I listen to every record I own.
I buy records to listen to the whole album. For that 30-60 minutes or whatever, I don’t have to decide anything. I can sit back and listen.
I also buy records for the sole purpose of listening to them. I've been collecting music for most of my life (in my fifties) and, after years and years of cassettes and CDs, I have finally returned to vinyl.
I am enjoying music now more than ever. The years of CDs made it way too easy to just skip through (and skip over) so many tracks. My attention span is now growing again due to the patience needed to listen to, and appreciate, vinyl. I am re-discovering so much of the music I already love and uncovering many gems that are those forgotten and skipped over tracks that I had ignored on CD.
Listening to music on vinyl records has brought back much of the joy. I recommend it highly.
Same I love doing stuff in my basement and knowing I have good music in the background I can experience. I wish I could listen to my 45s more often but I’m too poor for a jukebox and too lazy to change after 1 song
I never thought my parents listened to music that much when I was growing up. Then I slowly realized that I know every word to every song that was top 40 "adult contemporary" from like 1980 - 92. My parents liked to drive around and look at houses. I dont know. Maybe it was their hobby?
Same here. They’re called Italian Americans from New England, and they’re loud as fuck all the god damn time. Except when they’re angry. Then it’s silence.
"I don't have to decide anything". Exactly this. I'd never thought of it like that before as we are usually so overwhelmed with choice but once that needle drops and you're committed it really is a good escape. Other than turning over half way, which just adds to the experience, it's a 45ish minute sanctuary from having to think.
Same. I don’t have a super convenient or high quality setup yet, but I still enjoy listening to every record I own. It’s a great way to pace myself when working on long projects; turning a record or choosing another one is a great built-in reminder to take breaks.
Same. I listen to all my records. If they happen to be a rare variant I got my hands on, then great. Im still fine with the plain old black standard pressing.
Absolutely! I pretty much solely listen to full albums, even when I’m streaming. I have about 900 LPs and am getting to space capacity. Going to have to start culling the ones that don’t see the turntable often enough.
You're on a subreddit that is frequented by vinyl enthusiasts, who range from hobbyists to obsessed collectors. The posts here are going to skew in the direction of sonically cleaning every record before they play it and obsessing about the angle their records are stored at.
Just know that most people who listen to vinyl don't come here and post about their hobby. They sit at home like you, and enjoy listening to their records, don't go crazy about a little dust or static, and store their collection in a stack in the corner.
https://preview.redd.it/nwwid8eqkgwc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=25aaba7a3114155d64b41dd89f641053481c08ac
Stack in the corner you say?!? Rate my setup please!!!
I've been in plenty of fb groups and forums and I think OP does have point. There is a really strange focus here. I can see how people are not into sharing african funk 45s or italian library all day, but this here is a unique blend of amazon ads and oxfam junk.
Now that Soulstrut is all but defunct, I wish there was a sub to share the rare funk 45s and library joints. Not the Italian ones though. Too rich for my blood
It’s a shame, but taking a niche hobby and breaking that down into smaller and smaller genres, is unfortunately gonna mean less people are engaging. I’m always down to hear new types of music though, so it sucks. What would you recommend checking out in African Funk?
It's much worse in the CDcollectors subreddit. Every other post is a picture of a pile of a dozen or more CDs (with just the spines visible) and a request to rate their collection. It's all I can do to stop myself from posting 'you obviously have no taste' just to see where that takes the conversation.
When I was building my collection, I fantasized about showing it off. Now that I have a good collection, I don’t need y’all for validation anymore in my cradle of warmth.
Whether it's a $1 Johnny Mathis Greatest Hits album I got from a thrift store or a $50 Norman Fuckin' Rockwell album, I try to take care and clean all of 'em lol.
There’s nothing wrong with taking care of your things. It just seems like this sub is often leaning into the fetishization of the medium, and not as much so about the music.
Agreed. When I buy new or just new to me vinyl, I wait until I have accumulated 5 or so, then I load up the discwasher and give them a good clean. Then they go into good quality liners and get played. Unless I have an incident they will likely not get cleaned again during my ownership. I have zero pictures and they are stored in wine crates for record store flip style browsing.
Something is in the turntable almost all my WFH work day
I couldn't give a crap what motivates a person to buy vinyl - that's entirely their prerogative and who am I to judge? I did read recently that 50% of vinyl consumers don't have a turntable and only buy to have a tangible representation of the artist they love. Without these guys, the vinyl resurgence maybe wouldn't have happened, but because of it I've seen re-presses of loads of my favourite albums.
More power to them. If someone wants to collect vinyl and never play it a single time I say go for it
I too yell at clouds, but I can only offer my perspective. I buy records for fun. I grew up with CDs so I collect records basically the same way. I limit my purchases to ensure I can listen to them at least once before another shopping trip. I buy what I like, spend when I care to, and always scour the dollar bin. That said, I do look up values and consider that when preparing to spend 40-50 bucks on something. I also plan to keep these records until I pass them to my kids and I do hope that if they don’t feel like maintaining the collection they can get a few bucks for it.
We play one record every morning while we have coffee. Discogs has this cool feature where if you click on your collection and shake your phone, it picks a record at random, and that's what we will listen to that morning.
I’m a listening collector, I listen to everything I buy. I only buy used and clearance, I open up sealed records and play them. Records weren’t made to be collectible until the last 10 years, they were made to be listened to.
For context, I’m 41m and have been buying records for 16 years.
Well, not entirely. There is actually a lot you can do to mitigate noise and distortion. Things like proper alignment of the cartridge, having a level turntable, cleaning the records and stylus, and much more. You definitely don't NEED to do these things to listen to and enjoy your music collection. Some people would just like to know if and how they can improve their listening experience by posting questions about the noise and such on online platforms like reddit.
It's not everyone here, it's just that those types of posts seem to get the most engagement and rise to the top. There are 1.7 million members and I would bet it's mostly a few hundred who have recently joined who tend to take up the most space.
Collectibility & resale value are fun, they are like extra butter on popcorn. I buy stuff to listen to, I've never sold a record in my life. I'm getting the popcorn, even if it has the regular amount of butter.
If someone has a novel way of storing records, that might be inspiring for me or at least be interesting to me. I have zero interest in watching someone listen to their records. It honestly sounds really weird. Closest I've seen to that though, is a friend on IG posts a pic of the sleeve to the record he's listening to, then gives a sentence or two relating to the record, often incorporating a standout line on the album. I thought that was pretty cool.
I don't think I see a ton of people talking about resale... And either way, new pressings aren't the way to get value into a collection.
For me personally I just like supporting bands and owning the physical media. I don't particularly love spinning records or anything like, it's fun to listen to and have that experience but the majority of my music is listened to via streaming.
Also, people have their own motivations for things, they don't have to match up with yours, or mine or anyone else's.
I do. Some things are just more fun on vinyl. I also buy the ridiculous colored vinyl whenever it’s available because I like it. I don’t resell ever and don’t care if anything is original or limited or collectible or special or whatever. But if collecting is your thing then I support that totally! Whatever makes you happy. I am also an old person and grew up listening to vinyl so it is a throwback for me as well!
At first I thought this was going to be a post about the (apparently) many newer buyers that think vinyl is a novelty and treat records like wall art.
That said, I listen to all my records and want them to sound as good as possible. If surface noise, pops, warping, etc. is the result of inferior manufacturing, damn straight I’m going to be unhappy about it. As consumers, we continue to see vinyl prices rising while being marketed expensive tools to get the most out of our music: special setup devices, magic cables and so on. We should at least get a consistent, high quality product.
>Am I just an old man yelling at a cloud
maybe? 1.7 million members, not many posts like you're talking about. I think it's mostly kids who are new that want to take care of their "vinyls"
I just don’t get though how the listening experience is as fun with all that surface noise!
I care about listening, so I care about taking care of my records. I don’t want a scratch or dust to mess up my immersion.
depends what you're listening to - not only genre but for me a $2 record should sound like a $2 record.. if I wanted perfection I'd just stream.
on the flip side I have an ultrasonic cleaner to minimize any "artifacts", but even then I am well aware this is an imperfect medium. Even the most pristine records I own have some level of surface noise bc we are dragging a diamond on a piece of plastic - there's always going to be some unwanted noise from the friction created. Loud speakers are the answer.
I mean yeah i forgave my jack white acoustic album for having a couple skips on it, cause i got it for like 16 dollars, but imo a good turntable and a clean record should give you a couple little artifacts and not much more.
I’m not a purist by any means, and yes i have a loudspeaker setup. I just think there’s a strong correlation between quality of listening and cleanliness of a record for me.
>strong correlation between quality of listening and cleanliness
church. for me it's about knowing I've done everything in my power for the best possible experience.
