I still enjoy hitting the flea markets, record fairs and my local shop for used vinyl. I only buy a new record on rare occasions. I still enjoy the rush of finding an LP I'm looking for in great condition for a great price in the bins. Nothing's going to change that for me.
I’m in the same boat. Lots of stuff and no one to leave it to. Like one old collector told me “you can’t put a u-haul behind a hearse”. So I’ve started to purge some things and doing the local record show has been a blessing. Price it decently and it will sell.
Probably because of issues like $300 cartridges, $700 turntables, record cleaners etc and albums from 40-50 years ago selling for $30-$40 a piece bring back CD'S and this is from a longtime record collector of about 50 years
Last year I sold almost half my LPs and am still spending the credit I accrued. After over fifty years of collecting, I finally realized I had more than enough music to listen to. Streaming also helped in this decision. Going through my LPs, I realized just how many I bought to "try out" that only ever got a few plays. With streaming, I can listen to an album once or a thousand times. I think every collector goes through this at some point. When you're ready, cull your collection and enjoy the profits while you're still around.
Streaming is not freedom. You’re being monitored at all times. You’re networked therefore you can be hacked. You have no say over catalog, ISP, nor platform prices which will never end.
There are two takeaways from this. One that if vinyl sales go down too low. Labels will stop putting new albums on vinyl. Two, if the appearance of vinyl being not interesting gets popular enough, people will have a hard time finding hardware and that could be a serious blow to the community in general. Especially with many of the throwaway practices of recent years where record players are made to last only a few years (then their rechargeable battery dies or something breaks that don't have replacement parts available.) Finally, cost of living as others have said, is a big deal and people are having less and less room to store records. Vinyl is a big serious investment that most people really can't afford to go crazy with.
I've had an eBay store for 15 years and sell rare jazz albums and rare 90s rock albums. Sales have been down almost 60% for 2024. With groceries increasing 50%, it's easy to see why.
I've been buying vinyl since 1962. I'm a "bottom feeder" . I prefer to make my finds at thrift stores(the pickin's have gotten slimmer in the last few years) and record shows. I am fortunate enough to have friends that know how much I enjoy vinyl records. They have either given me records or if they make a find will text me with the details and purchase them on my behalf. In the last year, I have bought two new vinyl releases ("Hackney Diamonds and "Now and Then") and 3 reissues . I do feel like I'm priced out of the new vinyl market. I don't plan on any new vinyl purchases any time soon. That said, after all these years I still enjoy the thrill of the hunt. Thanks for all you do Robert. Your videos are informative and entertaining!
Hey Robert! Love the content you’ve been cranking out. I haven’t commented in a while but haven’t missed anything. The r&r hall video was great. I’ve always what it’s like and now know. I’m currently listening to Shadow Dancing on the K-Tel album Starburst. You’re video on K-Tel is must viewing. I’m 3 months older than you and know the tnat dynamic well. My roommate is the usedguy at the local record store and has been giving me K-Tel records for free. I’m up to 19. Lots of top 40 stuff I don’t need to own the full length, just the song. Hot Child In The City just kicked in. Between the 2 of us we’ve got some 8 tracks too. Another great video of yours he has to watch. Still waiting for your top singles of 1983. Rock On!
I bought my first record in 1975. I was 15 years old. I had 6 bucks from my allowance and all I could afford was a Byrds album that was on sale. To date, I now own close to 3000, so spending 40-50 bucks on a album is hard to swallow. I do buy new albums, but not near as many.
im listening to the who, who's next album. i bought it off of ebay for $10. it's an old album, the sleeve is aged but it still sounds great. i have plenty of records i paid $10 or less for. my spendiest buy was rush moving pictures 40th anniversary box set $90, but it is multiple records (5 LPs). i bought journey escape from walmart today $20.
Hey Robert, dig that Brain t-shirt you got there. I just scored a copy of Scorpions Action (Lonesome Crow) on Brain which is my first to own from that label. This year I've bought fewer albums compared to the past five years, particularly new vinyl simply because the prices are skyrocketing. I'm still buying new records but I'm way more selective and focusing more on scoring VG+ or better used vinyl. Cheers 🥂
I'm in Scotland. Whenever I take a trip to Edinburgh I'm shocked by what they're charging for records. HMV is a big chain in the UK and some of their prices are ridiculous. It's not unusual for them to charge the equivalent of $50 to $65 for a single LP. Just ordinary editions, nothing special. I'd definitely buy more if their prices were more reasonable.
I recall the early 90s when everyone was saying vinyl was dead and collections were being thrown out left right and centre. But if you were like me, someone who actually cherished the actual format as well as the music and never much cared for digital media or heaven forbid, downloads, you held on to the vinyl knowing that if you felt that way, there'd be others out there that felt the same. And sure enough, when a new generation discovered the alure of vinyl, the market was reborn. CDs will also have a resurgence.
People are pissed. They are now made from digital recordings, so might as well get the digital file or CD. And the prices are out of control as always. And Flippers. People buying them up just to resell them at 2-10x what they paid for them.
Great video. I don't have a music collection (vinyl, cds, and tapes) because it's trendy. I have always loved music. Great point considering people gifting vinyl in statistics. I have told my family my collection is very clean and take it to my favorite record store - these are not $1 records!
My record collection is probably the most valuable thing in my life, put together from 20 years of dedicated thrifting. Probably the closest thing to a retirement fund I'll ever have. If it doesn't pan out, I still enjoy the art, the music - it may just have to hit the curb if I become less-of-home. But I do believe the era of the LP is also historically the birth of modern music, and I would hope they would hold value, if no longer as retro media then as music history antiques. Always thought about post-death record distribution, haven't written a will but it would go best friends on down, best friend gets 300 free records, other friends get 100 free records. Family get to pick the first 1000 if they want to. Etc. Then, have a yard sale. Say in the listing "lots of records." No photos. When the early birds show up, it's one or two crates of mid rock. $3-$5 each. We're talking foreigner, kansas, april wine. However, when a young kid and their parent show up, showing that bright eyed interest, tell em "there's actually a bunch more in the garage." Have about a thousand in there. Tell the kid a buck apiece. Pass that excitement along.
All I’m really bothered about is the thrill of finding a record I like at a reasonable price. Every now and again I’ll buy a new record at full price if it’s no more than £25.
It would be great to see prices drop. Its beyond ridiculous out there. Just got back from the UK and I didn't really see the gouging over there that is so common here.
For years now I have been seriously considering taking a cheap flight to London and staying there a week just to visit as many record stores as I can because even though many albums they sell on Discogs at good prices, the shipping will kill you. I've paid enough shipping to buy me a round trip ticket + hotel. Most likely in 2025.
