Take Those Old Records Off the Shelf...

Today is Vinyl Record Day - and in doing my research about the celebration, I was a little surprised to read that vinyl records are actually making a comeback! Evidently a lot of people appreciate the subtle differences between the softer sounds (and even those nuances created by the imperfections of the grooves) and the somewhat flatter "clarity" of digital music. I can only hope that this means that record players may once again become a popular component of stereo systems - for the sake of the couple hundred or so vinyls that I still haven't been able to part with... Hey, I have some great emotional moments tied to some of them!


So why would people want to bring back vinyl? For starters, vinyl albums are produced using analog recording methods. Now you're thinking - But analog is so "primitive" compared to digital. Technically yes, but did you realize that the human ear hears in analog? Digital compression allows for the sounds you hear to remain consistent, but the actual sounds you hear are flat, lacking the subtlety of analog recordings. Music purists - including record collectors, DJs, and audiophiles will invariably agree that vinyl recordings just sound better.


While the shop you buy your music at (for those of you who don't download it all) probably doesn't sell albums, the vinyl album industry is still big business. LP sales in 2009 have already topped $56 million (Recording Industry Association of America) up from just $14 million in 2005. Yes, used albums are a good part of that number (Ebay sells an average of one vinyl record every 6 minutes), and as you read thru this post and look at the great items offered here, you'll see that the purchases aren't all just for listening to, but many of them are. Brick and mortar stores are beginning to sell LPs again, major labels are reissuing old classics on vinyl and even giants like Amazon are beginning to offer new vinyl. One of the positives for the recording artists is that vinyl is not as easily reproducible in any quality as digital - which could cut down on piracy and all of the legal issues that digital downloads have caused in the past decade or so. It will definitely be interesting to see where the music industry trends head as far as recorded media.


Ok, so you prefer the pureness of digital to the soothing imperfections of vinyl...and you love the compact size of CDs or the easy-to-access-anywhere of MP3s or whatever your favorite digital format is. Luckily for you, not everyone is as emotionally attached to their old records as I am, and vinyl records are also a hot commodity in the recyclable/upcyclable arena. From wall clocks to jewelry, you can find old vinyl albums being turned into great items just like the ones you're seeing in this post! Although I'll admit I did cringe a bit (but just for a second) seeing some of these beloved oldies in their new uses, I hope you can, like me, ultimately appreciate the creativity that gives old LPs new life!

I hope you'll take a moment to look at some of these fantastic items and browse thru the shops to see what other amazing items they have to offer as well!

The Rolling Stones - Tattoo You record clock (Start Me Up) - RecordTime
Record Bookend - Romeo and Juliet soundtrack album -
ikcdesign
Soap Dish No. 2- made from Recycled Record Album-Basic Black -RetiredRecords
Bubbles upcycled record vinyl necklace - misscourageous
NYC RECORD NECKLACES - junkprints
Vinyl record earrings - vapour - arohasilhouettes
Simon and Garfunkel's Greatest Hits - Recycled Record Bowl - VinylFrontier
Day of the Dead-Police/An American In Paris Groovebag - Groovebag
Record Album Catch All Tray - The Cars Panorama 1980 - brindakaydesign
Recycled Vinyl Record Storage Container Holder - retrograndma
Basic Black Classic - a Roman Record Cuff by Eye Pop Art - EyePopArt