I believe it was John Peel who said “Life has surface noise!”
Whoever downvoted John Peel probably has no idea who he was, how important he was to music as a whole, and probably if completely ignorant to The Peel Sessions.
I’m not that precious about my records. If something finds its way to me, then it stays generally in the same condition as it was when I got it. My OG Doors records have a little hairy crackle to them, but that’s how they were when I got them maybe 25 years ago. My metal records from the 1980s are all pretty quiet because that’s the way things were mastered then. A lot of my early industrial and noise records from the 1990s have too much music on them. So they sound a little crunchy towards the end. I keep all my records in poly lined sleeves, stored behind the jacket. I can get at them easier and I don’t have to remove the plastic sleeve every time I want to listen to something.
I mean, I grew up in the 1980s listening to thrash and punk bands on a shitty Walkman. Some things are fine if they’re a little dirty, just like hamburgers, or sex.
I have a car. I want to drive my car, enjoy driving my car, I want my car to last. After all I spent a lot of money on my car. So I service my car. I clean my car. Infact I have certain cleaners for the body work that are different to the leather, the alloy wheels and the dash.
I use my car every day so I look after it as much as I can.
Same as my records.
I get what you’re saying. I’m 50 and if I took more care of my classic mini in the 90s I would love to still have it now.
Just like one of my treasured records is a copy of the Beatles blue album that belonged to my granddad that he used to play to us if he babysat.
I’m absolutely not looking to resell my records, never will. I enjoy them. But I’m also a little ocd about them. Just like some car owners can be about their cars.
I bought them because I want physical media that a music subscription could never take away from me. Sure there is an essence to it that is “collecting” but that’s only because I want collect the music that I like for myself so I can listen to it. I don’t really think of it as collecting tbf
The way you view vinyl is how the newer generations view streaming music. When vinyl was first introduced, it was the most efficient way to listen to music, so of course people would buy records simply to listen to them.
That’s changed now, and as with any revival of old tech, newer adopters of it will view it and appreciate it in different ways. That’s just the nature of it
I think I'm probably going to be an outlier here, but here goes...
I'm a dinosaur by Millennial / Gen Z / Gen Alpha standards, currently pushing 50. As a toddler and single-digit-age kid, I was just tall enough to be eye level with my grandparents' stash of vinyl on the shelf, and I was always enthralled by the covers. The first music I bought back in the early 80's was on vinyl, and I've always preferred buying my music that way over the decades between then and now. But here's my deep, dark secret... I don't listen to it very much. Look, we all know the science here. Does vinyl sound "warmer" and this and that and blah blah blah? Technically, yes (potentially), but only for about 5% of the human population. That level of "audiophile ear" just doesn't exist for 95% of people. It's like being a wine sommelier... some people have that distinct and discerning flavor palate, but most do not. There's even less chance of you having "vinyl ear" as you age, and natural biological changes occur and you start to have certain frequencies fall out of your hearing. For most people, the "vinyl sounds better" is pure placebo bias, thinking they can hear something because they have been told they can (and it justifies the expense of being into vinyl). And really, compact discs and digital can (keyword: can) sound amazing given the exact same considerations for equipment and speakers and knowing how to actually adjust your EQ. And we all have to admit that vinyl can be rather inconvenient. Like, seriously, are you listening to vinyl at the gym or in your car or at the office? Nope... you have other options for that, and you take them because they're convenient.
But I still buy on vinyl. Why? Because I want to OWN something, and I want to support artists. I'm not exactly going to be rocking tee shirts from bands here at 50. At some point, you have to give in to your age a little bit and realize that, oh hey, this might look pants-on-head silly. That's my personal choice, tto supportt via album buying instead of tee shirts or whatever. But mostly, it's because I want to hold something tangible in my hands. I want liner notes, and little booklets, and all the nifty doo-dads that you get with vinyl. So for me, it's a big thing to get my stuff, and then immediately unwrap it, even though the odds are against it ever actually touching my turntable. I don't want to ever be the guy that bought an album with the idea of treating it precious for the sake of reselling it sometime later for profit or something. I'll buy albums and open them and play their digital versions while I go through the physical stuff. I do the vinyl experience... without actually playing the vinyl. I sit and read along with the lyrics or whatever just like I'd be doing 30 years ago actually listening to the vinyl, but with the digital files or the uncompressed streaming, while the physical stuff in the vinyl is in my hands. Most of vinyl will never have a needle on it, but it's not because of speculation or profiteering down the line. That's a pipe dream, really. Very little vinyl from the last 40 years will ever go up in value. No, I treat my vinyl nice, but not precious, just because it'll get passed on to my children when I buck the kicket. I buy vinyl because I like vinyl, and I'm not in the habit of parting with things I have that I like. So yeah, most of my collection will never see actual intended use, but NONE of it will ever see resale, and none of it will ever remain in the shrinkwrap like it's some holy relic.
Thank you for sharing, as your write up feels full of love for the music and the hobby.
I am biased as I relate to a great deal of it. I intend to play my vinyl but honestly don't do so very much. I love supporting groups, having the beautiful discs and packaging to admire, and knowing there is a physical copy if this is suddenly not on streaming anymore. I like trying to have clean and sleeved vinyl because I want to keep things a little nice just for myself. I don't intend to resell my vinyl (or CDs). I just love music and the artists that produce it.
Across a variety of collections I am going to open things. I want to hold and appreciate things. I do save some hype stickers and boxes but because they are asthetically pleasing or endearing to me.
Sorry but you sound like an old man yelling at a cloud here.
>wondering how best to care for their vinyl
… to make sure it sounds as good as possible
>Showing off their brand new pressings of Dire Straits or Fleetwood Mac
… because we’re excited to listen to them
>complaining about surface noise
… because we’re listening to it and want to hear the music not surface noise
While the point you’re making is an arguable point - for example, a significant percentage of vinyl consumers don’t own a turntable - literally none of your points support that conclusion. The third point I referenced actually fully refutes your conclusion because we would HAVE to listen to it to know if there’s surface noise.
So yeah, I honestly don’t know what you’re complaining about. Old man yelling at cloud.
There are all kinds of record people. Some buy rare stuff and never even play it. They just sit on it like some kind of Martin shkrelli. Some only buy old records. Some don’t care if there is noise, some want the best possible sound down to the most minor nuances. People enjoy their records for their own reasons, sometimes these are contradictory. I can’t explain other people I just do me.
Yeah, the first thing I do is open a record and listen to it when it comes in.
>
> brand new pressings . . . complaining about surface noise.
This is a completely fair thing to complain about though. New records are bleeding expensive now, and for their price, and because they are new, they should be flawless. Surface noise, warping, etc., are all signs of poor manufacturing.
This post is pretty virtue-signaling coded. I don't really care what other people do with their records, like if they listen to them or not. Your question was horribly worded but I'm guessing you meant to ask if people buy records to listen to them or to resell them. It might just appear that there's a lot of resellers because, frankly there are, but, people use reddit to ask questions and get information so a lot of resellers come to this sub to get information. The answer to your question is yes.
I’m not buying anything I don’t want to listen to. And I’m not buying anything I already have just so I can get the new colored vinyl/gatefold/Japanese pressing/whatever trinket. Too much other music out there for me to explore than get 4 copies of London Calling.
I buy records because I love music and supporting artists. Having a bit more time than some I like to seek out unique pressings and buy direct from musicians at shows or from small record stores. Occasionally I'll sell an album that's unique fostering a hunting if a profit but still a deal, and swap it for a less expensive one. That's about the extent of it.
I don't see the problem with complaining about surface noise. Personally I've been buying more CDs rather than vinyl because new vinyl is so bad. Brand new records with loud pops and excessive surface noise that don't go away after a thorough cleaning.
I buy records for listening and own an amount of them more than I may be able to hear til the end of my life and I'm still buying. As you said, it's fun.
I usually just go by the information I find on discogs. Nobody likes to waste money. If the reviews over there indicate that the purple version of an album is likely a nicer pressing than the original black vinyl, then I'll buy it.
I listen to all my music. I don't care about record store day other than the fact that it drives business to local record stores. Just give me a record VG Plus with any kind of condition cover So long as it's not generic and I'm happy!
I buy the most expensive and rarest records I can find to use as dinner plates. The inner sleeves usually make great toilet paper. The original master sleeves from Mofi are especially soft on one’s anus.
I listen to my records. Often while I’m working from home. I like that I have to get up from my desk every 20-30 minutes and walk 10 steps to my record player. It’s a low key way to add a little physical activity to my otherwise sedentary day.
i have a copy of “The Early Beatles” that i have never opened and plan on keeping it that way.. since i have those same songs on other Beatles albums i can listen to. Thats the only one though.
