The Vinyl Revival, Fad or Fact?

 The Vinyl Revival, Fad or Fact? 

Probably the most asked question we get from people when they call in to the store; “Look at all that vinyl, is it really back?”

 

The answer in our opinion is “Yes”.

 We’re always interested in keeping an eye on who is buying the vinyl because it’s the easiest way to tell if something is a fad or a growing trend. The age demographic, gender and what they’re buying all point to the answer.

The general perception is that it’s older men buying mountains of classic rock albums and reliving the music from their childhoods and the answer really isn’t that simple. Sure that is there but it’s accompanied by numerous groupings most notably Generation Z (people born after 1996) and Generation Alpha (After 2011). Our youngest regular customer is a 5 year old boy who every few weeks asks his parents to bring him in, to pick out albums from our second-hand section. A 5 year old? He’s not an anomaly either, he’s one of the youngest members of these new generations of people looking for something more tangible to collect and enjoy. What attracts them to it? For this child - as his parent’s explained - he loves the novelty of picking his record, the size of the artwork, the whole experience of placing the vinyl on the turntable and carefully dropping the needle. There is two entire generations that have never dropped a needle on a record or had to use a pencil to fix a cassette tape.

Music fans now enjoy the ease of everything at their fingertips; digital downloads (legal and illegal) and more recently - streaming. Digital ways of listening to music have their place but what was lost since their introduction is the art of maintaining a collection. The majority of people, as they grow up, develop a music collection based largely around their personality and what represents them - different times in their lives, their experiences and emotions, it’s all there in their collections. With physical formats it’s real, it exists, it’s tangible. In my generation and older I don’t think I know anyone that hasn’t sat around with friends going through their music collection and discussing the ‘band’ that they found that no one else knows about yet and the pure pride of introducing their friends to them. It was a badge of honour. Humans like to collect, its in our nature; it’s how we establish our identity and individuality and create something that represents our lives. The only thing that surprises me is that it has taken the youngsters this long to realise what they were missing out on.

Mark’s Gig Picks

Steamboat Presents:

Berea College Bluegrass Ensemble from Kentucky

July 11th 8pm - Chez les Fab, Limerick

A 5 piece Bluegrass band from the heartland of American bluegrass. Comprised of teacher Al White and master students, you won’t hear more authentic bluegrass music.

 

Steamboat Presents:

Happy Abandon

July 11th - Charlie Malone’s, Limerick

As part of the Tuesday night Acoustic Club in Charlie Malone’s, Steamboat has sponsored North Carolina band Happy Abandon as part of their first ever Irish tour to perform in Limerick before some festival dates in the UK. Their highly anticipated debut album is released in August and they’re already being tipped for big things.

 

Christy Moore

July 8th - Lakeside Hotel, Ballina

I only recently took out my copy of Christy’s second album Prosperous, one of my favourite acts.

 Clonacody ’17 - A Musical Picnic

In aid of Irish Motor Neuron Association

Clonacody House, Fethard, Satuday 8pm:

Clonmel Concert Band - Sunday 2pm

Family Fund Day & Picnic - Sunday 7:30pm

 The Clonacody Proms - Gaudeamus Choir & Orchestra perform the music of Gilbert and Sullivan.