Music these days is easier to get than ever before. With all the downloading, streaming, and sharing of songs and videos on cell phones, there’s no need to even look in record store or on a CD rack. The feel of the music is slowly deteriorating. But recently the ancient artifacts called vinyl records are making a come back. Tons of people have been going back to the old ways, buying record players and checking out the few remaining record stores around.

“I think it’d be cool to have a record player,” senior Hannah Yacoub said. “I feel like the sound would be more authentic sounding, plus records are a part of history.”

Vinyls were dominating the music scene for a very long time, then CDs came around and those could be played in a car. After a while, online music downloads were the main source of obtaining tracks. No matter how people are getting their music, one thing is for sure: vinyl will not die. Sales of vinyl records jumped 32 percent in the U.S. last year. Many record shops have sections devoted to newer and even upcoming artists who want their music heard.
“My uncle had vinyls and I thought they were so cool,” senior Taylor Wood said. “I got a player for Christmas a few years back and now have about 40 records. I think they have a better sound and it’s a cool and different way to listen to music.”
Some people believe that it may be the “hipster” youth who is bringing it back, but others believe it’s the nostalgic people who think vinyl really is the best way to listen to music.
Another contributing factor could be Record Store Day, which is usually sometime in April. It could be debated forever, but the dropping of the needle and physical attachment to a record can’t be beaten by other forms of music.
“I’ve always listened to older music with my dad on his record player,” senior Charles Plumhoff said. “I got older and started buying my own at flea markets and garage sales.”
Many are skeptical as to why people would take a step back in technology. It is so easy to download from iTunes and it’s cheaper to buy a song for one dollar than a new record, but for some reason people are flocking to specialty stores and picking out albums-new and old.

“I really like finding records and casettes,” Plumhoff said. “To me they are the two best ways to listen to music.”
The price of a record really does depend on what shops or stores one goes to. Some places, such as Flipside Records in Clawson, has vinyl for only one dollar an album; and they’re vintage. They also sell things like 45’s, 8-tracks, and even 7” records for low prices. Newer albums and albums with special features cost anywhere between 12-30 dollars.
Another thing about records that most youth today don’t get to see: the album art. Many artists put photos and real art work on their covers to convey a feel or meaning to their album. With digital copies, people don’t get to see the work and extra stuff put into an album. There isn’t just a case to the record either, there’s a sleeve to protect the vinyl and sometimes even posters, lyric books, and photos.
“I’ve got about 200 records, including a ton of Jimi Hendrix,” teacher Steve Domke said. “I never get tired of flipping them or of looking at the amazing artwork that goes into the covers.”
Buying digital copies of music may be fast and easy, but it takes away from the atmospheric and emotional connection that a physical album provides. Young adults and teenagers have been listening to digital music their whole lives, so when something like a record is shown to them and they hear it, it’s a whole new thing.
The music on vinyl is proven to sound more “real” or “crisp” because the process of compressing albums onto CDs and into MP3s compromises the music’s quality. Whether it’s listening to a record with a bunch of friends or just collecting them and appreciating them, everyone is trying to save the original way of easy listening.
“I definitely would recommend that other people get into records,” Wood said. “They really make a difference in the music.”