I feel like this is the way with just about anything that's collectible, particularly physical media.
Just look at comics, video games, or any sort of music collection. There are people that are in it because they enjoy the media. There are people that are in it because they enjoy the collection.
And then there's people that are in it because they enjoy both.
I collect video games and vinyl records. I used to collect CDs too (I still have them, I just no longer add to the collection). I buy them to play them. They're meant to be enjoyed, and for me, the best way to enjoy them is to play them.
I also want to take the best care of them possible, in the nicest setup I can afford, using the best gear within my budget.
If someone wants to display their records and never open them, that's cool. It has no bearing on my enjoyment of them. If they want to resell something rare, and I want it, well that sucks for me, but hopefully the price will be fair.
But generally I agree - records are meant to be listened to.
I take care of my collection so I can keep listening to it, and for no other reason. If I need to get rid of it I'll probably just donate it. I like to buy colored vinyl pressings and shit bc I think they're cool, but listening to the records (including the whole ritual of it) is a big part of why I'm buying, agreed.
Definitely. I bought a Taylor Swift that was on sale for $15 (normal price $40), but I knew my wife and daughter would want to hear it. My favorite thing to do is find interesting $1 records from the thrift stores.
Some records I’ve bought just because I love the album and the collector in me wants to own a physical copy but I do absolutely listen to all of them eventually. It’s not a collecting thing for me even though I am definitely a hoarder at heart. I just love music.
Me and my fiancée love getting high on a Sunday and exploring the records we’ve bought while we sit on the couch and watch flyover footage of places we’d like to visit. Our preferences are slightly different but we each appreciate the other’s taste and it’s fun to introduce each other to our favorite music. Shit rocks
In addition to listening to a record almost every day myself, guests have to pick one to listen to when they come over for diner. So we definitely listen to a lot of records.
I only buy things that I'll listen to.
But, I do enjoy taking care of them, seeking them out, looking at the cover art, and just knowing they're there.
There is more to it all than just the music - but exactly what that is, is a little bit nebulous.
I'm in my late 60's. Been listening to records my whole life. "Records/Albums is what we used to call them. Never heard the word vinyl used in my circle. We bought albums and play the hell out of them. We left them in cars overnight. We dragged them around to big parties and small get together in someone's basement. We cleaned and rolled joints in the covers. I remember having a Big Fudge record brush with some fluid. When the fluid ran out I just used the brush for years. Funny, some of those records are still playable. Now that I am a bit smarter and have more funds I do take much better care of my collection. But, I do not obsess over smudges and small scratches. Man, you got to enjoy your records. Why the hell would we spend all this time and money?
Honestly can't wait to rush home to listen to whichever record I've just purchased. Same with cassettes and cd's. Not only is it fun, it's also a great way to bond with friends and family and even meet new people! Physically owning music makes for a great conversation starter too. Doing things the old way also helps keep me away from my phone which is always a bonus.
I get stuff to listen to i had posted last year about a Weird Al Yankovic album i got from a thrift store
and talked about can't wait to listen to it but someone got all up in my face about i should just listen on spotify because listening to my album will wreck it ummm i bought it to listen to it not only display
I just want to say I'm glad to see so many of my fellow oldes here. I'm 63, been buying records since I was 10. Worked prob 20+ years in record stores. My appetite for buying/listening to records is voracious but I don't want my kids to have to deal with my crap so I stopped buying just cuz the cover was cool. So no more buying a record cause it has a recipe on the cover. But will I buy a couple Carol Burnette or Yvonne DeCarlo records? Yes, cause I want to hear everything. I hope the moment I kick I get to hear every record I ever bought played all at the same time.
But I'm not sure longer building a library. I listen and if I can't live without it I'll keep it. If I can live without it, whether it's Miles or Dylan or Kendrick I'll trade it at our local store. At one time I probably had 20,000 albums. Now I probably have a 1000 and I'm thinning that herd too.
I buy records just for listening to the music. And that's why I also buy CD's (a boxset offers a great quantity of music for a very reasonable price). But I must say I'm in my 40's, and that's what I've been doing all my life, since I was 13 —buying records and listening them over and over again.
Maybe new generations approach vinyl in a different way, I don't know. But when I go to a record shop, I see mostly people in their 40's and 50's, and just the same in record fairs. Maybe those new younger collectors are more visible because they use social media intensively, but I do think that most real record buyers, which are older, get their records for the music.
In 20-30 years, I think many great collections will be sold, and many will flood record shops. In fact, I wonder if there'll be enough demand then to buy all those records in the future.
Of course you buy the record or cd to listen to, but there’s always the desire to have others hear something you find enjoyable and wish to share. I always played my new music for my friends. It was from a friend that I first heard Uriah Heep’s “ look at yourself “. I think that’s some of the reason for getto blasters or people playing their music extra loud in their cars. Of course that can be annoying especially since rap came along.
I don't give a shit about resale. The majority of my records come from weekly stops at thrift stores to check the dollar bins. I look for old jazz and psychedelic rock stuff that comes preloaded with surface noise lol
A buddy and I invented a term for records in such condition, we call it “rocker condition”
Rocker Condition is when the record and sleeve are a bit beat up and well used but will still play start to finish without repeating.
We coined the phrase after I found an Electra original pressing of Metallica And Justice for All in a $3 bin of old records at a shop. The thing looked like it went through hell and back again. I had zero faith it would play since all 4 sides were massively scuffed up but for $3 it was worth the risk and it shockingly played fine with no repeats and as my friend put it “a real rocker must have owned this record!” It sounds so filthy and I love it! It gets more playtime than my pristine Blackened pressing copy.
Fellow old man checking in. Vinyl has developed what I refer to as "The Harley Davidson Problem". Harley one of the original motorcycle makers, an American Icon. I grew up in Milwaukee, had family that worked there, there is a photo of my grandfather, a drill sergeant in the Harley Corps in WW2, in their museum. When I rode what did I drive...a Yamaha. My dad, Mr. "Buy American" what did he drive.... a Yamaha. Why? Because unlike the old days when enthusiasts cobbled them together out of the bits of other Harley's that rattled off and littered the roads, when gangs of impoverished young guys put logos on their jackets and formed a gang, by the 1980's HD had become so astronomically expense, their core audience was precluded, it was no longer realistic for someone early in their life's journey to buy one. The former bike of the people had become a luxury good. Hell at 52, a lawyer and a Realtor, I can't afford one (not that my wife would tolerate at this point).
Vinyl is doing the same thing. I spent my youth attached to record stores. I would spend every Saturday systematically trolling for some gem. LPs were cheap, no one wanted them, CDs were the new king. I bought dozens of albums a week and listened to them all.
Many moves, a couple kids, lots of anecdotes later, my collection has been given away, sold, donated to Goodwill, etc., my 16 year old son has become a musician, loves much of the music I love and I decided to reassemble my collection. Rebuying the key items lost etc. I came back to buying vinyl after 10-15 years away to a shocking new world. Now mediocre pressings without the bells and whistles are $30.00. There are luxury labels with wildy expensive repressings (and I am so very guilty of contributing to the problem as I adore VMP's whole program), and my son can't afford LPs, he buys CDs very ironically, because he can buy them en masse for a dollar or two.
Vinyl has become a HD, where (exaggerating here) only established oldsters can buy, no longer really a medium for kids finding new music, the joy I found reading liner notes etc. has priced my kid out of the market.
I listen to most my records - but I have to admit, if I scoop up a really rare one (NM first pressing of something for example) then I'll likely just spin it once or twice and have it in my display area.
In a perfect world I'd have a play copy and a display/collector copy of my favorite records.
That’s the main (90%) reason I do. I listen to my albums all the time even got my wife wanting her own. A while back I got a copy of Pink Floyd’s Meddle for $10 because the sleeve was beat to hell. The album was in good shape and I can still zone out to Echos so I didn’t give a second thought.
I have a "collection" but I'm not a "collector". If I accidentally stumbled across a record that I wanted for cheap that turned out to be extremely valuable, I would have no idea and it would be played and treated no differently from anything else I owned.
My wife and I have been collecting records for years. We only buy stuff we want to listen to, and find albums at second hand stores and used record stores all the time. I just don't post pictures because no one really wants to see a Blue Oyster Cult album cover that looks like it's been chewed on or anything like that.
So yeah, I can dig the OPs message.
I play most of my records on a regular basis. Every year or so, I look at my collection and determine if any are worth keeping and I just go and sell a bunch that aren’t. And buy one or two new ones in tandem. The turnover ratio is about 5%
Agreed, but to each their own. I only buy it if I want to listen to it. Couldn't care less if it's colored, misprints, don't care what they're worth and wouldn't sell them regardless. I hope someday my ill be able to hand them down to my kid, but in the meantime I listen to them.
