Vinyl. Untethered music at it’s finest.

Vinyl records are totally redeeming the way I enjoy and listen to music. Yes, you heard that right- vinyl records. You know… the things that came around and were popular during the 1960’s. Yep, those. It’s pretty astonishing the way vinyl records are making a comeback.

So what’s up with records anyway? Well, for starters I should say that for the most part I have completely skipped the whole digital music phenomenon. I rarely purchase digital music. I don’t subscribe to any online music services. I’ve always been a bit of a music purist. And music purchased or streamed over the internet doesn’t have the same quality as, for example, a CD.

But besides quality, there are other reasons why I have avoided digital music. I guess you could call it stubbornness. The problem with digital music is that it’s tied to digital devices. You’re probably thinking, uh duh…. but for me this is a big factor when it comes to my ENJOYMENT. I don’t want to listen to music if it means I have to find my phone first… or make sure the battery is charged… or be within range of internet or cell service… or login to the site first… or locate my headphones… or, oh wait, I have to update this app first… You see? Music becomes part of a much larger more complicated and convoluted thing when it gets tied to a digital device. It gets mixed in with email, and news feeds, and Facebook. Ultimately, this detracts from my enjoyment of it in many ways.

I don’t want music tied to a complicated digital device or service. It should be free. I want to be able to hold it in my hand.

So, back to the question at hand. Why vinyl? Well, I’m discovering that vinyl actually sounds really good. It has a warm inviting quality to it. It feels like a friend. I’m used to listening to CD’s. I would say vinyl matches the quality of CD’s but with a nicer sound to it. I won’t get all technical but, to me, vinyl just sounds better.

The other nice thing about vinyl: It is dirt cheap! I went to an antique store and picked up two records for a dollar. There are three record stores where I live and they sell a lot of records for a dollar a piece. Granted, these records are old. But this is good music for super cheap!

Not everything is available on vinyl. But a lot is. And when it is, it has become the format I prefer.