Yeah, if sales are down it is absolutely due to the grotesque price gouging! Sales down 33% and pricing up 200%. Combine that with some redundancy in reissues and gimmicks. Also, if sales are down that is strictly units I assume vs overall revenue. But like you said, if you just like music and vinyl...who cares if sales are down...more for us! Great video man!
yes many different people, I know a guy 8 years my junior, just introduced him to Vinly, he is 45, so new consumers coming in still, if the quality of your system improves, you buy more records old & new, Dj ing with vinyl for a Hi Fi person or as gifts with no turntable or a suitcase one, spoils the joy ,if the sound systems is bad, so sometimes...I find the cheep 50 pence record which is rare now, but still happens can be more fun ...bringing a record home and giving it a clean wow..can be great ..on a good sound system
Hey Robert. Another great video. First off, I thought the same thing you did about the 33.3% drop 🙂 It doesn't really effect me as I'm not a I gotta have all the variants buyer, one good playable copy is all I need. If there is any drop I agree that price could be a factor, but I also think that because they just keep reissuing the same albums over and over again, that record buyers new and old already have them... like Zeppelin, Fleetwood Mac, Metallica, Steely Dan, The Doors, etc. But who knows. Anyway... I dropped a new video today myself, if you're a Lynyrd Skynyrd fan, it's a deep dive into them. Cheers
33.3, sounds like an old Onion article, ha. I don’t know what is going on in my mind either. More more more records 😵💫 I’m certainly doing my part. Thanks for keeping it real and funny as usual Robert!
As your music knowledge improoves by reading the back covers of Lp's, you know more about the other Lp's somtimes checking out cover versions you never heard before on the lp's
I get a lot of records second hand. There's a store in the area that has someone (don't know who) who keeps selling their Blue Note reissues to them, so I'll often hold off on getting them new since they'll eventually turn up at that store. I've kind of stopped buying rock records for the most part, especially mainstream bands/artists. Jazz records that aren't bigger name/title originals stay relatively affordable since casual record buyers often don't give a crap about jazz. Then again, I would prefer spending $40 on a '70s John Coltrane reissue than a Queen record.
Much like you Robert. I have been buying records all my life. Even when no one wanted them. I was still buying them. Those days are long gone when the $1 bin was full of gold, if you knew what to grab. Now the dollar bin sucks. I can't even find a decent K-Tel album anymore. As in it looks like it wasn't played on a power sander. Our local store has been open since the mid to late 80s. And I still go there. Hell, I went there today with a friend, not even to buy anything. I walk in and see a UK copy of The Great Rock And Roll Swindle for $20. Which was just because the cover had a big rip in it. I honestly don't care about that. At least the previous owner taped it up. But the records look mint. Thats the part that matters. So yeah. Even when I'm not going to buy records. I am still buying records. My guess that album came in within the past couple days, because it sure wasn't there on monday (that was 3 days ago)
great point Robert , I agree the price of new vinyl is getting way out hand for some titles but on the other if you wait some have come down in price. I 'm still buy cd's because it might not come out on vinyl. I have slowed down buying new pressing but still buy used stuff. Also the price of new cassettes is way out hand any where from $19.99 to $30.00 dollars . look at record store day is getting crazy with picture disc and 3 inch records only play one side. or color variants of same pressing or putting out different songs on each pressing . Also the new old thing of recycle vinyl is becoming in trend again . Love that you hooked up your eight track player .
I could not care less if records are "out" again. In fact, I hope so. Like you said, they'll be cheaper! I was born in 1992 and got into records at a very, very young age. It was the late 90s/early 2000s, and if you liked records, you were considered an asshole. I would have adults (who were likely starting to regret selling off their records) belittle me. I did not care. If anything, I embraced it. And I welcomed the resurgence, as it was cool to have more people to share my interest with (like here in the VC). But I am fine being the odd man out again if I end up with more rekkids!
I read this occasionally in comments: "I'm a buyer, a collector, hype doesn't affect me. Demand goes down, prices go down. Yay." I think that is short sighted. Just a few things to consider: - It feels good to be part of a thriving community. - It feels good to collect items that isn't a relic of the past, but actually has a future. - Following demand, prices may go down, but so will the value of your collection. - New albums get released on formats that have a demand. I collect CDs and vinyl. The CD scene is depressing. Nobody should want that for their chosen media format.
I love the novelty and nostalgia of vinyl, but I must admit I went many years without a turntable starting in the 90s and only in the last couple of years started listening to my old albums again.
For me, The release of the infamous Adele triple Lp with its 500,000 copies marked the end of the vinyl boom. this album was the last Lp stocked at our local Walmart and consequently sat unsold and gathering dust for over a year until Walmart (in Canada) phased out its vinyl section, along with CD's altogether.
OMG.. a master stamper is good for making max 2000 copies.. so did they used 250 master stampers.. or pushed to use few master resulting low quality for the latter pressed?
@@RobertFithen i am not buying adele OR taylor swift for that matter. my collection so far is allot of classic rock, 1 disturbed album (the sickness) that was $20, i ordered another one today $11 for disturbed "believe", i couldnt believe $11 for brand new. i happen to like disturbed so i ordered it. i have so far a who album, moody blues, rush, grassroots, tommy james, zz top, disturbed, journey, boston. my wife has some country. we have only been at it about a month
I guess many in the VC and newcomers to vinyl are not buying into the hyped BS as much. As for myself, to my knowledge anyway, there aren't any mass producing record plants in Canada representing the big and popular labels. Hence, one of the contributing factors of vinyl costing so much where I lived. Everything is an import and its import pricing etc. Robert, is there also some truth to all the vinyl nowadays is mainly manufactured or rather reproduced digitally and then distributed on vinyl?? BTW, I love you and your channel. You are one of my top 5 "go to" channels regarding the VC.
I'll continue buying whatever my current collection obsession is. I officially began purchasing my own vinyl in 1967, but I remember there being records around from roughly 10 years prior. While I switched to mostly buying cds when they became available, the hoarder in me never even considered getting rid of the records (all the 8-tracks and most of the cassettes (very few of either) were escorted to the dumpster unfortunately). There was at least a 15 year (probably more like 20 year) period when I didn't even have a stereo set up. But the vinyl and cds sat there, taking up space. First thing I did after retirement was buy the parts and build my own computer. Retirement also marked the beginning of 10 years going deep down the rabbit hole of the indie nail polish world ( expensive and heavy with the added bonus of being breakable and considered hazmat, but hey the colors and finishes are so pretty). Around 2018 I started shifting back to vinyl. I set up a turntable and extra blu ray player so I could once again play it. Luckily "younger me" was very good at purchasing used albums that still sound amazing. At this point I've sort of come "full circle." I spent years buying cd copies of my favorite albums. Now one of the things I'm doing is purchasing vinyl copies of select cd's that I remember listing to a lot. As far as Illuminate Media, when their report came out a few years ago about people buying vinyl without the means to play it, I had so many questions. I tried to find a copy of the survey they used. What background information/instructions/definitions were give the those answering? WHAT were the questions? HOW were they worded? My gut feeling was that it was some combination of poorly constructed and biased, but who knows?
i’ve stopped buying new records due to price still shop for used when i can and have pivoted to CDs and cassettes more and more. if the bottom every falls on record prices i would definitely buy a lot more!