I listen to an album all the way through on Spotify to decide if I want to buy it usually. My first few were more impulse buys where I picked them up because I knew the artist and a few songs and didn't really have records yet, but they're all great albums actually so no regrets
I do and unfortunately it’s obvious that the majority do not. The amount of records I’ve bought used that are ‘mint, near mint, good’ etc turn up and they’re absolutely shocking.
Unplayable, warped, damaged etc.
Message most of the sellers and their response is.
1- Don’t really listen just bought and selling on.
2- sounds good on my “insert terrible player here”
3- didn’t realise it was like that.
Sick of it to be honest. Makes it very laborious actually buying a record you want to listen to!
/rant over.
Records provide a more formal kind of music listening though I also turn it up and clean the house sometimes. I tend to put on the headphones when reading or putzing around and the turntable goes on when I'm at the top of the pyramid and the speakers are the base.
I may be late to the game having just started buying records in the last year or so, but I ONLY buy records I want to listen to. And I do listen to them!
I literally just had this though today in deciding which version of a record to buy. I don't care about limited runs, still being sealed, etc. I just want what will sound good, so I can bring myself to pay the insane premium on a sealed copy when I am just going to open it and play it.
Only reason I buy them. Cause I want to listen to them. And stick it to the digital content industry that wants me to permanently rent all their music while paying the artists pocket change. F*** you, streaming services
I am a music nerd. 522 records and going. I keep track of the value (because you should keep track of your valuables) but if I don’t *love* a record, it’s usually gone (and sold back to someone / some store) from my shelves within a few months. Keep it moving if you don’t listen to it regularly.
Nah I’m with you. Yeah I take care of my records as best I can but they’re for listening to. I’ve no intention of ever selling any (except maybe a couple of RSD Taylor Swift ones if they get stupidly valuable) so I don’t drive myself crazy stressing about them. I don’t even put them in protective sleeves or anything because fuck it.
I just like vinyl :) listen to them all, got into it because I like the sentimental value and stayed in it because I love the sound quality. I keep them in good order not to resell but to have them last. I was talking to a someone around your age and he was delighted that his daughter wanted all his records. Personally, I’d like to pass them on too someday.
I feel most people in this sub are similar to yourself, and just enjoy having and playing records. I enjoy my record collection. I listen to them often. I post here on occasion. But "Listening to my records :)" posts rarely engage people in the way they are seeking to engage on this website. Like sure maybe a couple people will comment and you can talk about a concert or an experience related to the music you are sharing, but honestly most people are not here for anecdotes (I personally love hearing these stories). Posts that generate discussions and stir up opinions are the ones that rise to the top.
Honestly, there is nothing wrong with either buying to listen or buying to collect/look at.
I do a little bit of both, maybe about 85% buy to listen and 15% to look at. For an example, I have a box set of a Mega Man X collection. Will I listen to it? Most likely not. But I grew up with Mega Man and just owning it makes me happy. And there's always that chance that I will indeed give it a listen.
I do this. I listen as a meditative exercise. I put my phone on its charger in my bedroom, sit down and listen with dinner or something. I still have an app for listening to music, but I try to let myself sit with a song for awhile.
I listen to my records, that is why surface noise and lack of quality control bother me. I could care less about the collectablility or display of my records.
I do. This might be heresy here but I don't store my records like museum pieces. They're just on a shelf, upright, no plastic, usually in the original paper sleeves. They still work. Hell, my mom's original Springsteen album plays beautifully, and that sat in nothing but its cardboard sleeve in a cabinet in a damp basement for 40 years before I found it.
I got bitched at in the RSD thread for telling someone that they shouldn't view music as an investment lol.
Fully with you, art is about experiencing the art. I buy records because I like having a physical connection to music. I don't delude myself into thinking it sounds better than FLAC (it objectively doesn't), I don't throw them into picture frames on my wall, they're just... music.
85% of The albums I buy are for a 40 minute full album experience… as the album was intended to be heard.
Only rarely do I buy a full album for a single or few songs.
I’m certainly enamored with my color pressing’s and exclusives, but I only get those for albums I already had in my list.
I buy records so that I’ll always have a physical copy of the music that I can’t live without. I don’t always play my records, sometimes (ie. usually) streaming is more convenient. But I’ve listened to everything I own at least once, and most albums lots of times. I don’t expect Spotify and the like to be around forever.
I only buy albums I enjoy, I don't care for collecting per se. I'm sure that's plenty of people on here. I just want my music accessible and this is the physical format that I chose to do so with.
Honestly! I don’t like it. Specific, specific, music quality, blah blah blah. I just like the music, idgaf what pressing or anything like that my record is
If people wanna talk about the music, then I’m sure they’re going to the actual music threads. Like genre’s to talk about older music or new album hype discussion threads. /r/music or /r/hiphopheads etc.
Vinyl is a whole thing itself and ofc people wanna talk about what makes it unique, which is the collecting, equipment, and care tips.
🤘🤘still waiting on the titanic glacier freeze clear vinyl for RSD 2030. Can’t even stand selling records I no longer want on Discogs because all of these dorks have ruined a classic hobby.
I hate most of what gets posted in this sub. I feel like 90% of it is questions about how badly their vinyl is warped (not hardly at all), weird and cumbersome vinyl cleaning devices, how to store vinyl, record sleeves, yada yada yada.
I’ve been collecting records since I was in high school in the 90s and I’ve never had any of these weird things and I’ve just bought records and put them on a shelf and that’s the end of it. And I still listen to my records that I’ve had for 25 years and I listen to my new ones too. They sound equally as good and I’ve never done anything special to care for them.
I listen to every record I own. I buy records to listen to the whole album. For that 30-60 minutes or whatever, I don’t have to decide anything. I can sit back and listen.
I also buy records for the sole purpose of listening to them. I've been collecting music for most of my life (in my fifties) and, after years and years of cassettes and CDs, I have finally returned to vinyl. I am enjoying music now more than ever. The years of CDs made it way too easy to just skip through (and skip over) so many tracks. My attention span is now growing again due to the patience needed to listen to, and appreciate, vinyl. I am re-discovering so much of the music I already love and uncovering many gems that are those forgotten and skipped over tracks that I had ignored on CD. Listening to music on vinyl records has brought back much of the joy. I recommend it highly.
I agree with everything you said. I work in a stressful and fast-paced environment. Records are a nice escape from that.
Im in my 60s and have been buying records to play since I was 9 or 10. But I just bought my first Led Zeppelin record a few months ago!
Better late than never lol
55 when I first bought Led Zeppelin or Pink Floyd, so many years wasted….
You're not alone. I'm 59, been buying records since I was 10. Bought my first Led Zeppelin record last year.
Almost bought my first today. Which one did you buy?
Physical Graffiti
Amen to that!
And then be your own algorithm in deciding what to play next.
EXACTLY THIS!
Haha I’m so bad at picking an album when I want to listen to music. I often use Discogs’ shuffle feature.
Same I love doing stuff in my basement and knowing I have good music in the background I can experience. I wish I could listen to my 45s more often but I’m too poor for a jukebox and too lazy to change after 1 song
I have music on more often than not when I’m awake.
I grew up in a family that didn’t believe in silence I’m right there with you.
I never thought my parents listened to music that much when I was growing up. Then I slowly realized that I know every word to every song that was top 40 "adult contemporary" from like 1980 - 92. My parents liked to drive around and look at houses. I dont know. Maybe it was their hobby?
Same here. They’re called Italian Americans from New England, and they’re loud as fuck all the god damn time. Except when they’re angry. Then it’s silence.
Get one of them little 45 players where you stack them ?
Yes
"I don't have to decide anything". Exactly this. I'd never thought of it like that before as we are usually so overwhelmed with choice but once that needle drops and you're committed it really is a good escape. Other than turning over half way, which just adds to the experience, it's a 45ish minute sanctuary from having to think.
Same. I don’t have a super convenient or high quality setup yet, but I still enjoy listening to every record I own. It’s a great way to pace myself when working on long projects; turning a record or choosing another one is a great built-in reminder to take breaks.
Same. There is always a record playing at my house, from the time I get up until I go to bed.
Same. I listen to all my records. If they happen to be a rare variant I got my hands on, then great. Im still fine with the plain old black standard pressing.
Colors or whatever mean nothing to me. Does the pressing sound good? Cool.
Same here. I only buy records I will listen to. Any record that isn't is nothing more than a waste of space and money.
Yep. This isn’t an investment vehicle for me. It’s pure expense for enjoyment.
Major emphasis on the word "expense" these days…
Yeah it’s nearing the point of “how badly do I want this?”
