vampire Weekend, The Black Keys, and Beach House, with the last band mentioned accounting for 22% of vinyl sales alone." A large part of it seems to be credited through Record Store Day, which started three years ago. Says Eric Levin, one of the founders of RSD: "We never stopped carrying vinyl, and it's always done well. Around 2004/2005, it really started to ramp up, and then obviously last year was huge, with RSD in particular."

So what accounts for the renewed interested in the once bygone format? Is it s hipster audience who delights in something nostaligic? Is it the yearning for a physical product in the age of the ever-persent computer click? Is it that old mainstay argument, the sound? Dan Auerbach, singer/guitarist of The Black Keys, says his preferred medium is actually vinyl. "I like the 33 1/3 on a good turntable with a good stylus and good speakers. I don't think there's anything really better. It sounds better, flat out. I don't listen to it for nostalgia. I listen to it because I want to hear the crackles and pops."

"Less resurgent but still on the move is the cassette, which sells significantly less than vinyl (16,000 units vs vinyl's 2.1 million, year to date, mid-Oct.) but still makes up a niche market of indie releases. Even Goldfrapp released their new album Head First on tape, an exclusive to Record Store Day in 2010. Though the market remains small, cassettes have proven a viable way to release music in a limited-edition fashion..."

"Whether due to better sound quality, a desired listening experience, or the urge for a limited-release product, vinyl and cassettes are back. Who knows how far the trend will continue, but for now people are interested and numbers remain strong."

You can read the full article in the recent Feb. issue of Under The Radar magazine at your local bookstore.(website requires subscription) :)