In his latest column, Mario laments the dying of vinyl — and cassette tapes and CDs, for that matter. Do you buy music from stores anymore, or do you exclusively download? Do you have strong feelings either way? Share your favorite album or CD cover art if you have one, too.
(Photo: coverbrowser.com. You can't experience cover art like this when you download, now, can you?)
kind of odd considering the fact that a lot of record labels (merge, lost highway, even universal lately) have been increasing there vinyl production.
Most music magazines have commented on it and even the latest rolling stone mag had a full page article on the increase in vinyl sales the last two years.
digital sure is convenient and i love my ipod, but after work there is nothing better than a beer and the allman brothers on vinyl.
Posted by Leo Hernandez @ 11:17 PM Mon, Jun 09, 2008
Mario,
I totally understand, I used to feel that way too, but I think I am slipping into the technological world of downloading my music instead of purchasing a cd, of course every now and then I would buy the cd to listen to it on my living room, and I would also download from the itunes store such is the case with Mariah's latest.
But I have finally decided to just skip the cd's and start downloading from itunes.
I'll take warm analog sound over cold, digital ones and zeroes any day. Though representing a niche portion of today's music market, vinyl is gaining ground while CDs are already viewed as extinct by industry pundits. Do I foresee a vinyl resurgence and return to the medium's '70s heyday? Nope, all tangible media products (vinyl, CDs, etc.) are becoming relics as downloading continues its dominance. But as long as music connoisseurs thrill to stylus needles, elaborate packaging and unrivaled intimacy between listener and analog sound, vinyl will live on. And on a hopeful note: major artists continue releasing new material - and re-releasing classic albums - on 180-gram vinyl, often at 45 rpm speeds for even better sound quality. So we've got new vinyl as well as classic treasures awaiting discovery at the local used music shop (itself facing extinction :-(
what's going on today reminds me of the '45' days. Most of it was disposable after you wore the grooves, and most of it no artwork. First '45' bought with my own money was Janis Joplin's 'Bobby McGee'. Thought she was black until I saw one of her album covers.
I totally agree with you. I still buy quite a few CDs though. I like to hold what I own; unlike downloads that lack tangibility and liner notes. Also, the art of the album has gone to the wayside. Remember when you could put on an album and let the whole thing play through? Now days, everything is based off the power of the single which I find to be lame, lacking artistic merit and presenation.
My goal is to accumulate a massive CD collection; it's the vinyl of the future.
A special thanks goes out to MTV for killing music. How can a network be marketed as "music television" when it doesn't even feature music? Am I the only one picking up on this travesty?
Mario, your take is quite succinct. As a recent article in Rolling Stone suggested, listening to music used to be a physical activity that took care and involvement; placing the needle in the groove on LPs, handling a cassette tape with care, etc. That's above and beyond the 'extras' that came with vinyl; the album cover itself, liner notes, etc. Reading through all of that while listening for the first time is what I miss most about those days.
What troubles me the most about the digital trend is audio quality. I'm a mild audiophile, and a good chunk of what I have on my iPods (I have three) I can't stand to listen to on my home OR bedroom stereo because the quality and compression are so bad, even at high bitrates.
That's partially why vinyl is making a comeback among not just some Baby Boomers but young music nuts as well. For instance: the Raconteurs released its new album on vinyl before CD, and the LP of Radiohead's latest sold out in days despite a three-figure price tag. Will that matter to the masses? No. But it's a sign that quality and the 'package' matters to enough people that it'll always be considered until we all have graphic chips, tone controls and DACs implanted into our brains.
Posted by Ranger Randell @ 1:07 PM Tue, Jun 10, 2008
Mario,
I agree as do others who have commented. Glad to here you and your readers feel as I do. I have often referred to "vinyl albums" as a collection of short stories with addtional words and pictures via the cover and liner notes. My wife and I have a collection of nearly 3,000 vinyl LP's we have collected since the late sixties. We used to got the "record store", buy the album, come home, put it on the turntable and put on our headphones and listen to the whole thing from beginning to end. We would read every lyric, if they were provided, and every word on the cover and the liner notes. I remember listening to Jackson Browne's, Late For The Sky, and thinking about the people Jackson wrote about, the places and their circumstances. Great writing, is great literature whether it's in a song or in a short story or novel. An album is a collection. When an artists commits to creating an album they've got a lot to say. Let's give them the chance to say all they want to say and not stop them with one track.