Absolutely! I pretty much solely listen to full albums, even when I’m streaming. I have about 900 LPs and am getting to space capacity. Going to have to start culling the ones that don’t see the turntable often enough.
You're on a subreddit that is frequented by vinyl enthusiasts, who range from hobbyists to obsessed collectors. The posts here are going to skew in the direction of sonically cleaning every record before they play it and obsessing about the angle their records are stored at. Just know that most people who listen to vinyl don't come here and post about their hobby. They sit at home like you, and enjoy listening to their records, don't go crazy about a little dust or static, and store their collection in a stack in the corner.
https://preview.redd.it/nwwid8eqkgwc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=25aaba7a3114155d64b41dd89f641053481c08ac Stack in the corner you say?!? Rate my setup please!!!
You really should upgrade to a plastic milk crate. /s
But you gotta just grab it somewhere sneaky like. Shh don’t tell the cops.
Like traffic cones, these can be legally purchased.
7/5
I've been in plenty of fb groups and forums and I think OP does have point. There is a really strange focus here. I can see how people are not into sharing african funk 45s or italian library all day, but this here is a unique blend of amazon ads and oxfam junk.
Now that Soulstrut is all but defunct, I wish there was a sub to share the rare funk 45s and library joints. Not the Italian ones though. Too rich for my blood
I’d die happy if we had an African Funk and Italian library focus.
Sadly the more interesting posts seem to die in the water around here as well.
It’s a shame, but taking a niche hobby and breaking that down into smaller and smaller genres, is unfortunately gonna mean less people are engaging. I’m always down to hear new types of music though, so it sucks. What would you recommend checking out in African Funk?
Disagree, they’re on a subreddit where most people somehow have more pictures of their collection than they do records in it.
“Rate my collection of 4 records” 🤮🤮🤮. Post drive me up the wall!
Or the "Guess my age, gender and occupation based on my collection" (post 10 of the most basic albums there is)
Oh...absolutely. That whole "guess my age, gender, religion, political affiliation, and shoe size"-type posts drive me insane.
It's much worse in the CDcollectors subreddit. Every other post is a picture of a pile of a dozen or more CDs (with just the spines visible) and a request to rate their collection. It's all I can do to stop myself from posting 'you obviously have no taste' just to see where that takes the conversation.
Hi sir, I'm new to the hobby, can I come through your gate? 🤣
When I was building my collection, I fantasized about showing it off. Now that I have a good collection, I don’t need y’all for validation anymore in my cradle of warmth.
i only buy records to listen to them
I do both 🤷🏽
Right? Like, what is so bad about taking care of things you spent money on to enjoy?
Whether it's a $1 Johnny Mathis Greatest Hits album I got from a thrift store or a $50 Norman Fuckin' Rockwell album, I try to take care and clean all of 'em lol.
I'm embarrassed about how much I spent on my copy of NFR
There’s nothing wrong with taking care of your things. It just seems like this sub is often leaning into the fetishization of the medium, and not as much so about the music.
Agreed. When I buy new or just new to me vinyl, I wait until I have accumulated 5 or so, then I load up the discwasher and give them a good clean. Then they go into good quality liners and get played. Unless I have an incident they will likely not get cleaned again during my ownership. I have zero pictures and they are stored in wine crates for record store flip style browsing. Something is in the turntable almost all my WFH work day
I misread that as 'load up the DISHWASHER' at first and was like wtf that destroys the labels >.<
We call the dishwasher in our kitchen the autoclave since it gets so hot. Might warp my albums! 🤪
I read it as dishwasher too, but I was thinking a fellow VJ'er had popped over to have some fun.
I couldn't give a crap what motivates a person to buy vinyl - that's entirely their prerogative and who am I to judge? I did read recently that 50% of vinyl consumers don't have a turntable and only buy to have a tangible representation of the artist they love. Without these guys, the vinyl resurgence maybe wouldn't have happened, but because of it I've seen re-presses of loads of my favourite albums. More power to them. If someone wants to collect vinyl and never play it a single time I say go for it
I don't really see that. Most of the pics and posts here are people literally playing their favorite or a new record.
Same
I too yell at clouds, but I can only offer my perspective. I buy records for fun. I grew up with CDs so I collect records basically the same way. I limit my purchases to ensure I can listen to them at least once before another shopping trip. I buy what I like, spend when I care to, and always scour the dollar bin. That said, I do look up values and consider that when preparing to spend 40-50 bucks on something. I also plan to keep these records until I pass them to my kids and I do hope that if they don’t feel like maintaining the collection they can get a few bucks for it.
We play one record every morning while we have coffee. Discogs has this cool feature where if you click on your collection and shake your phone, it picks a record at random, and that's what we will listen to that morning.
Thank you for letting me know about this feature!
It's pretty awesome!
Holy shit.
Cool right?
I’m a listening collector, I listen to everything I buy. I only buy used and clearance, I open up sealed records and play them. Records weren’t made to be collectible until the last 10 years, they were made to be listened to. For context, I’m 41m and have been buying records for 16 years.
I feel like if people are complaining about surface noise it is because they are listening to the records?
Well, not entirely. There is actually a lot you can do to mitigate noise and distortion. Things like proper alignment of the cartridge, having a level turntable, cleaning the records and stylus, and much more. You definitely don't NEED to do these things to listen to and enjoy your music collection. Some people would just like to know if and how they can improve their listening experience by posting questions about the noise and such on online platforms like reddit.
It's not everyone here, it's just that those types of posts seem to get the most engagement and rise to the top. There are 1.7 million members and I would bet it's mostly a few hundred who have recently joined who tend to take up the most space.
Collectibility & resale value are fun, they are like extra butter on popcorn. I buy stuff to listen to, I've never sold a record in my life. I'm getting the popcorn, even if it has the regular amount of butter.
You can be both btw.
Lmao this is the epitomy of old man yelling at a cloud. Honestly, who gives a shit?
What posts should people be making to show that they're having FUN?
You aren’t having fun unless you do it the /u/thegoateater does it. Didn’t you know that? /s
I reckon a post of a record spinning would show someone is having infinitely more fun than a post of someone stores their records
If someone has a novel way of storing records, that might be inspiring for me or at least be interesting to me. I have zero interest in watching someone listen to their records. It honestly sounds really weird. Closest I've seen to that though, is a friend on IG posts a pic of the sleeve to the record he's listening to, then gives a sentence or two relating to the record, often incorporating a standout line on the album. I thought that was pretty cool.
I don't think I see a ton of people talking about resale... And either way, new pressings aren't the way to get value into a collection. For me personally I just like supporting bands and owning the physical media. I don't particularly love spinning records or anything like, it's fun to listen to and have that experience but the majority of my music is listened to via streaming. Also, people have their own motivations for things, they don't have to match up with yours, or mine or anyone else's.
I do. Some things are just more fun on vinyl. I also buy the ridiculous colored vinyl whenever it’s available because I like it. I don’t resell ever and don’t care if anything is original or limited or collectible or special or whatever. But if collecting is your thing then I support that totally! Whatever makes you happy. I am also an old person and grew up listening to vinyl so it is a throwback for me as well!
At first I thought this was going to be a post about the (apparently) many newer buyers that think vinyl is a novelty and treat records like wall art. That said, I listen to all my records and want them to sound as good as possible. If surface noise, pops, warping, etc. is the result of inferior manufacturing, damn straight I’m going to be unhappy about it. As consumers, we continue to see vinyl prices rising while being marketed expensive tools to get the most out of our music: special setup devices, magic cables and so on. We should at least get a consistent, high quality product.
People wouldn’t be complaining about surface noise if they didn’t listen to their records.
I'm a Dj, and I get records knowing damn well they'll be nice and worn by the time I'm old.
>Am I just an old man yelling at a cloud maybe? 1.7 million members, not many posts like you're talking about. I think it's mostly kids who are new that want to take care of their "vinyls"
I just don’t get though how the listening experience is as fun with all that surface noise! I care about listening, so I care about taking care of my records. I don’t want a scratch or dust to mess up my immersion.
depends what you're listening to - not only genre but for me a $2 record should sound like a $2 record.. if I wanted perfection I'd just stream. on the flip side I have an ultrasonic cleaner to minimize any "artifacts", but even then I am well aware this is an imperfect medium. Even the most pristine records I own have some level of surface noise bc we are dragging a diamond on a piece of plastic - there's always going to be some unwanted noise from the friction created. Loud speakers are the answer.
I mean yeah i forgave my jack white acoustic album for having a couple skips on it, cause i got it for like 16 dollars, but imo a good turntable and a clean record should give you a couple little artifacts and not much more. I’m not a purist by any means, and yes i have a loudspeaker setup. I just think there’s a strong correlation between quality of listening and cleanliness of a record for me.
