Does the music biz now see a good reason to promote vinyl?

Used CDs vs new records isn't exactly an apt comparison, is it? New vs new, there's probably a five dollar difference, if not less. Used vinyl? I still pick up dollar records all the time.

 

60,002?

I dunno. Actually, I think it sold 40,000 LPs the first week. Which is still very good of course, considering. But the album itself has sunk pretty quickly. It's at #56 this week. Which is what? About 150 copies these days?

And isn't White pretty much the Patron Saint of the whole music-nerd-vinyl-revival-for-young-people thing, anyway? I wish I could be on the bandwagon and see this as a sign that we're headed back to million selling vinyl LPs and it's 1978 all over again, but I just don't see it. It's a niche. A small one. It won't be more than that. I feel pretty confident about being that bold about it.

Kudos to Jack White though.

 

So yeah. I can see the music industry getting behind the vinyl revival from a pure capitalism sense. Vinyl is one of the few physical formats selling these days and has steadily grown in sales since 2008. But as a lot of people have pointed out in this thread and in every thread related to "the vinyl revival" sales wont ever, ever achieve what they were when the LP was the dominate musical format. It's 2014 and there are more computers, laptops and smart phones in homes than probably stereo equipment to play a record on. So streaming and digital sales will hold reign.

But for those of us who do prefer vinyl, who listen to it and collect it, it's a great time, even if sales of new LPs are much more than they were ten years ago. Part of the reason I started buying vinyl was because it was cheap, and new releases by indie artists cost less than CDs at record stores I frequented.

 

I'd go with an average 50% difference...

 

In the OP the first sentence I started out with is the now recurrent news that digital album sales are steeply declining. We just had a really bad report a few days ago. So while I agree with you on the streaming I wonder what the evidence is that digital (album) sales will hold reign. I did say in previous posts that digital singles could well continue as a significant source of revenue but that on current trend lines digital album sales are tanking. Digital albums include both CDs and album downloads of all kinds. To use vinyl as a marketing tool for albums does not mandate a particular proportion of sales of LPs vs CDs/SACDs vs album downloads. It does have the advantage of being non-streamable and also helps solidify the concept of an album as such. I understand that most people in this thread don't think that vinyl can be used to market Albums successfully. However we should be clear that this does nothing to change the downward trajectory of all kinds of digital album sales since vinyl has nothing to do with that trend.

 

I'm not so sure about that. Concerts are pretty expensive.

Right now i have the option to see Def Leppard this week, but what for? i've already seen them in 1996 and a few months ago i watched the blu-ray live in las Vegas, so no need to expend money to be sincere. Also if i couldn't pay a ticket for a concert youtube is a free and pretty good option nowadays, so no i don't see a retro to year 1800 definitely.

Something completely new must come...not and old thing.

 

i pick up 15-20 dollar new releases on vinyl all the time. so new cds are now in the 7.50-10 dollar range? i had no idea (i haven't bought a new cd in years).

 

But it doesn't have to be expensive. Live music can be a band playing for free at your local park. It can be a jazz pianist at a coffee shop.

There may not be a good way forward for the future of recorded music, but the art of music isn't going to die nor are musicians going to stop creating. A Def Leppard concert is expensive because they sold a gazillion records 30 years ago. Good for them, but that's not the only business model that exists.

Take it back to a local level. I realize this a recorded music forum, but music doesn't have to be recorded to exist or be appreciated.

 

Your are describing me NY city or California. The rest of the world is NOT NYC believe me. A jazz pianist playing for free at a coffee shop is soooo "friends" & "eyes wide shut".

New artists are not as "IN" as drinking tons of alcohol and beer nowadays, that's in.

 

Hey man, you already stated that you haven't listened to any new music for 20 years, so I'm not sure you would be the one who would know what is 'in'. I'll give you a hint... It ain't def leppard.

 

Mass market = convenience rules = CD wins over vinyl = digital sales/streaming wins over CD

Vinyl will be around exactly as long as industry can make a penny here.

How long this will be solely depends on future generations discovering and treasuring the beauty of vinyl (or not).

 

you haven't listened to any new music for 20 years..... Nop don't misinterpret me i don't live inside a nutshell i don't give a damn about your local new acts which is different.

What i get is that you can't stand all those dinosaurs still being bigger than your new little local artists! (U2 included) but that's not my problem i don't run the music industry you know.