Because vinyl is vastly overpriced. Record companies ripping off customers, as usual and killing off their own business, like they have always done. Pure greed.
I think I'll be buying records for the forseeable future. I've tried to slow down a couple times, but I think I'm hooked. I was hooked on CDs in 90s and 00s and stopped buying mainly because I moved across the country, burned all my CDs and started buying all my new music as downloads. I can see that happening again where I move away from physical format.. maybe not though, because once the kids move out I'll have more room to store records/CDs... BTW - a thing that has been bugging me is that new vinyl is cheaper than used. There is one store around here that sells a used copy of the same record for as much as you can get it new in the same shop... I don't get that.
Sadly, the prices charged for recent 180g releases, vs the actual quality (pops, skips and generally not up to the hype) has put me off buying new vinyl. £40 or a vinyl LP that I can’t listen to because it skips? No thanks!
Per my recollection records became distinctly less of a thing by '88-'89. Records picked up in the 50s. Call it '55-'90, that's 35 years, so records have been gone just about as long as they were a widely embraced thing.
Even if the percentage is not exact prices are too damn high for just any condition both used and new while shipping costs follow the same path cause you know...the bad thing about vinyl shortage is that it will actually make the market worse for speculation. It's a tough way out of making record collecting affordable for Collecting :) i'm personally getting into cassette tapes.
Another upside to vinyl falling out of favor is that we won’t be accused of being hipsters, especially when you’re old and have been buying records on and off for 40 years. 😂
if you like classic rock, there is no shortage of used albums from back in the day that are still in good shape. im listening to the who, i paid $10 + $4 (i bought two from the same listing so i got two records for $24). the other record is rush hemispheres. the other day i bought 3 moody blues titles for $15. i know the sleeves are worn but they still sound great, they have character. i happen to love classic rock, i have bought a few records i paid $30 for but only a couple. the majority of what i have are inexpensive. $8 for boston debut and $9 for dont look back. there are older records that are still good deals.
I guess im kinda like you always want more, more, more vinyl but the prices as you said are waay too high and thats why ive only staryed to collect only my fave artist on vinyl.
I read something where after years of decline CD's were staging a small comeback of sorts. I'd be in that group. I have vinyl and CD's but have been buying a few more CD's as of late mostly due to pricing, selection and the extra songs available on CDs not on the standard vinyl release. I do believe vinyl new releases are mostly overpriced and am not willing to play that price as much anymore. I have always had vinyl and CDs and never really stopped buying. An example of a recent vinyl purchase is the new CSN&Y 1969 live concert on two LPs. Great sound quality on vinyl and I believe it is overall a better concert recording than the original 4 Way Street.
Real problem for me is not just price but records are shipped warped, dirty and produced on inferior vinyl! Record store owners are in a pinch because they cannot return this junk back to the supplier!
I wouldn’t care if vinyl quit being popular. We’d have lower prices and still tons of used old records to buy. However, I do like the reissues. I can’t afford the audiophile stuff (and it is probably lost on me), but I like the colored vinyl pressings of old favorites like those Target and Walmart will put out. And, also, buying a new, still in print LP of an old classic album that may go for major bucks for its original pressing won’t be a thing anymore if vinyl goes by the wayside. 😞 I was hoping for a CD resurgence, so I could sell off my collection for some decent money. 😂I find that I just don’t care about my CD collection that much. My uncle gave me some great Klipsch speakers and last year I actually played my CDs on a player. Something I haven’t done for years. I ripped my collection years ago and played them on a media player. It was great nostalgia. I played some of the first CDs I ever bought when I was 18 in ‘89 when I got a Philips CD boombox for my birthday. Oh shit, maybe I want to hold on to my CDs. 😆 And for some reason, I started collecting 8-tracks again. 🙄
Labels keep pressing the same titles, so how many sets of ears want to hear the same record?! The 33 rpm of a Rhino HiFi of Bad Company, a 45 RPM of the same album from the Atlantic 75th series, and so on. Enough already!! Interesting observation about the percentage that it was down! 😀
The reason it's down is because everybody realized that the new reissues are all digital garbage and are chasing 1st and 2nd pressings at private shops which can't be traced by Billboard. So vinyl sales are through the roof 100% on the second hand market.
I'm sure it has to do with prices. Although some albums are coming out at 19.99 to 24.99, more of the bigger names are releasing at 39.99 to 59.99. I myself haven't slowed down , but I see less younger people at the record stores. I over hear people talking about what they are after and it's jazz and classic rock. I don't remember a lot of titles for those genres . The fad may be over for the under 30, but those of us who never stopped buying to begin with aren't giving up just buying less because the cost and the selections available.
Because no one who collects records wants to wait months for pressing plants to stop pressing gazillions of King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard variants.
ive been picking up cds for a year now. i find them cheap and in the past i would flip them for vinyl, but ive been keeping them for the past year. honestly its the same reason i started keeping vinyl in the 90's. im a music fan i cont care so much what format, but im also a collecter so im not happy with streaming services.
well I know i've been buying vinyl much less than say, 15 years ago. First cause my "must buy" list shrank considerably. And then the raise in price for both new and used vinyl (specially used). I kick myself for not buying some titles when they were still under $100...
I point my finger towards record companies : they are and were greedy and their greediness fires back. Think back at the time were CDs were the hype thing... They were ridiculously priced and then napster appeared...
Just checked into this-Luminate issued a counterpoint. Quote: “Update: A representative from Luminate, the data company that supplies information for Billboard’s music consumption report, clarified that due to a recent change in the methodology for counting vinyl sales from independent retailers, it’s inaccurate to compare 2024 vinyl sales to previous years. In fact, Luminate reports that U.S. vinyl sales have increased by 6.2% when comparing both 2023 and 2024 activity through Q3, exclusive of independent retail data from both years.” So it’s six percent, not eight. And definitely not 33.
I'm not excusing myself. I was excited about being able to use them again for a while. But, I was only buying used vinyl LPs for a short while. They are not as convenient as CDs. 📀 Also, remember that CDs will play in DVD players and laptops. 📀 My tablet even plays CDs. 📀
This revival was always a fad to an extent. A BBC survey some years ago found that around 50% of vinyl buyers didn't play their records (some didn't even own a record deck!) so evidently some of the new 'collectors' - I'm obviously excluding long time record buyers from this - were just snapping up those limited coloured vinyl albums to pose with on their social media, or put in a frame in their home. Now in 2024 those types are moving on the next trend. Where that will leave true vinyl fans is the question; will the prices begin to drop off and the ridiculous trend of exploitative and overpriced limited coloured releases end? Hopefully it will.
