Back in black: Music enthusiasts decode the growing love for vinyl records

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In September 2022, the Recording Industry Association of America released a mid-year report that stated that vinyl sales had hit 22 per cent of all physical album sales in the country. This is a drastic rise from 15.7 per cent in 2021 and marks a steady return for the old-school medium in this digital era. Meanwhile, Harry Styles, Liam Gallagher and Sam Fender are among a growing crop of artistes who are releasing their music on vinyl. In the age of free and subscription-based music apps, is this phenomenon of going old school a novelty or a fad? Musicophiles and collectors weigh in.

Closest to live music

Kinjal Gosar, 29, founder, Drocer Record
I have been listening to classic rock ever since I got hooked to it on vinyl by my friends. I love the feeling you get when you are listening to music on vinyl. There is a lot more engagement and connection with the music than on digital mediums, which can sometimes come across as white noise. Vinyl records are the closest you can get to the live music experience. Since opening my own store, I have also interacted more with younger people than the older generation. In the past few years, especially post the pandemic, people have decided to go back to the basics. They have started investing in things that bring them joy. The Gen-Z might not have spending power, but they are interested in buying vinyl records. Millennials have the spending capacity and do spend. Then,
there are always people in their 40s and 50s, who grew up with these records, and are returning to them
for nostalgia.

Favourite vinyls: Pink Floyd's Dark Side Of The Moon; Thriller; Led Zeppelin

Escape from digital burnout

Santaji Shirke, 28, audio tech engineer
I only buy music that I am going to listen to. I believe there is an aesthetic difference in the experience. People enjoy the ritualistic aspect of setting up and playing the record. The album format is key to the vinyl experience. With digital formats, you don't experience the album as a whole. The other issue is that online music is too accessible. People are on digital devices all day for their job, and don't want to return to the computer to relax or listen to music. People also crave that feeling of owning something - quite like how physical book sales have not gone away completely despite Kindle and audio books being available.

Favourite vinyls: Iron Maiden Number of The Beast; AC/DC Back in Black

Pics/Ashish Raje

The analogue charm

Savio Iyer, 42, co-founder, Mad Hatter Media
I started collecting vinyls in 2002-2003 before the revolution began. In the last decade, sales have gone up and pressings are returning. For instance, Pink Floyd re-released their pressings twice in the last decade. The format lends a distinctive listening experience. It has its imperfections, but the reproduction through analogue has its own charm. There is more warmth and resonance that can't be described. The charm is also that you hear a whole album the way it is cut, the way the artiste wants you to hear it. On digital mediums, you generally hear one or two tracks. Most collectors are in their 30s or older. The generation in their 20s that are collecting vinyls are mostly musicians.

Favourite vinyls: Dark Side Of The Moon; Louis Armstrong; Vangelis; Sagar

Savio Iyer's vinyl collection of a Ravi Shankar album. Pics/Sameer Markande

Experience music differently

Pic/Pradeep Dhivar

Amol Nayak, 46, architect
For me, it was my father's collection that sparked my own interest. Vinyl records stretch your process of listening to music. You can't skip songs. Your mind settles down. And if you're fond of music, vinyl records are worth collecting. It's not just the rarity of the albums, but their covers too that stand out. Andy Warhol has created vinyl album covers; Duran Duran had artwork by Patrick Nagel. Moreover, I can't listen to Pink Floyd in concert anymore or Deep Purple in Mumbai; this is the closest I can get to the feel and sound of a live concert. As a passion, there have always been collector groups abroad because it was more accessible. Now, it has arrived in India as well. A part of this culture is about people trying to stand out from the crowd. More youngsters are trying to do that - to listen and experience
music differently.

Favourite vinyls: Def Leppard's Hysteria; Guns and Roses' Appetite for Destruction; ZZ Top's Eliminator