It’s Christmas Eve. Mom’s in the kitchen baking, Dad’s reading the paper, a fire crackles in the fireplace and a turntable in the corner plays the melodious tunes of… SCREECH… Billie Eilish?
Vinyl records used to be grandpa’s domain, but in the past decade, a new interest group has emerged: Gen Z has chosen records as one of their favorite art forms. CNN reports that roughly 60% of Gen Z say they purchase records. Vinyl sales reached an all-time peak in 1978 at $1.5 billion, however, last year’s sales totaled roughly $1 billion. As this trend grows, the next generation just might set a new record.
For some record enthusiasts, their love has been passed down through generations. John Brown University junior Emily Winant inherited her grandmother’s turntable and vinyl collection, which consists of many Beatles and John Denver records. It became a gift she cherished. She recalled her mom’s love for records as well.
“Listening to The Beatles’ ‘I Wanna Hold Your Hand’ with my mom is one of my best memories,” Winant said.
Records can be a source of nostalgia and a connection to the past. To harness this connection, young record collectors often have to launch a search. Record and antique stores are a haven of possibilities. Weekends, first dates or just a free afternoon are all excellent opportunities for browsers in their teens to early twenties to frequent these stores to search for their newest find.
“I love it for the artistic value and the smell,” freshman Grayson Schlabach said about browsing for records. “It smells like old people, new books and blacktop.”
Winant reported a similar olfactory experience.
“It smells like a library and parchment,” Winant said.
Beyond the smells, Winant appreciates record stores for celebrating cover art. While the record itself holds music, the packaging is also a prize. Musicians can showcase artistry and personality through these record sleeves. Winant also appreciates interacting with store employees, and even demoing the vinyls at some select stores.
Browsing for records offers something different than the convenience of Spotify or Apple Music.
“It’s like a hunt,” freshman Boone Eldridge said.
Searching for a new record invites browsers into an immersive quest. Eldridge said you never know what you’re going to find. If you’re lucky enough, you’ll find treasure.
Records offer a different sound than digital recordings. Thanks to the turntable, the record and the medium itself, the sound of vinyl is less than perfect — it has the tendency to crackle, but that only adds to the experience.
“I like it for the crunchy sounds. It’s not clinical,” Schlabach said.
Just like an extra riff at a live concert, variances in music are not bad. They give the art character.
Eldridge describes the sound of records as “carrying more power.” On a practical level, there’s more stakes to listening to vinyl. It takes money and effort to go to a record store, browse, discover and purchase a record. The listening experience is earned.
When asked about the sound of vinyl, Winant says the experience offers so much more than crystal-clear digital recording.
“The memory of listening to it is more memorable than the listening quality,” Winant said.
As Gen Z matures, they’re deciding what will bring color to their lives. They’re moving into their college dorms and first homes and deciding how to decorate. Vinyl records have proven to be a popular choice to embellish spaces — whether decoratively or audially. In a time when everything is computer-generated, Gen Z is reaching for something more.
“We want things that feel like a computer didn’t make it,” Schlabach said.
It’s wholesome to see the next generation celebrate something that was once considered vintage and outdated.
Photo by Mick Haupt on Unsplash