Perhaps another factor affecting new record sales is pressing quality? Too often I'll buy a brand new record and the pressing quality is terrible with either stitching affecting the sound, or the record itself has a handprint on it because the plant workers aren't wearing gloves, or it's just plain noisy. As a buyer, however, I might be concerned with record sales dropping if it leads to stores closing. That would frustrate me, having to travel further to get to a record store. And one final factor to consider - rent. If the store owner doesn't own the building (and most don't, I think), then they're paying rent, and commercial landlords are perhaps even more rapacious than residential landlords. Rent everywhere is out of control, and a record store owner is going to figure that into their pricing. They have to. Otherwise they'd lose money.
I wasn’t one of those who sold their vinyl when it went out in the 90’s. Instead, I worried about how I would play them when my turntable broke. Needless to say, I now have unlimited options even though I still have my old one from 1988. I buy used and take chances with G+ vinyl with little problems.
Nothing of value in UK charity shops now, unless you like classical, Englebert Humperdink, Mantovani etc. CDs mostly crap although picked up Neil Young Decade 2 cd for £2! New vinyl is just getting too expensive, especially in the UK. An album in France or America can be up to £20 cheaper for the same item. I know we get vat, but the price difference is way beyond 20%. My wife almost goes into shock when I say I've not bought anything from a record shop. I've got all I need. Some are multiple copies which I will sell off at some point to have some fun with the proceeds! I've been listening to records for just over 45 years so I'm not a newbie, but it does annoy me that prices are so ridiculous. I rarely go in HMV now. I saw Tori Amos, Little Earthquakes in there for £60. I wondered if it was some limited edition, but no. Just a standard copy, with a stupid price on it! "Perceived value" is a term used to sell stuff. If it's too cheap, people won't buy it as they may think what's wrong with it? If it's too expensive, it becomes a luxury item that one can't afford. Price it right and it'll sell!
When someone starts collecting records, they buy several to amass a collection; after that, they buy records only occasionally when new titles are released. I also think the number of new people getting into vinyl has plateaued.
The same thing happened in the gaming industry in the 80's. Artificially advertised false demand of gaming consoles as the latest thing, must have, but in reality most the market was already saturated and software companies were peaking with wide library of terrible games while few were innovative....causing saturation. ET anyone. Now we have a similar example boomers returning to their youth and nostalgia for vinyl and record playing gear, while the young, perhaps latching on to the latest trend and also feeling cool by having this mechanical analog wonder on their dressers are buying more vinyl than digital media......boom.......enter the corporate cash grab, vinyl reproduction is at an all time high while the sound quality of most of them leaves something to be desired....many of my 80's produced records sound head and shoulders above newer reimagined, remastered, colored, etc. Meanwhile also there is false demand that is soon running out as millennials realize the cheap suitcase claptrap record player doesn't sound that much better than their earpods. Meanwhile corporate interested are hyping newest flashy box sets and colored records and limited releases...etc. Two years ago the average new record price hovered somewhere around $25 for a single record, now I am seeing pricing averages of $32-$35 with some single records at $40 and above. If you tell me this is going to last, well, I have some oceanfront property for sale in Arizona!
Its simple: the price/quality ratio is completly effed up. For years and years the industry is milking the fans with overpriced records and audio gear while living costs also is constantly rising by pretty stagnant incomes. So at some point even affluent retires saying themselves enough is enough.
Record shows, record shops, flea market booths with records are packed and shit shows… people are being more Selective because of inflated prices of new records… this happened with sports cards too… manufacturers got greedy and the natural correction is occurring
I rarely buy new records simply because I'm not up to date with what's coming out any more. For me, the two things that have contributed most to my major cutback vinyl wise are the condition and availability of used records which continues to decrease year on year. I'm not talking about classic rock and all that regular cheap dollar a go stuff. I have collected Psychedelic, Progressive and Punk releases from day one and the best choices disappeared years ago. I'm not spending hard earned cash on the overpriced tatty copies that sellers seem to think people will still actually buy. The other reason is that after more than forty years of trecking around and enjoying the hunt, I've reached a point where I literally have all that I want. Whether vinyl continues to thrive or slowly but surely disappears again is really not a problem for me now.
I’m in Australia. Here, like everything here, prices are ridiculous. It’s not unusual for new release vinyl to go on sale for about US$50 or more. Unless you’re rich (and there’s a lot of rich people here Down Under) buying vinyl is a luxury.
I do frequent my local Goodwill stores and I would never buy the records I see there, they are trashed. However, I will buy used CD's because of their toughness and I haven't come across a bad one yet. I do think CD's might make a resurgence in the near future. Also many recording of the 90's 2000's were never available on vinyl and if they were re-issued they would be mastered from the digital recording that would make the whole analog thing pointless. I've kept my turntable and records from the 70's and 80's in pristine condition, and I'm not going to destroy my un replaceable stylus and cartridge on a 3 dollar bargain record.
I would say 10-12 years ago was best time ever to buy vinyl, especially used. Now it’s just ridiculous.
TRUTH.
Yup!
I still enjoy hitting the flea markets, record fairs and my local shop for used vinyl. I only buy a new record on rare occasions. I still enjoy the rush of finding an LP I'm looking for in great condition for a great price in the bins. Nothing's going to change that for me.
I’ve been buying less vinyl. Kind of pricy to buy artificially “limited” releases. I’m not playing that game.
Whenever I buy a new record I say a little prayer- please please don’t let it be too warped.
I’m in the same boat. Lots of stuff and no one to leave it to. Like one old collector told me “you can’t put a u-haul behind a hearse”. So I’ve started to purge some things and doing the local record show has been a blessing. Price it decently and it will sell.
Probably because of issues like $300 cartridges, $700 turntables, record cleaners etc and albums from 40-50 years ago selling for $30-$40 a piece bring back CD'S and this is from a longtime record collector of about 50 years
Last year I sold almost half my LPs and am still spending the credit I accrued. After over fifty years of collecting, I finally realized I had more than enough music to listen to. Streaming also helped in this decision. Going through my LPs, I realized just how many I bought to "try out" that only ever got a few plays. With streaming, I can listen to an album once or a thousand times. I think every collector goes through this at some point. When you're ready, cull your collection and enjoy the profits while you're still around.
Streaming is not freedom. You’re being monitored at all times. You’re networked therefore you can be hacked. You have no say over catalog, ISP, nor platform prices which will never end.
Cool story bro @@jazzkatt7083
There are two takeaways from this. One that if vinyl sales go down too low. Labels will stop putting new albums on vinyl. Two, if the appearance of vinyl being not interesting gets popular enough, people will have a hard time finding hardware and that could be a serious blow to the community in general. Especially with many of the throwaway practices of recent years where record players are made to last only a few years (then their rechargeable battery dies or something breaks that don't have replacement parts available.)
Finally, cost of living as others have said, is a big deal and people are having less and less room to store records. Vinyl is a big serious investment that most people really can't afford to go crazy with.
I've had an eBay store for 15 years and sell rare jazz albums and rare 90s rock albums. Sales have been down almost 60% for 2024. With groceries increasing 50%, it's easy to see why.
