Vinyl Is Selling Again, Thank Video Games For That

One could say at this point that the music industry is like a child in a swimming pool, flailing its arms wildly while wearing goggles so tight and fogged up that it's reduced to unearthly shrieks while gulping down and regurgitating mouthfuls of urine-saturated water. But according to a profile piece in the Times, vinyl and turntable sales are thriving, the proverbial upper arm floating devices that...well, it's not going to save you from drowning, but it'll keep you above water a little longer.

It's well and good to mark the trends between the floundering industry and the resurgence of niche marketing and products in the wake of vast and constant technological flux, but it's another thing to then try to give that credit to video games. They let Andre Sam, a sales representative at Best Buy, make the argument for them: "He suggested that video games deserved some credit for the resurgence of interest in vinyl albums and turntables. Popular games like Guitar Hero and Rockband have introduced young customers to classic rock and pop artists like the Beatles and Metallica, while DJ Hero has inspired some to try their hands at mixing music for real." But are the kids who are playing Rockband really the same ones spurring on this resurgence, buying vinyl at places like Other Music and Earwax?

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By Ben Yakas in Arts and Events on December 7, 2009 5:46 PM

Comments [rss]

spiritross

This is old news, Vinyl has increased its sales for over 10 years now.

It is the archival medium for music - CDs are worthless and useless.

The only flaw was getting vinyl music to an mp3 player but the digital turntables and the idea that started a few years ago with giving a download link inside your record have solved that problem.

The only flaw is record companies will die off before they realize that vinyl is the only way they can save their outdated sales model, hence it will always stay niche.

Mugatu311

Kemado Records has a fantastic new vinyl store at 87 Guernsey Street in Greenpoint. Absolutely worth checking out.

HOTCUP

"wearing goggles so tight and fogged up that it's reduced to unearthly shrieks while gulping down and regurgitating mouthfuls of urine-saturated water."

this is poorly written and makes no sense.

anyway, what is it about metallica and the beatles that would make kids buy vinyl, exactly? both artists are incredibly popular today to begin with, and are both more than freely available on CD or any p2p site... and how are vinyl records being considered "life support" when a 35% increase from last year accounts for less than 1% of all album purchases?

what a bullshit article.

wow 14th street

"All thats old is new again".

I still use my AR5 turntable from 1967 with

dynakit vacuum tube pre=amps ,etc.

My Ipod too, it's all different just like music.

drewo

There's a nice display of new and mostly old vinyl for sale at the Varvatos store, site of the old CB's. Along with some cool digital turntables at hefty prices. There's also some great vintage stereo gear there as well. All that stuff is in the front of the store, so you need venture in there no further.