Thanks for pointing out the value of great bodies of work in the "album" format. Whether it's on vinyl or CD.
I have been an avid music collector since I was 11 years old, Have an extensive Vinyl and CD collection. When I listen to music in my media room
my kids (13 and 16 yr old boys) think it's strange
that I can just listen to music without being on
IM, computer, video games etc..I don't see kids that just listen to music .. No wonder they don't
care that MP3 only give a portion of the music.
I also find that most adults, lets say over 30 yrs old listen to music much or have a passion for a certain Artist. Most people after work just watch TV and rarely listen.
Still I think we will always have a small ninch of those who love muisc, and it does not get better
then Records..
I dont own much vinyl, but I agree with Tarradell. I personally like being able to hold something that is tangible. I like looking at the art work and seeing who the artist(s) thank. Sometimes I look up where they recorded, who produced the record, etc.
My CD collection is slowly growing. I love visiting and supporting my local record store rather than big old iTunes Store. I do have iTunes and I do have an iPod, but I just load my CDs up onto it.
I did just get a record player so now I guess I'm going to have to buy some more vinyl... I also think that if more and more artists start to include free Digital Downloads with their vinyl albums, then the vinyl would sell. People love the warm sounds of vinyl but they also want to have it on their iPod when they go out for a jog.
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Comments
Posted by Susan @ 9:52 PM Mon, Jun 09, 2008
All I can say is Mario summed up my sentiments exactly!!
Posted by patrick @ 10:29 PM Mon, Jun 09, 2008
kind of odd considering the fact that a lot of record labels (merge, lost highway, even universal lately) have been increasing there vinyl production.
Most music magazines have commented on it and even the latest rolling stone mag had a full page article on the increase in vinyl sales the last two years.
digital sure is convenient and i love my ipod, but after work there is nothing better than a beer and the allman brothers on vinyl.
Posted by Clayton Hankins @ 11:03 PM Mon, Jun 09, 2008
For the vinyl experience in the digital domain, check out the Sooloos music server. It's the best thing in the music world in a long time.
Posted by Leo Hernandez @ 11:17 PM Mon, Jun 09, 2008
Mario,
I totally understand, I used to feel that way too, but I think I am slipping into the technological world of downloading my music instead of purchasing a cd, of course every now and then I would buy the cd to listen to it on my living room, and I would also download from the itunes store such is the case with Mariah's latest.
But I have finally decided to just skip the cd's and start downloading from itunes.
Posted by Lee @ 7:20 AM Tue, Jun 10, 2008
I'll take warm analog sound over cold, digital ones and zeroes any day. Though representing a niche portion of today's music market, vinyl is gaining ground while CDs are already viewed as extinct by industry pundits. Do I foresee a vinyl resurgence and return to the medium's '70s heyday? Nope, all tangible media products (vinyl, CDs, etc.) are becoming relics as downloading continues its dominance. But as long as music connoisseurs thrill to stylus needles, elaborate packaging and unrivaled intimacy between listener and analog sound, vinyl will live on. And on a hopeful note: major artists continue releasing new material - and re-releasing classic albums - on 180-gram vinyl, often at 45 rpm speeds for even better sound quality. So we've got new vinyl as well as classic treasures awaiting discovery at the local used music shop (itself facing extinction :-(
Posted by Chris U @ 11:19 AM Tue, Jun 10, 2008
what's going on today reminds me of the '45' days. Most of it was disposable after you wore the grooves, and most of it no artwork. First '45' bought with my own money was Janis Joplin's 'Bobby McGee'. Thought she was black until I saw one of her album covers.