If you are not still aware that alcohol is more IN worldwide than shabazz palaces or the wood or ironman stuff you need to go out more often definitely.

Seattle area right?:

Shabazz Palaces are an American, Seattle-based experimental hip-hop group led by Ishmael Butler, aka Palaceer Lazaro (formerly Butterfly of jazz–hip hop group Digable Planets) and multi-instrumentalist Tendai "Baba" Maraire, son of Mbira master Dumisani Maraire.[1][2]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shabazz_Palaces

 

You're a "music fan" and you've never heard/of Jack White or Beck?

 

As a matter of fact yes i've heard about those 2 on that list only to be sincere. Know Beck a little but i prefer Pulp instead.

But to be sincere the one i have really really really heard of a lot everywhere recently is Justin Bieber sadly.

Regarding the definition of music fan i don't think that includes the musical tastes of others. I mean i like Red Nichols and his five pennies too but that's just me lol.

 

@Smiths22 I actually do know Red Nichols, yes.

Also, I agree with the issue you said on live music. There's not many places (if at all) that I could go see a jazz pianist for free.

 

Hey nice man i saw his movie last month. I mean all those musicians on his band: Jimmy Dorsey, Benny Goodman (clarinet), Glenn Miller (trombone), Jack Teagarden (trombone), Pee Wee Russell (clarinet), Joe Venuti (violin), Eddie Lang (banjo and guitar), and Gene Krupa (drums). Just crazy!

 

You confuse the hell out if me with your comparisons. Used CDs versus new records. Booze versus local bands. Huh? And by the way, I get out all the time. There is always great live music going on somewhere in my area.

 

I won't necessarily disagree with you, but most record presses I've seen look rather bulky and to withstand/apply several tons of force, they must be. Plus, the steam heating system adds to the difficulty (as would the integration of a modern computer-based control system - with modern instrumentation - into the press design). Hence, the manufacturing of the presses isn't complex, but is not trivial either. I agree that if the labels thought this resurgence would last 20 years, they'd press the pressers to get more presses designed and built (ha).

 

I think that it is clear that digital distribution of music has taken over the industry. Most people (even if they still purchase physical media) are likely to consume their music digitally rather than playing the physical media.

Despite this fact, there are still many people that enjoy having a physical item to go along with their music. The thing is that if you don't actually use the physical media to listen to the music, it doesn't really matter whether it is CD or vinyl or anything else.

In fact, if you are simply a collector but prefer to listen to digital music, there are many reasons why you may prefer to have vinyl due to the larger artwork and liner notes.

I do think that it will stay on the fringes though and within the realm of collectors. I don't think anyone really believes that vinyl is making a resurgence due to people wanting to listen to music on a turntable.

 

And that happens when you interfere in other peoples conversations you end confused.

 

What? Of course people listen to the records!

 

Why do people try to post inflammatory statements like this? Is it because they are unhappy with their own choice? I think in the poster above it is a case of deep rooted fear of the disappearance of his personal preference that makes him post statements like 'vinyl is dead' ?

Seriously if you can buy the latest releases and a whole host of old vinyls for a buck how is it dead? Surely most intelligent comments will revolve around it being a small niche, but one large enough to sustain a reasonable amount of new releases and interest in the format.
What lack of choice does the current vinyl user have that makes his format 'dead'?

Cassette, 8 tracks, and even some newer formats like minidisc or DAT might fit the dead format meme much better.

I guess it's a case of fear and uncertainty that would make someone post CD/Vinyl etc is dead, most of us don't need to make such inflammatory thread derailing comments because we're secure in our love of music–formats are less relevant than the 'your format is dead' trolls would have you believe–I'll pop them on ignore...

Now you'll have to excuse me while I play some music (haven't decided what format yet)

 

The only reason they're promoting vinyl imo is because it costs more money, and they know that after awhile, people will have to buy the record again (they wear out). It's a niche format.

 

Yes, it is a niche format but it's false to say that one has to replace records because "they wear out." I have many records that I purchased already used in the late 70's that still sound great. I've never had to replace an LP due to wear incurred by my playing it. I have replaced some LP's that were either trashed when I got them (when I was a teenager I was much less choosy) or because I came across a better pressing.

 

Wait, you think Shabazz Palaces are just a little local Seattle act?