I've been buying vinyl since 1962. I'm a "bottom feeder" . I prefer to make my finds at thrift stores(the pickin's have gotten slimmer in the last few years) and record shows. I am fortunate enough to have friends that know how much I enjoy vinyl records. They have either given me records or if they make a find will text me with the details and purchase them on my behalf. In the last year, I have bought two new vinyl releases ("Hackney Diamonds and "Now and Then") and 3 reissues . I do feel like I'm priced out of the new vinyl market. I don't plan on any new vinyl purchases any time soon. That said, after all these years I still enjoy the thrill of the hunt. Thanks for all you do Robert. Your videos are informative and entertaining!
There’s something about finding that original release in vg plus condition for $1.00
Hey Robert! Love the content you’ve been cranking out. I haven’t commented in a while but haven’t missed anything. The r&r hall video was great. I’ve always what it’s like and now know. I’m currently listening to Shadow Dancing on the K-Tel album Starburst. You’re video on K-Tel is must viewing. I’m 3 months older than you and know the tnat dynamic well. My roommate is the usedguy at the local record store and has been giving me K-Tel records for free. I’m up to 19. Lots of top 40 stuff I don’t need to own the full length, just the song. Hot Child In The City just kicked in. Between the 2 of us we’ve got some 8 tracks too. Another great video of yours he has to watch. Still waiting for your top singles of 1983. Rock On!
I bought my first record in 1975. I was 15 years old. I had 6 bucks from my allowance and all I could afford was a Byrds album that was on sale. To date, I now own close to 3000, so spending 40-50 bucks on a album is hard to swallow. I do buy new albums, but not near as many.
im listening to the who, who's next album. i bought it off of ebay for $10. it's an old album, the sleeve is aged but it still sounds great. i have plenty of records i paid $10 or less for. my spendiest buy was rush moving pictures 40th anniversary box set $90, but it is multiple records (5 LPs). i bought journey escape from walmart today $20.
Hey Robert, dig that Brain t-shirt you got there. I just scored a copy of Scorpions Action (Lonesome Crow) on Brain which is my first to own from that label. This year I've bought fewer albums compared to the past five years, particularly new vinyl simply because the prices are skyrocketing. I'm still buying new records but I'm way more selective and focusing more on scoring VG+ or better used vinyl. Cheers 🥂
I need to get more Brain records. There are so many I want, but postage from overseas is another element that has skyrocketed.
@@RobertFithen skyrocketed indeed! Luckily, I was able to score that title here in the states.
@@RobertFithen NEU!
Its on its way out folks. Cd's are coming back.
Watch these mom n pop music stores selling new cassettes for $20
Eight-tracks are the new thing.😮
a CD is no different than a digital download
Because prices for vinyl are ridiculously expensive. Buyers aren't being ripped off. Good !
I'm in Scotland. Whenever I take a trip to Edinburgh I'm shocked by what they're charging for records. HMV is a big chain in the UK and some of their prices are ridiculous. It's not unusual for them to charge the equivalent of $50 to $65 for a single LP. Just ordinary editions, nothing special. I'd definitely buy more if their prices were more reasonable.
I recall the early 90s when everyone was saying vinyl was dead and collections were being thrown out left right and centre. But if you were like me, someone who actually cherished the actual format as well as the music and never much cared for digital media or heaven forbid, downloads, you held on to the vinyl knowing that if you felt that way, there'd be others out there that felt the same. And sure enough, when a new generation discovered the alure of vinyl, the market was reborn. CDs will also have a resurgence.
I finally got a few record stores near by and I want to keep them there so I hope sales stay strong.
People are pissed. They are now made from digital recordings, so might as well get the digital file or CD. And the prices are out of control as always. And Flippers. People buying them up just to resell them at 2-10x what they paid for them.
Great video. I don't have a music collection (vinyl, cds, and tapes) because it's trendy. I have always loved music. Great point considering people gifting vinyl in statistics. I have told my family my collection is very clean and take it to my favorite record store - these are not $1 records!
My record collection is probably the most valuable thing in my life, put together from 20 years of dedicated thrifting. Probably the closest thing to a retirement fund I'll ever have. If it doesn't pan out, I still enjoy the art, the music - it may just have to hit the curb if I become less-of-home. But I do believe the era of the LP is also historically the birth of modern music, and I would hope they would hold value, if no longer as retro media then as music history antiques.
Always thought about post-death record distribution, haven't written a will but it would go best friends on down, best friend gets 300 free records, other friends get 100 free records. Family get to pick the first 1000 if they want to. Etc.
Then, have a yard sale. Say in the listing "lots of records." No photos. When the early birds show up, it's one or two crates of mid rock. $3-$5 each. We're talking foreigner, kansas, april wine. However, when a young kid and their parent show up, showing that bright eyed interest, tell em "there's actually a bunch more in the garage." Have about a thousand in there. Tell the kid a buck apiece. Pass that excitement along.
All I’m really bothered about is the thrill of finding a record I like at a reasonable price. Every now and again I’ll buy a new record at full price if it’s no more than £25.
It would be great to see prices drop. Its beyond ridiculous out there. Just got back from the UK and I didn't really see the gouging over there that is so common here.
For years now I have been seriously considering taking a cheap flight to London and staying there a week just to visit as many record stores as I can because even though many albums they sell on Discogs at good prices, the shipping will kill you. I've paid enough shipping to buy me a round trip ticket + hotel. Most likely in 2025.
Yeah, if sales are down it is absolutely due to the grotesque price gouging! Sales down 33% and pricing up 200%. Combine that with some redundancy in reissues and gimmicks. Also, if sales are down that is strictly units I assume vs overall revenue.
But like you said, if you just like music and vinyl...who cares if sales are down...more for us! Great video man!
yes many different people, I know a guy 8 years my junior, just introduced him to Vinly, he is 45, so new consumers coming in still, if the quality of your system improves, you buy more records old & new, Dj ing with vinyl for a Hi Fi person or as gifts with no turntable or a suitcase one, spoils the joy ,if the sound systems is bad, so sometimes...I find the cheep 50 pence record which is rare now, but still happens can be more fun ...bringing a record home and giving it a clean wow..can be great ..on a good sound system
Stopped buying new and used vinyl a year ago. Too high, not worth it. Bought good DACs and have not looked back
Couldn't care less about vinyl sales or the bubble bursting. Just hope they are always being pressed. Thanks for another illuminating video! 🙏
Well... If vinyl sales drop, pressing will decrease
@@antalantal2366 I agree, unfortunately. Just hoping… Cheers!
Hey Robert. Another great video. First off, I thought the same thing you did about the 33.3% drop 🙂 It doesn't really effect me as I'm not a I gotta have all the variants buyer, one good playable copy is all I need. If there is any drop I agree that price could be a factor, but I also think that because they just keep reissuing the same albums over and over again, that record buyers new and old already have them... like Zeppelin, Fleetwood Mac, Metallica, Steely Dan, The Doors, etc. But who knows. Anyway... I dropped a new video today myself, if you're a Lynyrd Skynyrd fan, it's a deep dive into them. Cheers
There are so many great albums that are out of print, yet they keep issuing the same ones. Just checked out your Lynyrd Skynyrd video.