Posted by Ridley @ 11:41 AM Tue, Jun 10, 2008
Mario -
I totally agree with you. I still buy quite a few CDs though. I like to hold what I own; unlike downloads that lack tangibility and liner notes. Also, the art of the album has gone to the wayside. Remember when you could put on an album and let the whole thing play through? Now days, everything is based off the power of the single which I find to be lame, lacking artistic merit and presenation.
My goal is to accumulate a massive CD collection; it's the vinyl of the future.
A special thanks goes out to MTV for killing music. How can a network be marketed as "music television" when it doesn't even feature music? Am I the only one picking up on this travesty?
Posted by Mike Daniel @ 1:03 PM Tue, Jun 10, 2008
Mario, your take is quite succinct. As a recent article in Rolling Stone suggested, listening to music used to be a physical activity that took care and involvement; placing the needle in the groove on LPs, handling a cassette tape with care, etc. That's above and beyond the 'extras' that came with vinyl; the album cover itself, liner notes, etc. Reading through all of that while listening for the first time is what I miss most about those days.
What troubles me the most about the digital trend is audio quality. I'm a mild audiophile, and a good chunk of what I have on my iPods (I have three) I can't stand to listen to on my home OR bedroom stereo because the quality and compression are so bad, even at high bitrates.
That's partially why vinyl is making a comeback among not just some Baby Boomers but young music nuts as well. For instance: the Raconteurs released its new album on vinyl before CD, and the LP of Radiohead's latest sold out in days despite a three-figure price tag. Will that matter to the masses? No. But it's a sign that quality and the 'package' matters to enough people that it'll always be considered until we all have graphic chips, tone controls and DACs implanted into our brains.
Posted by Ranger Randell @ 1:07 PM Tue, Jun 10, 2008
Mario,
I agree as do others who have commented. Glad to here you and your readers feel as I do. I have often referred to "vinyl albums" as a collection of short stories with addtional words and pictures via the cover and liner notes. My wife and I have a collection of nearly 3,000 vinyl LP's we have collected since the late sixties. We used to got the "record store", buy the album, come home, put it on the turntable and put on our headphones and listen to the whole thing from beginning to end. We would read every lyric, if they were provided, and every word on the cover and the liner notes. I remember listening to Jackson Browne's, Late For The Sky, and thinking about the people Jackson wrote about, the places and their circumstances. Great writing, is great literature whether it's in a song or in a short story or novel. An album is a collection. When an artists commits to creating an album they've got a lot to say. Let's give them the chance to say all they want to say and not stop them with one track.
Thanks for pointing out the value of great bodies of work in the "album" format. Whether it's on vinyl or CD.
Peace & Happy Musical Trails!
Posted by Pun Is Sure @ 1:15 PM Tue, Jun 10, 2008
Ridley is totally right, couldn't have said it better myself.
Posted by Bob @ 10:15 AM Fri, Jun 13, 2008
I have been an avid music collector since I was 11 years old, Have an extensive Vinyl and CD collection. When I listen to music in my media room
my kids (13 and 16 yr old boys) think it's strange
that I can just listen to music without being on
IM, computer, video games etc..I don't see kids that just listen to music .. No wonder they don't
care that MP3 only give a portion of the music.
I also find that most adults, lets say over 30 yrs old listen to music much or have a passion for a certain Artist. Most people after work just watch TV and rarely listen.
Still I think we will always have a small ninch of those who love muisc, and it does not get better
then Records..
Bob
Posted by Anne @ 8:59 PM Mon, Jun 16, 2008
I dont own much vinyl, but I agree with Tarradell. I personally like being able to hold something that is tangible. I like looking at the art work and seeing who the artist(s) thank. Sometimes I look up where they recorded, who produced the record, etc.
My CD collection is slowly growing. I love visiting and supporting my local record store rather than big old iTunes Store. I do have iTunes and I do have an iPod, but I just load my CDs up onto it.
I did just get a record player so now I guess I'm going to have to buy some more vinyl... I also think that if more and more artists start to include free Digital Downloads with their vinyl albums, then the vinyl would sell. People love the warm sounds of vinyl but they also want to have it on their iPod when they go out for a jog.