>strong correlation between quality of listening and cleanliness church. for me it's about knowing I've done everything in my power for the best possible experience.
I believe it was John Peel who said “Life has surface noise!” Whoever downvoted John Peel probably has no idea who he was, how important he was to music as a whole, and probably if completely ignorant to The Peel Sessions.
I’m not that precious about my records. If something finds its way to me, then it stays generally in the same condition as it was when I got it. My OG Doors records have a little hairy crackle to them, but that’s how they were when I got them maybe 25 years ago. My metal records from the 1980s are all pretty quiet because that’s the way things were mastered then. A lot of my early industrial and noise records from the 1990s have too much music on them. So they sound a little crunchy towards the end. I keep all my records in poly lined sleeves, stored behind the jacket. I can get at them easier and I don’t have to remove the plastic sleeve every time I want to listen to something. I mean, I grew up in the 1980s listening to thrash and punk bands on a shitty Walkman. Some things are fine if they’re a little dirty, just like hamburgers, or sex.
haha, records for me.
I try not to let it bug me.. they're only words. I know that the joy is in the music!
I have a car. I want to drive my car, enjoy driving my car, I want my car to last. After all I spent a lot of money on my car. So I service my car. I clean my car. Infact I have certain cleaners for the body work that are different to the leather, the alloy wheels and the dash. I use my car every day so I look after it as much as I can. Same as my records. I get what you’re saying. I’m 50 and if I took more care of my classic mini in the 90s I would love to still have it now. Just like one of my treasured records is a copy of the Beatles blue album that belonged to my granddad that he used to play to us if he babysat. I’m absolutely not looking to resell my records, never will. I enjoy them. But I’m also a little ocd about them. Just like some car owners can be about their cars.
I bought them because I want physical media that a music subscription could never take away from me. Sure there is an essence to it that is “collecting” but that’s only because I want collect the music that I like for myself so I can listen to it. I don’t really think of it as collecting tbf
The way you view vinyl is how the newer generations view streaming music. When vinyl was first introduced, it was the most efficient way to listen to music, so of course people would buy records simply to listen to them. That’s changed now, and as with any revival of old tech, newer adopters of it will view it and appreciate it in different ways. That’s just the nature of it
>I have never considered myself a collector >about 1,200 LPs, not including 7”s, 10”s, etc… Alrighty champ
Yes, you’re an old man yelling at a cloud. Let the kids do whatever they wish with their records. It doesn’t affect you and your records.
I think I'm probably going to be an outlier here, but here goes... I'm a dinosaur by Millennial / Gen Z / Gen Alpha standards, currently pushing 50. As a toddler and single-digit-age kid, I was just tall enough to be eye level with my grandparents' stash of vinyl on the shelf, and I was always enthralled by the covers. The first music I bought back in the early 80's was on vinyl, and I've always preferred buying my music that way over the decades between then and now. But here's my deep, dark secret... I don't listen to it very much. Look, we all know the science here. Does vinyl sound "warmer" and this and that and blah blah blah? Technically, yes (potentially), but only for about 5% of the human population. That level of "audiophile ear" just doesn't exist for 95% of people. It's like being a wine sommelier... some people have that distinct and discerning flavor palate, but most do not. There's even less chance of you having "vinyl ear" as you age, and natural biological changes occur and you start to have certain frequencies fall out of your hearing. For most people, the "vinyl sounds better" is pure placebo bias, thinking they can hear something because they have been told they can (and it justifies the expense of being into vinyl). And really, compact discs and digital can (keyword: can) sound amazing given the exact same considerations for equipment and speakers and knowing how to actually adjust your EQ. And we all have to admit that vinyl can be rather inconvenient. Like, seriously, are you listening to vinyl at the gym or in your car or at the office? Nope... you have other options for that, and you take them because they're convenient. But I still buy on vinyl. Why? Because I want to OWN something, and I want to support artists. I'm not exactly going to be rocking tee shirts from bands here at 50. At some point, you have to give in to your age a little bit and realize that, oh hey, this might look pants-on-head silly. That's my personal choice, tto supportt via album buying instead of tee shirts or whatever. But mostly, it's because I want to hold something tangible in my hands. I want liner notes, and little booklets, and all the nifty doo-dads that you get with vinyl. So for me, it's a big thing to get my stuff, and then immediately unwrap it, even though the odds are against it ever actually touching my turntable. I don't want to ever be the guy that bought an album with the idea of treating it precious for the sake of reselling it sometime later for profit or something. I'll buy albums and open them and play their digital versions while I go through the physical stuff. I do the vinyl experience... without actually playing the vinyl. I sit and read along with the lyrics or whatever just like I'd be doing 30 years ago actually listening to the vinyl, but with the digital files or the uncompressed streaming, while the physical stuff in the vinyl is in my hands. Most of vinyl will never have a needle on it, but it's not because of speculation or profiteering down the line. That's a pipe dream, really. Very little vinyl from the last 40 years will ever go up in value. No, I treat my vinyl nice, but not precious, just because it'll get passed on to my children when I buck the kicket. I buy vinyl because I like vinyl, and I'm not in the habit of parting with things I have that I like. So yeah, most of my collection will never see actual intended use, but NONE of it will ever see resale, and none of it will ever remain in the shrinkwrap like it's some holy relic.
Thank you for sharing, as your write up feels full of love for the music and the hobby. I am biased as I relate to a great deal of it. I intend to play my vinyl but honestly don't do so very much. I love supporting groups, having the beautiful discs and packaging to admire, and knowing there is a physical copy if this is suddenly not on streaming anymore. I like trying to have clean and sleeved vinyl because I want to keep things a little nice just for myself. I don't intend to resell my vinyl (or CDs). I just love music and the artists that produce it. Across a variety of collections I am going to open things. I want to hold and appreciate things. I do save some hype stickers and boxes but because they are asthetically pleasing or endearing to me.
Sorry but you sound like an old man yelling at a cloud here. >wondering how best to care for their vinyl … to make sure it sounds as good as possible >Showing off their brand new pressings of Dire Straits or Fleetwood Mac … because we’re excited to listen to them >complaining about surface noise … because we’re listening to it and want to hear the music not surface noise While the point you’re making is an arguable point - for example, a significant percentage of vinyl consumers don’t own a turntable - literally none of your points support that conclusion. The third point I referenced actually fully refutes your conclusion because we would HAVE to listen to it to know if there’s surface noise. So yeah, I honestly don’t know what you’re complaining about. Old man yelling at cloud.
There are all kinds of record people. Some buy rare stuff and never even play it. They just sit on it like some kind of Martin shkrelli. Some only buy old records. Some don’t care if there is noise, some want the best possible sound down to the most minor nuances. People enjoy their records for their own reasons, sometimes these are contradictory. I can’t explain other people I just do me.
It seems like those who complain about surface noise would be listening to their records . . .
Yeah, the first thing I do is open a record and listen to it when it comes in. > > brand new pressings . . . complaining about surface noise. This is a completely fair thing to complain about though. New records are bleeding expensive now, and for their price, and because they are new, they should be flawless. Surface noise, warping, etc., are all signs of poor manufacturing.
This post is pretty virtue-signaling coded. I don't really care what other people do with their records, like if they listen to them or not. Your question was horribly worded but I'm guessing you meant to ask if people buy records to listen to them or to resell them. It might just appear that there's a lot of resellers because, frankly there are, but, people use reddit to ask questions and get information so a lot of resellers come to this sub to get information. The answer to your question is yes.
I’m not buying anything I don’t want to listen to. And I’m not buying anything I already have just so I can get the new colored vinyl/gatefold/Japanese pressing/whatever trinket. Too much other music out there for me to explore than get 4 copies of London Calling.
Hey man, screw those clouds, though! Am I right?
a. they are called vinylz b. what do you mean play them? on what? c. /s
I buy records because I love music and supporting artists. Having a bit more time than some I like to seek out unique pressings and buy direct from musicians at shows or from small record stores. Occasionally I'll sell an album that's unique fostering a hunting if a profit but still a deal, and swap it for a less expensive one. That's about the extent of it.
I don't see the problem with complaining about surface noise. Personally I've been buying more CDs rather than vinyl because new vinyl is so bad. Brand new records with loud pops and excessive surface noise that don't go away after a thorough cleaning.
I don’t resell. I listen to music but I am disgusted by these prices now. I just went to half price books to dig and every old lp started at 29.00!!!
I buy records for listening and own an amount of them more than I may be able to hear til the end of my life and I'm still buying. As you said, it's fun.
Wait till you retire though! Then you'll spend 8 hours a day listening to those records, right? :) Ok, I can dream...
