Dust off your old records: Vinyl is cool again

While almost every aspect of our lives has been impacted by technology, a major part of our younger years has become trendy again.

According to the newly-released report by the Recording Industry Association of America, vinyl and record players are back in a big way. While you probably have a collection of banger albums hidden away in your cupboard or attic, the latest figures by the RIAA imply that they could be worth big bucks.

Many people who grew up in the 50s, 60s and even 70s say that nothing beats the sound of vinyl and it appears millennials are finally catching on to why Baby Boomers have been bragging about records for years.

The new report states that for the first time since 2011, records and CDs are actually outselling digital downloads of songs and albums. In the US alone, sales from physical CDs and records sit at around U$1.5 billion (A$1.95 billion). Digital downloads are still bringing in billions, but at U$1.3 billion, have fallen by 25 per cent from the previous year.

It wasn’t enough to knock streaming services such as Apple Music and Spotify off the top spot, with these companies making U$5.7 billion in 2017. While the sale of physical CDs continues to fall, the music industry is noticing that vinyl and records continue to grow.

In the past year alone, sales increased by 10 per cent, with major music label Sony agreeing to begin pressing LPs again after ceasing production of records in 1989.

And, while your grandkids may have joked about you not understanding modern technology, there is a chance that they’ll soon be coming to you for help to work out how to get a record player to work. More and more vinyl stores are popping up, with many music retailers now stocking vinyl of old and new artists alongside CDs.

Vinyl isn’t the only old-fashioned music format making a comeback. Last year, cassette tapes slowly began making their way back into circulation, with a number of up-and-coming Australian artists opting to release their music on tape because it was cheaper than vinyl.

The growing trend of vinyl has already gained popularity in other countries around the world. In 2016, sales of records overtook digital downloads for the first time ever. Vinyls almost became extinct in the United Kingdom in 2007 due to poor sales, however, a decade on and they’re showing no signs of slowing down.

What do you think? Are you excited that vinyl is making a comeback? What was your favourite record store and album when you were growing up?