Oh, how the tables have turned: Why are vinyl records making a comeback?

By Juliana Smith-Etienne

The advancement of technology has made listening to music easier than ever. As long as you have a half-decent smart device and succumb to a music streaming subscription service, you can jam out to whatever tunes your heart desires, anywhere, at any time. So why are some pushing their tech aside and opting for a turntable?

It’s undeniable that vinyl records have seen a massive resurgence in the past few years. Columbia Records released the first Long Play vinyl record in 1948, but a whopping 43.2 million Long Play/Extended Play (LP/EP) vinyls were sold just last year according to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) — a substantial amount when you consider the sheer age of the medium.

This nearly century-old technology can be found on shelves at some of the nation’s biggest retailers such as Target, Urban Outfitters and Barnes & Noble, and features music from most mainstream artists. Small shops like Antone’s Record Shop, however, give customers a bit more of a blast to the past.

Antone’s opened its doors in 1987 and sells a variety of old music on everything from CDs to vinyl records and cassette tapes. Though the tunes are old, you can find customers of all ages perusing their selection.

Everyone has their own reasons for putting down their phone and picking up a record. But nostalgia, the weight of a vinyl in your hand and the stronger connection some feel to their music and its artists when purchasing it physically can make a disc more compelling than digital.

What goes around really does come back around.