Madison Records Takes Part in the Vinyl Revolution

At the turn of the century, it seemed like vinyl albums were going the way of the dinosaurs -- extinction. First the CD and then streaming music had people listening to their favorite artists in new formats. These formats made it easier to have music available wherever you happened to be, making music more accessible and even more affordable.

But then around 2007, things started to change, at least just a little bit. Vinyl started to become trendy. In an age where “retro” was celebrated, nothing was more retro than putting an album on a turntable and enjoying the experience of listening, static and all. There were always people who insisted the traditional vinyl albums were the only way to listen to music -- those traditionalists who kept their turntables and talked about the purity of the music and the quality of the sound. But they weren’t the only ones grabbing up records. Instead of just a few people who were looked at as living in the age of dinosaurs while the rest of us had made it to the modern era, others started to agree that vinyl albums still had value in today’s music world.

Now, in 2018, we’re seeing a vinyl resurgence of sorts. Vinyl sales have increased more than 1,000% in the past 10 years, and that growth continues to rise, showing record sales in 2017. While vinyl still makes up only a small percentage of total album sales, it’s enough to have music producers stand up and take notice.

There are a few reasons why vinyl is making a comeback, and it’s not all about the quality of the sound. For older music lovers, these albums are a way to recapture their youth. This might be why albums from the Beatles and the Rolling Stones top the list in sales. But Ed Sheeran is on there too, showing that younger listeners are discovering the allure of vinyl. These records are something tangible that people can touch and share with others in a way that’s impossible with downloads and streaming music.

Vinyl also provides an active listening experience. Rather than putting on your earbuds and wandering off to do other things, when you listen to an album on a record player you have to  be there to physically put the needle on the record, and turn it to the other side. So you might  as well sit and listen while you wait for the time to turn. Which makes listening a much more  interactive experience overall.

Here at Madison Records, our producers Wyatt and Tanner have always had a love for vinyl albums. Whether they were shuffling through their parents’ collections or looking for finds at local stores, there always seemed to be a new treasure just waiting to be discovered. Their passion for the format has helped inspire the option of vinyl for some of Madison Studios’ own artists. You can find both Chelsea Shag’s EP “Colors” and The Future Babe’s self-titled EP available on vinyl.