5 Small Businesses Bringing Back Vinyl Records: Streaming may reign supreme, but these five small businesses see the value in tangible music. Vinyl records have seen a renaissance in the 21st century, and this trend is not slowing down. Demand for this analog medium has climbed over 17 consecutive years, and in 2022, LPs officially eclipsed CDs as the most popular physical recorded music format. Some speculate that nostalgia has driven the return to the turntable, while others credit Record Store Day for the vinyl revival. Whatever the reason, these five small businesses were inspired by this comeback and are among the few record-pressing outfits in the nation.
Columbia, SC | Columbia celebrates the grand re-opening of Papa Jazz Record Shoppe: Papa Jazz Record Shoppe in Columbia is celebrating its grand re-opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 2014 Greene Street. Five Points Association and owner of Papa Jazz Record Shoppe, Tim Smith, has owned the record store since 1982. The record store remains the last of several that once lined the city’s Five Points district. …Papa Jazz offers a wide selection of records across all music genres, providing a vibrant marketplace for buying, selling, and trading vinyl records and CDs. Papa Jazz is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Asheville, NC | Static Age Records encounters an uncertain financial future following Hurricane Helene: Staff at Asheville record store and music venue, Static Age Records, face the effects of insufficient fall tourism as they continue to host live music. “Through the wake of the aftermath you couldn’t think of anything else to do besides help. It wasn’t until three weeks later we realized we were now struggling,” said Sophie Hull, Static Age Records’ director of operations. In the weeks following Hurricane Helene, Hull and Jesse McSwain, owner of Static Age Records, said they did roughly 20 percent of the business they normally do due to a lack of tourism in downtown Asheville. “Everybody makes all of their yearly money in a few months with slow time in between,” McSwain said of local businesses in Asheville. “Some businesses rely totally on tourism, I’m sure. At least we have a lot of local connection.”
Edinburgh, UK | 25-year record: Inside the Edinburgh hi-fi business embracing the vinyl revival and streaming: Twenty-five years is a very long time in the rapidly-changing world of audio. Back in 1999, compact discs and cassettes dominated the music consumption market, the vinyl record appeared to be in terminal decline, a minority of people were downloading tunes and the file-sharing start-up Napster had only just begun disrupting the status quo. Fast forward to the dying days of 2024 and digital streaming services such as Spotify, Apple Music and Tidal now account for well over four-fifths of our music consumption in the UK, the CD has almost gone the way of the dodo, despite talk of a mini revival, and the (original) Napster is but a faded memory. And, to the delight of those who still value the physical, the 12-inch long-player is enjoying a surprise renaissance.
Evergreen Park, IL | Records And Classes That Rock: We’re visiting The Record Shop on 95th to learn about Evergreen Park’s newest storefront. EPCHS explains their unique new curriculum. We’re visiting The Record Shop on 95th to learn about Evergreen Park’s newest storefront. Find out why record stores are making a comeback and why you should consider going retro. Megan Schillo of EPCHS takes us through the unique way students get opportunities with non-traditional curriculum, and announces several new classes for Evergreen Park students. Brought to you by The First National Bank of Evergreen Park! Find the account that is right for you today!
Lagos, NG | New Nigerian vinyl-only festival sets lineup for debut edition: Kikelomo, Kem Kem and more will bring their talents to the Lagos event—the first of its kind in the city—on December 23rd. A new, vinyl-only festival is coming to Nigeria this month. The inaugural Egwú Vinyl Festival, hosted by Nigerian music collective and independent record seller Egwú, is set to take place in Lagos on December 23rd, 2024. Hosted at Bature Brewery, the festival is the first event of its kind in the city. Egwú will gather the likes of Kikelomo, Kem Kem and Majid for six hours of pure wax. From Afro house to soul to funk, the festival will highlight genre-spanning African classics from the 1970s onward. Afro-Juju legend and festival headliner Sir Shina Peters will close things down with a live performance. Although the December 23rd event marks a first for Lagos, it’s not Egwú Records’ first foray into events.
Northampton, MA | Northampton Record Fair draws local vinyl enthusiasts: There’s something about vinyl records that keeps people enthused in this digital age, and if collecting them is a hobby of yours, you will be sure to find something at the annual record fair. Local and regional record dealers from around the Northeast brought out thousands of vinyl records and CDs in Northampton for your digging pleasure on Sunday. …“Definitely the awesome cover art and just owning the physical media. It can’t go away if it is yours,” expressed Justin Cohen, the Organizer of the Northampton Record Fair. “The sound quality is often more trustworthy than a file you find. Also, just the digging. I love digging in, digging in boxes of vinyl and finding stuff.”
Nashville, TN | Music Citizens: Nashville propels the vinyl record boom. Now manufacturers face competition from abroad. Vinyl records have made a big comeback in recent years, and the companies making them are in a fierce battle over market dominance. WNXP’s Music Citizens in-depth reporting series takes up this battle in Episode 2, “The Operator.” It tells the story of Piper Payne, a scrappy, independent record manufacturer who opened up in Smyrna in the middle of the recent vinyl boom, and checks in on producers like The Vinyl Lab and United Record Pressing — as well as the biggest new player in the local market: Nashville Record Pressing. In the wake of the local reporting, WNXP’s Justin Barney shared highlights with NPR Morning Edition.
John Coltrane’s ‘A Love Supreme’ Gets 60th Anniversary Reissue: An exclusive diamond vinyl pressing and Winter Jazzfest showcase will mark six decades since the jazz icon’s magnum opus. John Coltrane’s A Love Supreme was released 60 years ago this winter, and Monday, December 9 marked six decades since the album was recorded in a single evening session. To mark the anniversary of one of the most iconic and influential jazz albums of all time, Impulse! Records is releasing A Love Supreme: 60th Anniversary Edition, a limited run pressing on diamond vinyl. The reissue is available for pre-order now and will be released on Feb. 7, 2025, 60 years to the day after the original A Love Supreme release. In addition to the reissue, the A Love Supreme anniversary will be celebrated with a special event at Winter Jazzfest in New York City.
