Photo: Press
There's an undeniable magic about a vinyl record - dropping a needle of crystal into a plastic groove and getting lost in a world of sound. As the world continues to dissipate into 'the cloud', and music grows more digital, our love for the physical world of vinyl continues to grow - but why is the vinyl revival so seemingly unstoppable?
Watch our documentary on why vinyl sounds better below
It's the week of Record Store Day 2015, and the launch of the first official vinyl sales chart. But after vinyl sales hit a 20-year high in the UK at 1.29 million back in 2014, it's clear that this is more than just a novelty, it's a returning love affair, based on human nature. A record store is for life, not just a day. To find out why, we spoke to Paul Weller, Flood, and a variety of industry and music specialists to drop the needle on the vinyl revival.
"I think in some respects, computers are killing music," legendary U2, Depeche Mode and The Killers producer Flood tells Gigwise. "Computers are completely non-tactile, they limit your feel and they create a mire of options without any form of decision-making."
Could it be that desire for control, choice and the tangible world that is pushing us back to turntables?
"There's a physical reaction that one has to vinyl," says Mastering and Cutting Engineer at London vinyl specialists Carvery Cuts Frank Merritt "I think if you ask anyone who has ever owned a record what their first record was, they will be able to tell you."
For artists, it's just the purest form of presenting their craft.
"I always write with side one and side two in mind," says Paul Weller, "because I'm old-fashioned and that goes back to the vinyl days."
Watch our documentary into the vinyl revival in the video above
Check out our documentary above as we talk to artists and producers about why vinyl matters, as well as shop owners and the people behind the phenomenon of Record Store Day about it's ever-rising popularity. As if that wasn't enough, we also take a look at the magic of what goes into vinyl (and meet Roy, the vinyl-eating dog).
The film features the song:
