Vinyl is back! Yes, you heard me right! Those bulky, thousand pound, hard to move things that you’ve seen collecting dust in the corner of your grandpa’s living room is back. But these aren’t your grandpa’s records and you don’t have to go to Goodwill to find ‘em!
According to NPR, sales of new vinyl records are up 10% in the first quarter of 2007 (and climbing!). Record stores that sell used vinyl are reporting a spike in sales as well. (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=9598796). Also, Amazon.com launched a vinyl-only section stocked with a growing collection of titles and several models of record players.
Here are our top 3 reason why YOU should do a vinyl release :
1. There is something for everyone! As record collecting is becoming more and more popular, a vinyl release will appeal to that trend and to make the deal even sweeter, major vinyl manufactures like United Record Pressing offer vinyl+digital downloads packages. Your fans can own a classic vinyl and have access to the albums MP3’s for their iPod or to burn a CD.
2. Stay ahead of the curve! It’s a tough industry to get peoples attention and a tougher economy to loosen their wallets (in record stores and at the merch table). In a sea of CDs, a vinyl release will stand out and catch the eye. If you are releasing a single to an upcoming album, do a limited edition run of 7” vinyl! It is as cheap as pressing single CDs, but has more value as a collectors item. It will feel like a unique purchase and a must have.
3. Get that vintage sound! Although CDs have a wider dynamic range, mastering houses are often encouraged to compress the audio on CDs to make it as loud as possible (It’s the so-called loudness war). Since the audio on vinyl can’t be compressed to such extremes, records generally offer a more nuanced sound, a certain unmistakable, classic purr which the digital world falls short.
And just in case you didn’t know, you can sell your vinyl at CD Baby! Just go to http://cdbaby.net to get started.