According to Nielsen Soundscan, sales of vinyl albums in 2009 have already topped the 2-million mark.

This beats 2008’s, 1.9 million, which means that 2009 sales of vinyl LPs are on target to be the highest since at least 1991, when Soundscan began tracking music sales.

Digital music sales aren’t doing too bad, either.

Total purchased album downloads are on pace to top last year’s figure of 65 million.

This is a cool trend. In my book, the perfect music format is Vinyl + MP3; you buy your nice big sexy album and you get a download code along with it.

What do you think about the resurgence of LP sales?

Is this just a vinyl fetish – or do you think vinyl actually offers a better way to get your music fix?

via LATimes

Image: karola riegler photography

This is a look at Detroit’s last vinyl pressing plant.

Can you imagine all the great music that must have been must have been pressed at this plant?

via ottosiderspunk

Aaron Howell and Sharon Shattucks’ Records is like the 45 of vinyl documentaries – short and to the point.

Enjoy.

via cratekings

Image: chaosbit

Doesn’t this delicious image of a Technics 1200 turntable sync ring make you want to spin some vinyl and actually feel some music?

It’s Record Store Day 2009 – so go visit your local record store and dig up something fun.

If you make a cool find, leave a comment and tell us about it!

If you’re like a lot of music fans, you probably have fond memories of discovering music at a local record store.

The trend towards digital music has rendered traditional record stores obsolete, yet there are still thousands of indie record stores still standing.

Why?

Because they don’t suck – and they are still working to keep indie music alive, in towns all over the world.

Support indie music and your local music scene by making a trip to your local record store on April 18th!

The National Association of Recording Merchandisers has announced that over 1,000 record stores around the globe will be celebrating Record Store Day on Saturday, April 18.

This second annual event was created to recognize the impact local record shops have had on the world of music over the years. Participating countries include the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom; France, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Greece, the Netherlands, Israel, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.

Across the United States, hundreds of other live performances and signings will be featured at participating retail outlets throughout the country. All confirmed musical appearances are listed here: www.recordstoreday.com.

Record Store Day is organized by the Music Monitor Network, the Coalition of Independent Music Stores (CIMS), Alliance of Independent Media Stores (AIMS) and Newbury.

OT: This is a video demo of the Mikiphone Pocket Phonograph, a sort of steampunk precursor to the Walkman and iPod.

via bb

This is a short but sweet documentary looking at the future of vinyl, and the individuals who share a passion for it….

Vinyl Wax Records takes an affectionate look at vinyl LPs.

via Darren Cole:

This is a documentary I made my freshman year of college about apart of my life that I love so much and never plan to give up.

This video, Steve’s Vinyl Chops, demos physical mashups – music collages created by physically chopping up records, reassembling them and then using them to DJ.

Anyone ready to trade Traktor or Ableton Live for this?

via CrateKings

A beautiful incursion into The Vinyl Factory’s manufacturing unit, where you can see the vintage vinyl manufacturing process in action.

According to The Vinyl Factory:

All our vinyl is created using the classic EMI 1400 Press at the original EMI vinyl pressing plant at Hayes, Middlesex, a century-old landmark in British manufacturing. Our paper stocks are individually sourced and hand-chosen, while our print techniques combine tradition with modernity to create beautifully-produced collectors items.

The Vinyl Factory was established in 2003 when the company acquired EMI’s vinyl pressing plant in Hayes. The plant now presses over 50% of the UK’s vinyl. In addition to high end special editions, The Vinyl Factory group also includes gallery spaces in central London, an independent music & arts magazine and website (FACT) and record shop (Phonica).

via Califaudio

Two videos that look at how vinyl records are made. 

Click here to view the embedded video.

via cratekings

I’ve been listening to a lot of vinyl this weekend – but not the usual 70’s & 80’s classics.

I went to a book sale at the Iowa fairgrounds, and they had a fairly large collection of records. Even more interesting, though, they had a lot of 78’s. And I happen to have a Victrola VV-XIa that I’ve never really used much, because all the 78’s that came with it were pretty awful.

Digging through the crates of 30 cent 78’s, though, I found some great finds, including a 78 of Nat King Cole doing the Christmas Song; lots of great big band numbers; some early Raymond Scott releases; and the Ink Spots doing If I Didn’t Care. If anyone can guess why I’d be into the last one, let me know in the comments.

Amazingly enough, the records are in great shape and sounded fairly good. I’m betting that the Victrola doesn’t sound like it once did, though, just because of aging of materials. The thing is built like a tank, though, and sounded impressive for a device that’s nearly 100 years old.

While most people aren’t into records this old, vinyl is making a big comeback, because it’s cheap, it’s tangible and it’s fun.

Here are a few vinyl facts for you:

• Vinyl album sales are up by 36% since 2006;
• Vinyl sales are estimated at 5 million/year new and 20 million/year used;
• LA’s Amoeba Records sells 2,000 LPs a day, up 15% since last year;
• Best Buy stores are starting to sell vinyl;
• Turntable sales are up to 500,000 last year;
• There are reports of production delays, because demand has grown so much for vinyl;
• All sorts of new releases are coming out on vinyl, including LPs from Metallica, Bob Dylan, David Gilmour and hordes of electronic and dance artists, while labels are reissuing landmark releases by the likes of Miles Davis and Jimi Hendrix.

