Ottawa, ON | Reaching a turning point: The resurgence of vinyl records: The sound of jazz music fills The Record Centre on Wellington Street, transporting eager customers back in time as they walk in. Ever since vinyl’s sudden resurgence in popularity, the store has been busier than ever. John Thompson has been the owner of The Record Centre since 2011 and has been selling vinyl records since the 1990s. He’s seen vinyl ebb and flow in popularity over the years, but said he saw the COVID-19 pandemic as a positive turning point for the vinyl industry. “People were at home more and listening to more music, especially on vinyl,” he said. “I think it was perfectly positioned to do better and better.” While transitioning in and out of pandemic-caused closures in 2020 and 2021, Thompson credits the business’s success to their online store and to its promotions over social media. “People were excited about [the online promotions],” he said. “It was [really] insatiable, because as soon as we would do a drop, everything was snapped up.”
Austin, TX | Austin Record Stores for Your Listening Pleasure: Nine shops to satisfy your vinyl urges: Despite phones being the modern world’s main conduit of recorded music, brick-and-mortar retail spaces selling physical copies of albums thrive in this musically enlightened city. Algorithms and playlists are fine for what they are, but nothing beats the record store experience: the surprise of a cool and unfamiliar LP sleeve catching your eye, the regional flavors, the informed clerks, and the fellowship of browsing alongside other music fans. Here are some of the record stores Austin has to offer.
Washington, DC | Opinion Readers critique The Post: There’s another reason to prefer vinyl: Regarding the Jan. 22 Metro article “A better record deal than Columbia House”: I was mystified that an article about the sizable interest in old vinyl records made no mention of the primary reason many audio enthusiasts covet such recordings: superior sound quality. Virtually every vinyl album released before 1980 produced a pure analog music signal, i.e., the analog sound waves produced by musical instruments and human voices were captured and recorded without converting these sound waves into a chopped-up digital signal that would require further electronic reconfiguration to reproduce an analog sound wave that is audible to human ears. Digital sound processing has made it possible to store and play huge music files with portable devices, but it does so at the expense of sound quality.
For the record: How to take care of your vinyl collection: Vinyl is the holy grail of the most puristic music lovers. This circular disc available in 7, 10, and 12 inches is the ultimate object of desire for true music enthusiasts, a passion that does not look at musical genres or beats per minute. Vinyl records were once the primary way to consume music, but those who think it is a format that belongs to the past are wrong. In the US, vinyl sales soared 22% in the first half of the last year and many vintage albums have gone back up in sales. It is safe to say that vinyl is trendy and that it has gained more and more fans across generations. A vinyl record is a singular object, but it is not. It is impossible to have just one and the challenges of building a good collection are not only in the hunt for the most desired items but also in how to take care of these relics.
The best speakers for your vinyl collection (plus tips for improving sound): The best speakers for vinyl have features like Bluetooth, customizable EQs, and a remarkable sound quality so you can listen to your favorite records how they were meant to be experienced. There’s nothing like the crisp and crackling sound of listening to vinyl. The warm, analog sound of a vinyl record is something you don’t get with any other sound medium, not even the Dolby Atmos songs on your Spotify playlist. However, to fully get the vinyl listening experience, you need good speakers, and not just any speakers will do. Like having the best record player, you need the best speakers for vinyl to make the most out of your record collection and have the sound quality at its very best. We’ve rounded up the best speakers for vinyl to listen to your vinyl collection in the best possible way.
Three-disc vinyl edition of David Bowie ‘Moonage Daydream’ soundtrack due in March: The soundtrack for the highly-acclaimed David Bowie documentary, Moonage Daydream, is set for release as a 3LP set through Parlophone Records on 31 March. It can be pre-ordered now. Moonage Daydream illuminates the life and genius of David Bowie, one of the most prolific and influential artists of our time. Told through sublime, kaleidoscopic, never-before-seen footage, performances and music, Brett Morgen’s (The Kid Stays in the Picture, Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck, Jane) feature length experiential cinematic odyssey explores David Bowie’s creative, musical and spiritual journey. The film is guided by David Bowie’s own narration and is the first officially sanctioned film on the artist. The soundtrack album to Moonage Daydream features songs from spanning Bowie’s career and includes previously unheard material, unique mixes created for the film and this release along with dialogue from Bowie himself.
Dr Dre is reissuing The Chronic on vinyl for its 30th anniversary: Relive the classic this April. Dr Dre’s classic 1992 album The Chronic is set for a vinyl reissue to celebrate its 30th anniversary. Announced alongside news that the album would be returning to streaming services, the vinyl release will be coming via Interscope Records on April 21. The Chronic was Dr Dre’s debut solo album following his departure from N.W.A. Featuring essential Dr Dre anthems including “Nuthin’ But A ‘G’ Thang” and “Fuck Wit Dre Day (And Everybody’s Celebratin’)”, The Chronic had an inimitable impact on the development of West Coast hip hop and provided an early platform to artists such as Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg and Warren G. “From my first day at Interscope the significance of Dr. Dre as a foundational artist at this label was incredibly important to me,” says John Janick, Chairman of Interscope Geffen A&M. “We take our responsibility to Dre and his amazing body of work very seriously and we are honored to work closely with him on this re-release of one of the most important albums of all time.”
