Rapid City, ND | The Growing Appeal of Vinyl Records in 2025: Listening to music is easier than ever, being able to stream from your phone. Yet vinyl sales hit 23 million units sold in 2024 according to Billboard. Listening to music is easier than ever, being able to stream from your phone. Yet vinyl sales hit 23 million units sold in 2024 according to Billboard. Although digital media dominates the music space, physical media still has a place for some people. Some people prefer reading a good old-fashioned book over using a Kindle. The experience at black hills vinyl is similar. People who want to own physical music have a place to find new vinyl records to add to their collection. Michael Calabrese the co-owner of Black Hills Vinyl said, “I think really what it boils down to is being able to actually own something, to have something in your hand, to open it up and hold it and look at the artwork, and really the time invested in the music. And really, whether it’s vinyl or those other formats, those offer something just above and beyond what streaming does. Kind of the difference between like a home-cooked meal and fast food.”
Liverpool, UK | Liverpool record shop the oldest of its kind in England: A Liverpool family-run shop has become the oldest independent record store in England. The Musical Box in Tuebrook has been run by four generations of the same family since it was opened in 1947. The shop first sold toys and LPs to customers before becoming a much-loved record shop. Grandmother Diane Cain has been associated with the shop for its entire 77 year history. The shop was originally owned by Diane’s uncle Jack Lewis, and later by her mother, Dorothy. Today, the business is run by Diane’s son Tony Quinn and his wife Paula, with her grandsons also helping and running the social media accounts. Paula says the family are delighted that their independent record shop is the oldest in the country. “We were aware that we were Liverpool’s oldest record shop, but with so many customers constantly saying we must be the oldest in the country, we decided to enquire. “We thought it would be fitting for Diane, who is second generation, to be able to know, with her being 87 year sold. Our customers are so happy for us, to know their local record shop is the oldest.
Budapest, HU | Hungarian record store proudly makes it to world rankings: A Hungarian record store has achieved notable recognition by being included in the Financial Times world rankings. Kalóz Records, based in Budapest, has earned a spot on the prestigious list, joining renowned stores in New York, London, and Stockholm. The Financial Times praises the Budapest shop in a brief review, describing it as small but a place where visitors can spend hours browsing. The store offers a diverse range of music, including Hungarian progressive music, techno, classic Indian raga and a unique selection of records from behind the old Iron Curtain. While there are no dedicated turntables for listening, the staff will gladly play a record of your choice upon request. Kalóz Records expressed their delight on Instagram: “The Financial Times, a prestigious music magazine, has published a list of the best record shops in the world, and we’re in it…”
Los Angeles, CA | Album donation drive: Help this record shop help fire evacuees find their music: Record Safari in Los Angeles is accepting vinyl donations, both “new and used”; find how to contribute. A favorite song, a beloved musician, our go-to group, the album we’d take to a desert island: The beautiful ballads and rocking anthems of our lives have bolstered us when we required bolstering and provided some solace when a sense of peace was desperately needed. Alex Rodriguez, the owner of the music shop Record Safari, wanted to help the people who’ve lost their homes and the album collections they held dear. Soon after the fires started, Mr. Rodriguez sent the call out to shop fans and music lovers across Southern California and beyond: Any record donations, “new and used,” would be accepted at the Los Feliz Boulevard shop. These could be “records you haven’t listened to in awhile” or records created by your label or your band, if you work in the music business. Or even a favorite disc that you want to pass along to someone who could find inspiration and hope in the songs you love best.
San Antonio, TX | ‘It’s devastating’: San Antonio DJ’s career on the line after expensive equipment was stolen: Southtown Vinyl is hosting a fundraising event on Jan. 25 to help Isaiah from Texas. Isaiah from Texas said the future of his DJ career is uncertain now that he’s without thousands of dollars in equipment. “It’s devastating,” Isaiah said. “I can’t do anything about it. I can’t make money.” Isaiah said more than $3,000 worth of his equipment and music collection were stolen from a storage unit at an apartment complex on New Year’s Eve near Hemisfair. “It makes you feel unsafe wondering how they got into the building,” Isaiah said. Isaiah has been a DJ in San Antonio for more than two decades. The stolen gear included turntables, speakers, microphones, smoke machines and an assortment of vinyl records he spent years collecting. Isaiah said he didn’t realize the gear was stolen until nearly a week after it happened. He said security camera footage confirmed the theft on Dec. 31, 2024.