Listening to my 78 finds, I realized that there’s not just a world of mostly-forgotten music out there, but that the technology is mostly-forgotten.

Did you know that you’re only supposed to use a needle once with an old Victrola? The discs are so abrasive that it quickly ruins the needles, which can in turn ruin your records.

Later 78’s are apparently made of softer material and aren’t designed for old Victrolas. I’m not sure how to distinguish the difference yet – so if you know anything about this, let me know in the comments.

Also – after playing around with the old Victrola, it made me think how awesome it would be to get some new 78’s made up of electronic music. It would be a startling clash of new and old, and there might only be an audience of a dozen people to buy them, but it would be very cool.

I wonder if anyone can even make old-school style 78s. If you have any ideas on this, let me know!

Image: KGBKitchen

Looks like we are all Devo – CBS reports that vinyl is having a resurgence – which means the vinyl fetish is going mainstream.

Just as DJ’s were getting comfortable with digital, too.

This documentary tells the story of Paul Mawhinney and Record-Rama, the largest collection of vinyl LPs in the world.

Mawhinney was born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA. Over the years he has amassed what has become the world’s largest record collection. Due to health issues and a struggling record industry Paul is being forced to sell his collection.

A really interesting look at the historical value of vinyl, and the obsession of collectors.

via Crate Kings

Vinyl Record Day is August 12th, the anniversary of the day that Thomas Edison invented the phonograph in 1877.

That’s right – people have been spinning disks for over 130 years. That’s an amazing run for a technology.

According to organizers:

It is the goal of VRD to establish August 12th as a day for friends and family to get together to enjoy favorite music and be reminded that regardless of national news or personal challenges, life always has its goodness. Participating in Vinyl Record Day is also to support the purposes detailed on the Mission Statement page: To preserve the cultural influences, the recordings, and the cover art of vinyl. And to have a good time on Vinyl Record Day. Your participation is meaningful, for without the individual there can be no society to accomplish these goals.

Sounds like a holiday I can get behind. Maybe even better than Sadie Hawkins Day.

The Vinyl Record Day organizers have a lot of other suggestions for ways to celebrate at their site.

I’m going to listen to a little 70’s synth records; let me know if you’re going to celebrate Vinyl Record Day!

If you’re going to make an LP out of pot – what do you think the album should be?

Rita Coolidge’s All Time High? John Denver’s Rocky Mountain High?

AlpineSoft has announced an updated version of VinylStudio, with enhanced audio cleanup tools.

VinylStudio is designed to be a complete software solution for digitizing vinyl LP’s and tapes via your PC. It records, splits tracks and burns both audio and MP3 CD’s,. It can also look track listings up over the Internet and copy tracks to your iPod or MP3 player. VinylStudio comes with a complete set of audio cleaning filters to remove clicks, crackles, tape hiss and more and is shareware (try-before-you-buy).

VinylStudio’s new audio cleanup tools offer exceptional power and flexibility without compromising user-friendliness. Declicking is fast—a typical LP side can be scanned in under a minute—and accurate. Unique ‘Brass Protection’ and ‘Percussion Protection’ features preserving the fidelity of your recordings and we have conducted extensive listening tests to ensure that you get the best possible results.

The new hiss, hum and rumble filters operate in real time, as does the graphic equaliser. This allows you to experiment with the settings and hear your results straightaway, unlike many competing products. VinylStudio offers you the freedom to experiment by keeping a record of your changes and almost all operations in VinylStudio can be undone (and redone). This, combined with fast load and save times, make it a friendly and forgiving working environment. All you need is a PC with a sound card and a turntable (or USB turntable).

VinyStudio costs US$ 29.95 (around UK £15) + 17.5% VAT if you live in a EU member state.

Vinyl isn’t as retro as you might think. The Tennessee Times Leader reports that Nashville’s United Record Pressing cranks out 20,000 to 40,000 records a day, making it one of the largest — and last — vinyl record manufacturers in the country.

Most of the discs are 12-inch singles destined for professional DJs at radio stations and dance clubs who still use vinyl records and turntables to mix, scratch and blend music.

“The record labels use us as a marketing tool to get that new track out there,” owner and CEO Cris Ashworth explained. “They’ll come to me on a Monday, want it out on Wednesday and played Friday or Saturday night at a club or radio station.”

Typically, the company will press four versions of the same song: a radio and club mix, as well as an instrumental and a cappella version so DJs can mix and manipulate the sound.

Ashworth’s company has managed to thrive by picking up business from competitors in a shrinking market. Today, he has only 13 competitors compared to several dozen before CDs took over in the ’90s. Revenues hit $5 million in 2004 and grew to $7 million in 2005.
“We want to be the last vinyl plant standing, no matter what,” he said. “There is no other plant that looks like this in the country. This is an antique.”

Image: ilmungo