@@RobertFithen I couldn’t agree more, so many cool albums that are in need of a reissue. Cheers
33.3, sounds like an old Onion article, ha. I don’t know what is going on in my mind either. More more more records 😵💫 I’m certainly doing my part.
Thanks for keeping it real and funny as usual Robert!
As your music knowledge improoves by reading the back covers of Lp's, you know more about the other Lp's somtimes checking out cover versions you never heard before on the lp's
I get a lot of records second hand. There's a store in the area that has someone (don't know who) who keeps selling their Blue Note reissues to them, so I'll often hold off on getting them new since they'll eventually turn up at that store. I've kind of stopped buying rock records for the most part, especially mainstream bands/artists. Jazz records that aren't bigger name/title originals stay relatively affordable since casual record buyers often don't give a crap about jazz. Then again, I would prefer spending $40 on a '70s John Coltrane reissue than a Queen record.
Much like you Robert. I have been buying records all my life. Even when no one wanted them. I was still buying them. Those days are long gone when the $1 bin was full of gold, if you knew what to grab. Now the dollar bin sucks. I can't even find a decent K-Tel album anymore. As in it looks like it wasn't played on a power sander. Our local store has been open since the mid to late 80s. And I still go there. Hell, I went there today with a friend, not even to buy anything. I walk in and see a UK copy of The Great Rock And Roll Swindle for $20. Which was just because the cover had a big rip in it. I honestly don't care about that. At least the previous owner taped it up. But the records look mint. Thats the part that matters. So yeah. Even when I'm not going to buy records. I am still buying records. My guess that album came in within the past couple days, because it sure wasn't there on monday (that was 3 days ago)
great point Robert , I agree the price of new vinyl is getting way out hand for some titles but on the other if you wait some have come down in price. I 'm still buy cd's because it might not come out on vinyl. I have slowed down buying new pressing but still buy used stuff. Also the price of new cassettes is way out hand any where from $19.99 to $30.00 dollars . look at record store day is getting crazy with picture disc and 3 inch records only play one side. or color variants of same pressing or putting out different songs on each pressing . Also the new old thing of recycle vinyl is becoming in trend again . Love that you hooked up your eight track player .
I could not care less if records are "out" again. In fact, I hope so. Like you said, they'll be cheaper!
I was born in 1992 and got into records at a very, very young age. It was the late 90s/early 2000s, and if you liked records, you were considered an asshole. I would have adults (who were likely starting to regret selling off their records) belittle me. I did not care. If anything, I embraced it. And I welcomed the resurgence, as it was cool to have more people to share my interest with (like here in the VC). But I am fine being the odd man out again if I end up with more rekkids!
Exactly!
I read this occasionally in comments: "I'm a buyer, a collector, hype doesn't affect me. Demand goes down, prices go down. Yay." I think that is short sighted. Just a few things to consider:
- It feels good to be part of a thriving community.
- It feels good to collect items that isn't a relic of the past, but actually has a future.
- Following demand, prices may go down, but so will the value of your collection.
- New albums get released on formats that have a demand.
I collect CDs and vinyl. The CD scene is depressing. Nobody should want that for their chosen media format.
I love the novelty and nostalgia of vinyl, but I must admit I went many years without a turntable starting in the 90s and only in the last couple of years started listening to my old albums again.
Awesome video Robert have a great weekend ❤😊
For me, The release of the infamous Adele triple Lp with its 500,000 copies marked the end of the vinyl boom. this album was the last Lp stocked at our local Walmart and consequently sat unsold and gathering dust for over a year until Walmart (in Canada) phased out its vinyl section, along with CD's altogether.
I think it marked the end of Adele. Thankfully.
OMG.. a master stamper is good for making max 2000 copies.. so did they used 250 master stampers.. or pushed to use few master resulting low quality for the latter pressed?
@@RobertFithen i am not buying adele OR taylor swift for that matter. my collection so far is allot of classic rock, 1 disturbed album (the sickness) that was $20, i ordered another one today $11 for disturbed "believe", i couldnt believe $11 for brand new. i happen to like disturbed so i ordered it. i have so far a who album, moody blues, rush, grassroots, tommy james, zz top, disturbed, journey, boston. my wife has some country. we have only been at it about a month
I started collecting back in 2010. I wish I had bought more but was just out of college. A lot of my grails came from purchases around 2010-2014
I guess many in the VC and newcomers to vinyl are not buying into the hyped BS as much. As for myself, to my knowledge anyway, there aren't any mass producing record plants in Canada representing the big and popular labels. Hence, one of the contributing factors of vinyl costing so much where I lived. Everything is an import and its import pricing etc. Robert, is there also some truth to all the vinyl nowadays is mainly manufactured or rather reproduced digitally and then distributed on vinyl?? BTW, I love you and your channel. You are one of my top 5 "go to" channels regarding the VC.
Thanks!! Yes, a lot of what is being put on vinyl is digitally sourced with various levels of quality.
These figures leave me Dazed 🥴 & Confused 😕.
I will continue to purchase records & CD regardless if the sales are down. I was buying CDs when the industry was going bankrupt.
I'll continue buying whatever my current collection obsession is. I officially began purchasing my own vinyl in 1967, but I remember there being records around from roughly 10 years prior. While I switched to mostly buying cds when they became available, the hoarder in me never even considered getting rid of the records (all the 8-tracks and most of the cassettes (very few of either) were escorted to the dumpster unfortunately). There was at least a 15 year (probably more like 20 year) period when I didn't even have a stereo set up. But the vinyl and cds sat there, taking up space. First thing I did after retirement was buy the parts and build my own computer. Retirement also marked the beginning of 10 years going deep down the rabbit hole of the indie nail polish world ( expensive and heavy with the added bonus of being breakable and considered hazmat, but hey the colors and finishes are so pretty). Around 2018 I started shifting back to vinyl. I set up a turntable and extra blu ray player so I could once again play it. Luckily "younger me" was very good at purchasing used albums that still sound amazing. At this point I've sort of come "full circle." I spent years buying cd copies of my favorite albums. Now one of the things I'm doing is purchasing vinyl copies of select cd's that I remember listing to a lot.
As far as Illuminate Media, when their report came out a few years ago about people buying vinyl without the means to play it, I had so many questions. I tried to find a copy of the survey they used. What background information/instructions/definitions were give the those answering? WHAT were the questions? HOW were they worded? My gut feeling was that it was some combination of poorly constructed and biased, but who knows?
Cost of living ls the thing. I buy a couple new releases a year now. But I've got everything I want
if it stops old men coming up and saying 'this vinyl's coming back in now, isn't it'? when I'm looking through records in a charity shop.
Grew up with Vinyl and collect turntables. Continue to buy Vinyl and enjoy the interaction with this avenue of music.
i’ve stopped buying new records due to price still
shop for used when i can and have pivoted to CDs and cassettes more and more. if the bottom every falls on record prices i would definitely buy a lot more!