Chicago, IL | Wax Trax! Records Team Pushes To Landmark Its Former Lincoln Park Storefront: The Chicago Landmarks Commission heard arguments Friday from the record label’s team, advocates and longtime fans. But the building is currently for sale, and its owner has not commented publicly. For more than two decades, a two-story building in Lincoln Park was home to Wax Trax! Records, an iconic storefront and record label that helped shape Chicago’s underground music scene. Now, the team behind Wax Trax is pushing to get the building at 2449 N. Lincoln Ave. landmarked, having argued their case at a hearing of the Commission on Chicago Landmarks Friday morning. Landmark designation would ensure the building could not be demolished or have its exterior altered. “We’ve taken on the responsibility of making sure Wax Trax has its rightful place in music history,” Mark Skillicorn, co-owner of the label, told Block Club. “This building represents so much to so many people—not just in Chicago, but around the world.
Somerset, UK | Somerset bass player invents ‘game-changing’ vinyl record playing device: He described this moment as a ‘streaming breakthrough.’ A Weston-super-Mare bassist has innovated an ingenious device, receiving accolades as a ‘game-changing’ invention that enables audiophiles to enjoy their vintage vinyl records through contemporary wifi speaker systems scattered around the home. Pete Fealey has dubbed this innovative creation the A2D2 Stream; it’s compatible not just with vinyl records but also CD and tape players. While there are already wifi dongles on the market tailored for specific smart speakers, Pete asserts that his design stands out as it can connect seamlessly with any smart speaker network. …The idea dawned on him amidst the challenge of finding an acceptable solution for playing his extensive record collection via his network of smart speakers. “I listen to music all day, every day. I live and breathe it,” Pete explained. “As a result, I’ve got quite a nice record player in my house and speakers in almost every room. My record player lives in my office, but I quickly found that I wasn’t using it as much as I wanted.”
Nashville, TN | The Vinyl Lab, an independent vinyl manufacturing plant in Nashville, is closing: Nashville’s The Vinyl Lab has closed after nearly 4 years of operation. The vinyl manufacturing plant pressed albums for Dolly Parton, Old Crow Medicine Show, Lucinda Williams and others but competition in an increasingly cutthroat industry led to fewer orders on their books, Scott LeMasters, owner and operator of The Vinyl Lab, told Nashville Public Radio. The pressing plant opened in 2021 in the boom of the pandemic. At the time, demand for vinyl was through the roof and there weren’t enough manufacturers to handle it. Independent vinyl manufacturing outfits like The Vinyl Lab opened all across the country. “We got in kind of early, and business was great. We didn’t really need to advertise too much. They found us,” LeMasters said. The plant had a unique vision. They made the manufacturing process public. They bought two brand new, safe Pheenix Alpha vinyl presses and a multi-use venue/bar where the public could stand and see a little plastic puck get smushed into vinyl record.
Dayton, OH | Dayton Record Fair returns to Eudora Brewing, early bird tickets available: The sale is on Feb. 9. The annual Dayton Record Fair is back, offering thousands of new and used records, CDs, tapes and memorabilia for sale from some of the best music vendors in the Midwest. The fair will be from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 9 at Eudora Brewing Company in Kettering. For die-hard collectors and for those who want to avoid the rush, $5 will grant attendees early bird admission from 11 a.m. to noon. Limited pre-sale early bird tickets will be available soon. General admission is free from noon until the end of the event. Expect a wide variety of items — from rare collectibles to more affordable, popular media. Eudora Brewing will offer a full food menu from its kitchen, along with sodas and craft beers brewed in-house. Adding to the vibe, live all-vinyl DJs Sunset Combs and Vern Whitt will spin a lively soundtrack while attendees flip through the stacks of records.
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