I spoke to an artist once, who told me that people aren’t just carrying their entire music library in their pockets, they are soundtracking their entire lives. I love this premise. Oh so much. The fact that we are providing our lives with lyric driven soul, purpose and meaning, fascinates me. But as much as I’m a person who is rarely without their headphones, it’s not the way I prefer to listen to music.
About five years ago, the so called ‘vinyl revival’ set my heart on fire and allowed me to once again, fall in love with the pure and simple act of listening to music. And it’s not just me. For example Sony have just announced they will start pressing vinyl again, for the first time since 1989. Why? Many other analogue art forms have slowly seen the gradual decline over the years, unless you’re either a hipster or just someone who hates technology. (I personally am I little from column A and a little from column B). But why not 35mm film, typewriters or VHS tapes? Because unlike their outdated counterparts, the production and sale of vinyl records is not just viable, it’s thriving. Why vinyl? The bottom line? It’s about artistry, purposeful listening and sentimental attachment. For me anyway.
With streaming, impatience is easy, accessible and almost encouraged. It’s almost like that whole, ‘the grass is always greener’ scenario, and your listening experience is just you pushing the skip button faster than Kanye West ditched Tidal. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m a fan of music streaming. 100%. I’ve discovered so many new artists across all of the platforms. I also believe that someone is personally creating those playlists for me, and not just some algorithm plugged into a computer system, but I can take my music everywhere with me. I don’t have to rely on a Discman and a CD wallet to do it. There are literally infinite hours tucked into my jeans pocket. I can put my life, and my music, on shuffle as I walk the streets. But, am I really listening?
In a world where everything seems to exist in the internet cycle for a mere minute, we are all craving some sort of permanence, and the actual time to truly enjoy the things we love the most. Records aren’t designed to be enjoyed as pure background noise, something to fill the awkward silences or late nights fuelled by cheap wine from Aldi. This process actively requires your attention. Probably as much attention as the artists who crafted the album you so carefully bought, selected, and are now listening to, also deserves. It’s an active process, which forces us to truly appreciate the album for what it is, a piece of art. I don’t know about the whole ‘yeah but music sounds better on vinyl’ argument, but there is an absolute beauty in its imperfection. The bumps, the crackling, the placing of the needle. All of it. Ritualistically beautiful.
I rifled through my Dad’s vinyl collection a few years ago, purely because I was fascinated by the whole process. Like a classic millennial I kept asking myself – “Yeah but how exactly, does this technology work?” The point is, it doesn’t matter. I still have all of those Leonard Cohen albums with absolutely no intention of returning them. But vinyl isn’t just for dusty albums paying homage to the years gone by, almost every album released nowadays is also available on vinyl. It’s yet another outlet for artists to truly express and package their work in the way it deserves.
Regardless of the way you choose to listen to music, I really do feel that vinyl offers the listener something tangible. Something to have and to hold for as long as your heart and ears desire. Do yourself a favour and dig up those long lost records, or go and (independently) purchase a new one. It might be exactly what you’ve been missing.