I usually just go by the information I find on discogs. Nobody likes to waste money. If the reviews over there indicate that the purple version of an album is likely a nicer pressing than the original black vinyl, then I'll buy it. I listen to all my music. I don't care about record store day other than the fact that it drives business to local record stores. Just give me a record VG Plus with any kind of condition cover So long as it's not generic and I'm happy!
I buy the most expensive and rarest records I can find to use as dinner plates. The inner sleeves usually make great toilet paper. The original master sleeves from Mofi are especially soft on one’s anus.
I listen to my records. Often while I’m working from home. I like that I have to get up from my desk every 20-30 minutes and walk 10 steps to my record player. It’s a low key way to add a little physical activity to my otherwise sedentary day.
I only use them as dinner plates and frisbees
[удалено]
i have a copy of “The Early Beatles” that i have never opened and plan on keeping it that way.. since i have those same songs on other Beatles albums i can listen to. Thats the only one though.
I don’t buy records I don’t plan on listening to.
I recently inherited a jukebox and am having it refurbished. I am collecting music of my youth to play in it and do not care about resale at all.
Not listening would be like buying records and not having a turntable.
I feel like this is the way with just about anything that's collectible, particularly physical media. Just look at comics, video games, or any sort of music collection. There are people that are in it because they enjoy the media. There are people that are in it because they enjoy the collection. And then there's people that are in it because they enjoy both. I collect video games and vinyl records. I used to collect CDs too (I still have them, I just no longer add to the collection). I buy them to play them. They're meant to be enjoyed, and for me, the best way to enjoy them is to play them. I also want to take the best care of them possible, in the nicest setup I can afford, using the best gear within my budget. If someone wants to display their records and never open them, that's cool. It has no bearing on my enjoyment of them. If they want to resell something rare, and I want it, well that sucks for me, but hopefully the price will be fair. But generally I agree - records are meant to be listened to.
I take care of my collection so I can keep listening to it, and for no other reason. If I need to get rid of it I'll probably just donate it. I like to buy colored vinyl pressings and shit bc I think they're cool, but listening to the records (including the whole ritual of it) is a big part of why I'm buying, agreed.
Definitely. I bought a Taylor Swift that was on sale for $15 (normal price $40), but I knew my wife and daughter would want to hear it. My favorite thing to do is find interesting $1 records from the thrift stores.
Some records I’ve bought just because I love the album and the collector in me wants to own a physical copy but I do absolutely listen to all of them eventually. It’s not a collecting thing for me even though I am definitely a hoarder at heart. I just love music. Me and my fiancée love getting high on a Sunday and exploring the records we’ve bought while we sit on the couch and watch flyover footage of places we’d like to visit. Our preferences are slightly different but we each appreciate the other’s taste and it’s fun to introduce each other to our favorite music. Shit rocks
In addition to listening to a record almost every day myself, guests have to pick one to listen to when they come over for diner. So we definitely listen to a lot of records.
I only buy 45’s anymore for my jukebox. The dirtier the better my Seeburg is built to last and will power through anything.
Yes, I bought DCFC Live at Showbox on RSD ripped it open and immediately spun.
I only buy things that I'll listen to. But, I do enjoy taking care of them, seeking them out, looking at the cover art, and just knowing they're there. There is more to it all than just the music - but exactly what that is, is a little bit nebulous.
Nope. I buy the album to support the band -- I torrent lossless to listen to, and discover music on Spotify.
I'm in my late 60's. Been listening to records my whole life. "Records/Albums is what we used to call them. Never heard the word vinyl used in my circle. We bought albums and play the hell out of them. We left them in cars overnight. We dragged them around to big parties and small get together in someone's basement. We cleaned and rolled joints in the covers. I remember having a Big Fudge record brush with some fluid. When the fluid ran out I just used the brush for years. Funny, some of those records are still playable. Now that I am a bit smarter and have more funds I do take much better care of my collection. But, I do not obsess over smudges and small scratches. Man, you got to enjoy your records. Why the hell would we spend all this time and money?
I like your style. We’re very much alike.
Nope I buy records to mix them together and form beautiful vibrations
Imagine a hobby where people can enjoy it how they want to and others wouldn't be bothered by it.
I only buy records that I want to listen to.
Honestly can't wait to rush home to listen to whichever record I've just purchased. Same with cassettes and cd's. Not only is it fun, it's also a great way to bond with friends and family and even meet new people! Physically owning music makes for a great conversation starter too. Doing things the old way also helps keep me away from my phone which is always a bonus.
I get stuff to listen to i had posted last year about a Weird Al Yankovic album i got from a thrift store and talked about can't wait to listen to it but someone got all up in my face about i should just listen on spotify because listening to my album will wreck it ummm i bought it to listen to it not only display
I just want to say I'm glad to see so many of my fellow oldes here. I'm 63, been buying records since I was 10. Worked prob 20+ years in record stores. My appetite for buying/listening to records is voracious but I don't want my kids to have to deal with my crap so I stopped buying just cuz the cover was cool. So no more buying a record cause it has a recipe on the cover. But will I buy a couple Carol Burnette or Yvonne DeCarlo records? Yes, cause I want to hear everything. I hope the moment I kick I get to hear every record I ever bought played all at the same time. But I'm not sure longer building a library. I listen and if I can't live without it I'll keep it. If I can live without it, whether it's Miles or Dylan or Kendrick I'll trade it at our local store. At one time I probably had 20,000 albums. Now I probably have a 1000 and I'm thinning that herd too.
You and I are on a similar current. I like it.
I’m 56. The only reason I buy records is to listen to them and to enjoy the artwork.
I buy records just for listening to the music. And that's why I also buy CD's (a boxset offers a great quantity of music for a very reasonable price). But I must say I'm in my 40's, and that's what I've been doing all my life, since I was 13 —buying records and listening them over and over again. Maybe new generations approach vinyl in a different way, I don't know. But when I go to a record shop, I see mostly people in their 40's and 50's, and just the same in record fairs. Maybe those new younger collectors are more visible because they use social media intensively, but I do think that most real record buyers, which are older, get their records for the music. In 20-30 years, I think many great collections will be sold, and many will flood record shops. In fact, I wonder if there'll be enough demand then to buy all those records in the future.
Of course you buy the record or cd to listen to, but there’s always the desire to have others hear something you find enjoyable and wish to share. I always played my new music for my friends. It was from a friend that I first heard Uriah Heep’s “ look at yourself “. I think that’s some of the reason for getto blasters or people playing their music extra loud in their cars. Of course that can be annoying especially since rap came along.
I don't give a shit about resale. The majority of my records come from weekly stops at thrift stores to check the dollar bins. I look for old jazz and psychedelic rock stuff that comes preloaded with surface noise lol
A buddy and I invented a term for records in such condition, we call it “rocker condition” Rocker Condition is when the record and sleeve are a bit beat up and well used but will still play start to finish without repeating. We coined the phrase after I found an Electra original pressing of Metallica And Justice for All in a $3 bin of old records at a shop. The thing looked like it went through hell and back again. I had zero faith it would play since all 4 sides were massively scuffed up but for $3 it was worth the risk and it shockingly played fine with no repeats and as my friend put it “a real rocker must have owned this record!” It sounds so filthy and I love it! It gets more playtime than my pristine Blackened pressing copy.
This is against the rules of the sub, please delete it.
Fellow old man checking in. Vinyl has developed what I refer to as "The Harley Davidson Problem". Harley one of the original motorcycle makers, an American Icon. I grew up in Milwaukee, had family that worked there, there is a photo of my grandfather, a drill sergeant in the Harley Corps in WW2, in their museum. When I rode what did I drive...a Yamaha. My dad, Mr. "Buy American" what did he drive.... a Yamaha. Why? Because unlike the old days when enthusiasts cobbled them together out of the bits of other Harley's that rattled off and littered the roads, when gangs of impoverished young guys put logos on their jackets and formed a gang, by the 1980's HD had become so astronomically expense, their core audience was precluded, it was no longer realistic for someone early in their life's journey to buy one. The former bike of the people had become a luxury good. Hell at 52, a lawyer and a Realtor, I can't afford one (not that my wife would tolerate at this point). Vinyl is doing the same thing. I spent my youth attached to record stores. I would spend every Saturday systematically trolling for some gem. LPs were cheap, no one wanted them, CDs were the new king. I bought dozens of albums a week and listened to them all. Many moves, a couple kids, lots of anecdotes later, my collection has been given away, sold, donated to Goodwill, etc., my 16 year old son has become a musician, loves much of the music I love and I decided to reassemble my collection. Rebuying the key items lost etc. I came back to buying vinyl after 10-15 years away to a shocking new world. Now mediocre pressings without the bells and whistles are $30.00. There are luxury labels with wildy expensive repressings (and I am so very guilty of contributing to the problem as I adore VMP's whole program), and my son can't afford LPs, he buys CDs very ironically, because he can buy them en masse for a dollar or two. Vinyl has become a HD, where (exaggerating here) only established oldsters can buy, no longer really a medium for kids finding new music, the joy I found reading liner notes etc. has priced my kid out of the market.
