Resurgence of vinyl is a walk down memory lane and sales surge

 

By Patrick Langan

Take a walk through Randolph Music & Barneys Laptops in Randolph, Massachusetts and you can almost feel the resurgence of vinyl music.

Walking through the store you see lines of records on the wall, and a great selection to choose from.

The comeback of vinyl translates into more sales for Randolph Music & Barneys Laptops, a more than 40-year-old business under new management in 2020.

Talking to store manager, Andy Flemming, he said he didn’t have an exact number of records they had been selling but estimated they were selling about 20% more than before.

The comeback of vinyl has largely been driven by young millennial consumers. Popular in the 1980s, the rebirth is due to a growing interest among younger generations.

Nearly 50% of vinyl buyers are under 35 with approximately 16% of people buying vinyl being aged 18-24, a new ICM poll states.

Not only that but in the past year vinyl sales have seen a 51% increase in unit sales and a 61% increase in US dollars spent.

 “The ability to stop and sit and listen to an album from beginning to end, that’s something that always has been and will be relevant,” Victrola CEO Scott Hagen said.

            Randolph Music & Barneys Laptops, open for 40 years, is seeing this demand for vinyl first hand.  

Since new management took over,  Flemming said things started to turn around.

            “Ever since ownership changed, the store really began to see a lot of success. It’s an exciting thing to see, especially with vinyl’s demand rising,” said Flemming.

            A walk through Barney’s and it’s easy to see how both employees and customers are enjoying this resurgence.

            One customer noted there was something authentic about vinyl. On your phone, you can press a button and hear music almost immediately.

            With vinyl you must pick a record, open it out of a sleeve, place it carefully on a turntable set the stylus, then switch it on and wait.

            This seemed to be a common theme of people wanting to have a larger connection with the music.

            Another customer said that with the new service, you are almost drawn to the store.

            “Andy took great care of me. He answered all my questions and even helped propose solutions to which records I should buy,” she said.

            Vinyl has returned due to a sense of curiosity among records and nostalgia among its consumers. They all have a deeper appreciation for the authentic feeling of vinyl.

            On the Stonehill College campus, a few students seemed to have the same outlook about vinyl.

            “Vinyl is a dying art form that is superior to digital music,” Jessica Troxell said.

            Another student agreed with this statement, “Although I haven’t listened to a vinyl record, I see the interest and draw to it,” Theodore Wilson said.

            When talking to Flemming he said he’s excited for what the future brings at Randolph Music and Barneys Laptops.

            “I look forward to the future and how we can continue to grow. I do think this trend is something that’s here to stay,” he said.