For me it’s not just the overpriced records, it’s the high fuel prices and interest rates and just the poor farm economy in general.
Wow its the first year since 2000 that vinyl isn't 'making a comeback'
Because vinyl is vastly overpriced. Record companies ripping off customers, as usual and killing off their own business, like they have always done. Pure greed.
100% agree. They do it over and over over
I think I'll be buying records for the forseeable future. I've tried to slow down a couple times, but I think I'm hooked. I was hooked on CDs in 90s and 00s and stopped buying mainly because I moved across the country, burned all my CDs and started buying all my new music as downloads. I can see that happening again where I move away from physical format.. maybe not though, because once the kids move out I'll have more room to store records/CDs... BTW - a thing that has been bugging me is that new vinyl is cheaper than used. There is one store around here that sells a used copy of the same record for as much as you can get it new in the same shop... I don't get that.
Maybe if they didn't cost a small fortune....WAY overpriced
Sadly, the prices charged for recent 180g releases, vs the actual quality (pops, skips and generally not up to the hype) has put me off buying new vinyl. £40 or a vinyl LP that I can’t listen to because it skips? No thanks!
Problem is that if record sales keep dropping than they won't be releasing as many new releases.
Per my recollection records became distinctly less of a thing by '88-'89. Records picked up in the 50s. Call it '55-'90, that's 35 years, so records have been gone just about as long as they were a widely embraced thing.
Even if the percentage is not exact prices are too damn high for just any condition both used and new while shipping costs follow the same path cause you know...the bad thing about vinyl shortage is that it will actually make the market worse for speculation. It's a tough way out of making record collecting affordable for Collecting :) i'm personally getting into cassette tapes.
Another upside to vinyl falling out of favor is that we won’t be accused of being hipsters, especially when you’re old and have been buying records on and off for 40 years. 😂
Majors are killing the golden goose. Luckily I am into underground metal...prices are still $20-25, with lots of extras and variants.
I stopped buying “new” vinyl some time ago when Records prices hit $35.
if you like classic rock, there is no shortage of used albums from back in the day that are still in good shape. im listening to the who, i paid $10 + $4 (i bought two from the same listing so i got two records for $24). the other record is rush hemispheres. the other day i bought 3 moody blues titles for $15. i know the sleeves are worn but they still sound great, they have character. i happen to love classic rock, i have bought a few records i paid $30 for but only a couple. the majority of what i have are inexpensive. $8 for boston debut and $9 for dont look back. there are older records that are still good deals.
@ Yep, that’s about all I buy now. Garage sales, thrift stores, and what not.
I guess im kinda like you always want more, more, more vinyl but the prices as you said are waay too high and thats why ive only staryed to collect only my fave artist on vinyl.
Three price of vinyl records is too expensive
They've become too expensive.
I read something where after years of decline CD's were staging a small comeback of sorts. I'd be in that group. I have vinyl and CD's but have been buying a few more CD's as of late mostly due to pricing, selection and the extra songs available on CDs not on the standard vinyl release. I do believe vinyl new releases are mostly overpriced and am not willing to play that price as much anymore. I have always had vinyl and CDs and never really stopped buying. An example of a recent vinyl purchase is the new CSN&Y 1969 live concert on two LPs. Great sound quality on vinyl and I believe it is overall a better concert recording than the original 4 Way Street.
People this year have less disposable income than in 2023. That has a lot of effect on anything used for enjoyment.
Real problem for me is not just price but records are shipped warped, dirty and produced on inferior vinyl! Record store owners are in a pinch because they cannot return this junk back to the supplier!
LOVE that Germs. $3 bucks DAYUM!! Accept, Breaker! I too needed the German pressing.
I wouldn’t care if vinyl quit being popular. We’d have lower prices and still tons of used old records to buy. However, I do like the reissues. I can’t afford the audiophile stuff (and it is probably lost on me), but I like the colored vinyl pressings of old favorites like those Target and Walmart will put out. And, also, buying a new, still in print LP of an old classic album that may go for major bucks for its original pressing won’t be a thing anymore if vinyl goes by the wayside.
😞
I was hoping for a CD resurgence, so I could sell off my collection for some decent money. 😂I find that I just don’t care about my CD collection that much. My uncle gave me some great Klipsch speakers and last year I actually played my CDs on a player. Something I haven’t done for years. I ripped my collection years ago and played them on a media player. It was great nostalgia. I played some of the first CDs I ever bought when I was 18 in ‘89 when I got a Philips CD boombox for my birthday.
Oh shit, maybe I want to hold on to my CDs. 😆
And for some reason, I started collecting 8-tracks again. 🙄
Labels keep pressing the same titles, so how many sets of ears want to hear the same record?! The 33 rpm of a Rhino HiFi of Bad Company, a 45 RPM of the same album from the Atlantic 75th series, and so on. Enough already!! Interesting observation about the percentage that it was down! 😀
and there are so many titles that have been out of print that could be reissued, but they keep putting out the same titles again and again.
The reason it's down is because everybody realized that the new reissues are all digital garbage and are chasing 1st and 2nd pressings at private shops which can't be traced by Billboard. So vinyl sales are through the roof 100% on the second hand market.
I'm sure it has to do with prices. Although some albums are coming out at 19.99 to 24.99, more of the bigger names are releasing at 39.99 to 59.99. I myself haven't slowed down , but I see less younger people at the record stores. I over hear people talking about what they are after and it's jazz and classic rock. I don't remember a lot of titles for those genres . The fad may be over for the under 30, but those of us who never stopped buying to begin with aren't giving up just buying less because the cost and the selections available.
Because no one who collects records wants to wait months for pressing plants to stop pressing gazillions of King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard variants.
Many thanks Mr Fithen✌️🤘👊
ive been picking up cds for a year now. i find them cheap and in the past i would flip them for vinyl, but ive been keeping them for the past year. honestly its the same reason i started keeping vinyl in the 90's. im a music fan i cont care so much what format, but im also a collecter so im not happy with streaming services.
I keep telling myself I won't buy anymore but I love digging too much
well I know i've been buying vinyl much less than say, 15 years ago. First cause my "must buy" list shrank considerably. And then the raise in price for both new and used vinyl (specially used). I kick myself for not buying some titles when they were still under $100...
The potential downside to the consumer is that supply is already tight for new records and the reduced demand might reduce supply even further
Walmart stocks their $30 records like a real shop stocks their dollar bins.
Very well stated
I'll be interested in hearing your opinion on the soon to be released remix of Queen's first album.
A video is coming about my feelings on remixes.
@@RobertFithen They is rename it "Queen I" lol
Vinyl has gotten far too expensive.
Great video !!!
I point my finger towards record companies : they are and were greedy and their greediness fires back. Think back at the time were CDs were the hype thing... They were ridiculously priced and then napster appeared...
That’s nuts. I think Forbes just reported that sales are up 8 percent or so.
Just checked into this-Luminate issued a counterpoint. Quote:
“Update: A representative from Luminate, the data company that supplies information for Billboard’s music consumption report, clarified that due to a recent change in the methodology for counting vinyl sales from independent retailers, it’s inaccurate to compare 2024 vinyl sales to previous years. In fact, Luminate reports that U.S. vinyl sales have increased by 6.2% when comparing both 2023 and 2024 activity through Q3, exclusive of independent retail data from both years.”
So it’s six percent, not eight. And definitely not 33.
Yes, I say all of this in the video.
Oh, hell, you certainly did. I’ll just fade away now…
@@MarsNova lol
I'm not excusing myself. I was excited about being able to use them again for a while. But, I was only buying used vinyl LPs for a short while. They are not as convenient as CDs. 📀 Also, remember that CDs will play in DVD players and laptops. 📀 My tablet even plays CDs. 📀
This revival was always a fad to an extent. A BBC survey some years ago found that around 50% of vinyl buyers didn't play their records (some didn't even own a record deck!) so evidently some of the new 'collectors' - I'm obviously excluding long time record buyers from this - were just snapping up those limited coloured vinyl albums to pose with on their social media, or put in a frame in their home. Now in 2024 those types are moving on the next trend. Where that will leave true vinyl fans is the question; will the prices begin to drop off and the ridiculous trend of exploitative and overpriced limited coloured releases end? Hopefully it will.
I stopped buying records in the 90s. So, yeah… no concerns for me. I do hope CD prices remain low, though.
Perhaps another factor affecting new record sales is pressing quality? Too often I'll buy a brand new record and the pressing quality is terrible with either stitching affecting the sound, or the record itself has a handprint on it because the plant workers aren't wearing gloves, or it's just plain noisy. As a buyer, however, I might be concerned with record sales dropping if it leads to stores closing. That would frustrate me, having to travel further to get to a record store. And one final factor to consider - rent. If the store owner doesn't own the building (and most don't, I think), then they're paying rent, and commercial landlords are perhaps even more rapacious than residential landlords. Rent everywhere is out of control, and a record store owner is going to figure that into their pricing. They have to. Otherwise they'd lose money.
I forgot to mention quality control.
Too expensive now!
I wasn’t one of those who sold their vinyl when it went out in the 90’s. Instead, I worried about how I would play them when my turntable broke. Needless to say, I now have unlimited options even though I still have my old one from 1988. I buy used and take chances with G+ vinyl with little problems.
I've had problems with vinyl listed as VG+.
@@RobertFithen wow, I’ve been lucky!
Nothing of value in UK charity shops now, unless you like classical, Englebert Humperdink, Mantovani etc. CDs mostly crap although picked up Neil Young Decade 2 cd for £2! New vinyl is just getting too expensive, especially in the UK. An album in France or America can be up to £20 cheaper for the same item. I know we get vat, but the price difference is way beyond 20%. My wife almost goes into shock when I say I've not bought anything from a record shop. I've got all I need. Some are multiple copies which I will sell off at some point to have some fun with the proceeds! I've been listening to records for just over 45 years so I'm not a newbie, but it does annoy me that prices are so ridiculous. I rarely go in HMV now. I saw Tori Amos, Little Earthquakes in there for £60. I wondered if it was some limited edition, but no. Just a standard copy, with a stupid price on it! "Perceived value" is a term used to sell stuff. If it's too cheap, people won't buy it as they may think what's wrong with it? If it's too expensive, it becomes a luxury item that one can't afford. Price it right and it'll sell!
When someone starts collecting records, they buy several to amass a collection; after that, they buy records only occasionally when new titles are released.
I also think the number of new people getting into vinyl has plateaued.
The same thing happened in the gaming industry in the 80's. Artificially advertised false demand of gaming consoles as the latest thing, must have, but in reality most the market was already saturated and software companies were peaking with wide library of terrible games while few were innovative....causing saturation. ET anyone. Now we have a similar example boomers returning to their youth and nostalgia for vinyl and record playing gear, while the young, perhaps latching on to the latest trend and also feeling cool by having this mechanical analog wonder on their dressers are buying more vinyl than digital media......boom.......enter the corporate cash grab, vinyl reproduction is at an all time high while the sound quality of most of them leaves something to be desired....many of my 80's produced records sound head and shoulders above newer reimagined, remastered, colored, etc. Meanwhile also there is false demand that is soon running out as millennials realize the cheap suitcase claptrap record player doesn't sound that much better than their earpods. Meanwhile corporate interested are hyping newest flashy box sets and colored records and limited releases...etc. Two years ago the average new record price hovered somewhere around $25 for a single record, now I am seeing pricing averages of $32-$35 with some single records at $40 and above. If you tell me this is going to last, well, I have some oceanfront property for sale in Arizona!
I've really started getting interested in CDs again. Just bought the first one I've purchased in around 6 years or so.
If sales are up, do we know if it’s dollars or units? Either way higher prices, that could inflate the numbers.
I hope the prices go down some however it happens. I wont stop buying but I could buy more...
Its simple: the price/quality ratio is completly effed up. For years and years the industry is milking
the fans with overpriced records and audio gear while living costs also is constantly rising by pretty
stagnant incomes. So at some point even affluent retires saying themselves enough is enough.
Record shows, record shops, flea market booths with records are packed and shit shows… people are being more Selective because of inflated prices of new records… this happened with sports cards too… manufacturers got greedy and the natural correction is occurring
I rarely buy new records simply because I'm not up to date with what's coming out any more. For me, the two things that have contributed most to my major cutback vinyl wise are the condition and availability of used records which continues to decrease year on year. I'm not talking about classic rock and all that regular cheap dollar a go stuff. I have collected Psychedelic, Progressive and Punk releases from day one and the best choices disappeared years ago. I'm not spending hard earned cash on the overpriced tatty copies that sellers seem to think people will still actually buy. The other reason is that after more than forty years of trecking around and enjoying the hunt, I've reached a point where I literally have all that I want. Whether vinyl continues to thrive or slowly but surely disappears again is really not a problem for me now.
I’m in Australia. Here, like everything here, prices are ridiculous. It’s not unusual for new release vinyl to go on sale for about US$50 or more. Unless you’re rich (and there’s a lot of rich people here Down Under) buying vinyl is a luxury.
I hope the used classic rock records go back to being $1-5. I’ll buy a ton!
Inflation..... In 78 records were about $8. Now $35 is worth about $8. Not too expensive.
I do frequent my local Goodwill stores and I would never buy the records I see there, they are trashed. However, I will buy used CD's because of their toughness and I haven't come across a bad one yet. I do think CD's might make a resurgence in the near future. Also many recording of the 90's 2000's were never available on vinyl and if they were re-issued they would be mastered from the digital recording that would make the whole analog thing pointless. I've kept my turntable and records from the 70's and 80's in pristine condition, and I'm not going to destroy my un replaceable stylus and cartridge on a 3 dollar bargain record.