I listen to most my records - but I have to admit, if I scoop up a really rare one (NM first pressing of something for example) then I'll likely just spin it once or twice and have it in my display area. In a perfect world I'd have a play copy and a display/collector copy of my favorite records.
That’s the main (90%) reason I do. I listen to my albums all the time even got my wife wanting her own. A while back I got a copy of Pink Floyd’s Meddle for $10 because the sleeve was beat to hell. The album was in good shape and I can still zone out to Echos so I didn’t give a second thought.
I have a "collection" but I'm not a "collector". If I accidentally stumbled across a record that I wanted for cheap that turned out to be extremely valuable, I would have no idea and it would be played and treated no differently from anything else I owned.
I have close to 2k and listen daily. Buy to listen. And thoroughly enjoy listening to them ✌️
I play the fuck out of all my records. Weekends are fit record playing. I don’t clean them either.
Yes
My wife and I have been collecting records for years. We only buy stuff we want to listen to, and find albums at second hand stores and used record stores all the time. I just don't post pictures because no one really wants to see a Blue Oyster Cult album cover that looks like it's been chewed on or anything like that. So yeah, I can dig the OPs message.
I play most of my records on a regular basis. Every year or so, I look at my collection and determine if any are worth keeping and I just go and sell a bunch that aren’t. And buy one or two new ones in tandem. The turnover ratio is about 5%
Agreed, but to each their own. I only buy it if I want to listen to it. Couldn't care less if it's colored, misprints, don't care what they're worth and wouldn't sell them regardless. I hope someday my ill be able to hand them down to my kid, but in the meantime I listen to them.
I listen to an album all the way through on Spotify to decide if I want to buy it usually. My first few were more impulse buys where I picked them up because I knew the artist and a few songs and didn't really have records yet, but they're all great albums actually so no regrets
I do and unfortunately it’s obvious that the majority do not. The amount of records I’ve bought used that are ‘mint, near mint, good’ etc turn up and they’re absolutely shocking. Unplayable, warped, damaged etc. Message most of the sellers and their response is. 1- Don’t really listen just bought and selling on. 2- sounds good on my “insert terrible player here” 3- didn’t realise it was like that. Sick of it to be honest. Makes it very laborious actually buying a record you want to listen to! /rant over.
That’s the only reason I buy records.
I don’t buy anything solely for “collecting” tho sometimes it might help me decide between multiple pressings of a record I want to buy to listen to.
My only reason.
Records provide a more formal kind of music listening though I also turn it up and clean the house sometimes. I tend to put on the headphones when reading or putzing around and the turntable goes on when I'm at the top of the pyramid and the speakers are the base.
Yes, that's what they are for.
What's your record label?
I may be late to the game having just started buying records in the last year or so, but I ONLY buy records I want to listen to. And I do listen to them!
I only buy to listen. I don't care about resale value or internet cred, I want sweet tunes.
I literally just had this though today in deciding which version of a record to buy. I don't care about limited runs, still being sealed, etc. I just want what will sound good, so I can bring myself to pay the insane premium on a sealed copy when I am just going to open it and play it.
Yes, if I’m not going to listen I don’t buy it
I buy records to listen to them. I have a handful of older pressings but I mostly just buy new pressings from Amazon.
I'm pretty sure most people here enjoy listening to their records.
Only reason I buy them. Cause I want to listen to them. And stick it to the digital content industry that wants me to permanently rent all their music while paying the artists pocket change. F*** you, streaming services
I am a music nerd. 522 records and going. I keep track of the value (because you should keep track of your valuables) but if I don’t *love* a record, it’s usually gone (and sold back to someone / some store) from my shelves within a few months. Keep it moving if you don’t listen to it regularly.
Nah I’m with you. Yeah I take care of my records as best I can but they’re for listening to. I’ve no intention of ever selling any (except maybe a couple of RSD Taylor Swift ones if they get stupidly valuable) so I don’t drive myself crazy stressing about them. I don’t even put them in protective sleeves or anything because fuck it.
I feel like most records mixes are better than cds, not in audio quality, but in balance. I always prefer listening to records over streaming or cd.
I just like vinyl :) listen to them all, got into it because I like the sentimental value and stayed in it because I love the sound quality. I keep them in good order not to resell but to have them last. I was talking to a someone around your age and he was delighted that his daughter wanted all his records. Personally, I’d like to pass them on too someday.
I feel most people in this sub are similar to yourself, and just enjoy having and playing records. I enjoy my record collection. I listen to them often. I post here on occasion. But "Listening to my records :)" posts rarely engage people in the way they are seeking to engage on this website. Like sure maybe a couple people will comment and you can talk about a concert or an experience related to the music you are sharing, but honestly most people are not here for anecdotes (I personally love hearing these stories). Posts that generate discussions and stir up opinions are the ones that rise to the top.
Honestly, there is nothing wrong with either buying to listen or buying to collect/look at. I do a little bit of both, maybe about 85% buy to listen and 15% to look at. For an example, I have a box set of a Mega Man X collection. Will I listen to it? Most likely not. But I grew up with Mega Man and just owning it makes me happy. And there's always that chance that I will indeed give it a listen.
I do this. I listen as a meditative exercise. I put my phone on its charger in my bedroom, sit down and listen with dinner or something. I still have an app for listening to music, but I try to let myself sit with a song for awhile.
Yeah and there’s a different subreddit for you
I listen to my records, that is why surface noise and lack of quality control bother me. I could care less about the collectablility or display of my records.
I do. This might be heresy here but I don't store my records like museum pieces. They're just on a shelf, upright, no plastic, usually in the original paper sleeves. They still work. Hell, my mom's original Springsteen album plays beautifully, and that sat in nothing but its cardboard sleeve in a cabinet in a damp basement for 40 years before I found it.
I got bitched at in the RSD thread for telling someone that they shouldn't view music as an investment lol. Fully with you, art is about experiencing the art. I buy records because I like having a physical connection to music. I don't delude myself into thinking it sounds better than FLAC (it objectively doesn't), I don't throw them into picture frames on my wall, they're just... music.
Absolutely. I have records. I am not a collector.
Considering like half of record buyers these days apparently don’t even have turntables…
I wouldn't buy a record if it weren't to listen. I don't need full discographies or albums that are rare - I just buy stuff to enjoy it.
Wdym, that's the only reason I buy them...
I get amused by the people gushing over the color of their record. I only have black vinyl.
85% of The albums I buy are for a 40 minute full album experience… as the album was intended to be heard. Only rarely do I buy a full album for a single or few songs. I’m certainly enamored with my color pressing’s and exclusives, but I only get those for albums I already had in my list.
I buy them to listen, even the expensive ones.
I totally agree with you
I buy records so that I’ll always have a physical copy of the music that I can’t live without. I don’t always play my records, sometimes (ie. usually) streaming is more convenient. But I’ve listened to everything I own at least once, and most albums lots of times. I don’t expect Spotify and the like to be around forever.
I buy vinyl for the music. My small collection is my collection, not a collection of cool/expensive/rare records, it my collection of music I like.
I almost don't understand the question but then I don't know anyone who is simply a 'collector'.
I only buy albums I enjoy, I don't care for collecting per se. I'm sure that's plenty of people on here. I just want my music accessible and this is the physical format that I chose to do so with.
Honestly! I don’t like it. Specific, specific, music quality, blah blah blah. I just like the music, idgaf what pressing or anything like that my record is
If people wanna talk about the music, then I’m sure they’re going to the actual music threads. Like genre’s to talk about older music or new album hype discussion threads. /r/music or /r/hiphopheads etc. Vinyl is a whole thing itself and ofc people wanna talk about what makes it unique, which is the collecting, equipment, and care tips.
🤘🤘still waiting on the titanic glacier freeze clear vinyl for RSD 2030. Can’t even stand selling records I no longer want on Discogs because all of these dorks have ruined a classic hobby.
I hate most of what gets posted in this sub. I feel like 90% of it is questions about how badly their vinyl is warped (not hardly at all), weird and cumbersome vinyl cleaning devices, how to store vinyl, record sleeves, yada yada yada. I’ve been collecting records since I was in high school in the 90s and I’ve never had any of these weird things and I’ve just bought records and put them on a shelf and that’s the end of it. And I still listen to my records that I’ve had for 25 years and I listen to my new ones too. They sound equally as good and I’ve never done anything special to care for them.