Vinyl Records: Are They Making a Comeback?

Those of us who are vinyl record enthusiasts will tell you, no other media sounds better than a fresh, new album right out of the sleeve.

It's 'our' opinion of course, but to me and many like me, no CD, no digital download can match the richness or the depth of sound that a real, old fashioned record will give you. Fancy, new technology that makes music more portable and handy is great. It's hard to take a turn-table with you when you leave the house. But when I'm sitting at home, chillin out with a cold one, give me a duster to clean off the 'original' disk and drop that needle on it. That's what music should sound like.

I don't know if there is a rebirth in interest for old vinyl records, or if I'm just noticing it more since I'm a fan and have been working on my collection again lately. Thankfully, some of today's musical artists still insist on pressing a certain number of vinyl albums when they release something new. Jamey Johnson does it. Rock band Pearl Jam does too. There are others. Without that, there would be little hope of attracting some of the younger fans or getting them to appreciate the greatness of vinyl.

I'm noticing record stores all over the place that I didn't notice before. 'Homers' In Omaha, Nebraska is a great one. I could spend all day in there. I tried once. Right here in Quincy, Second String Music has a fantastic collection of albums for sale, in every genre. Many cities have one, or more than one, and they are great places to find hidden gems. They also offer the opportunity to make a few bucks if you have records to sell.

One of our guys here at Townsquare Media is a vinyl enthusiast as well and has taken some shots of recent trips to 'The Electric Fetus' and 'Treehouse Records' in Duluth, Minnesota, as well as Nashville's 'Grimey's Pre-Loved Music.' Take a look at the pictures... and if you know of any other cool record stores I should visit, please comment and let me know.