celebrate the body electric

Over the past year, people all over have been commenting on the growing trend of vinyl being the choice format for physical music purchases. And evidently, the mainstream market has begun to notice.

Now, this information all needs to be taken with a grain of salt. Even with current sales trends for vinyl records exploding over previous numbers, LP’s account for less than .5% of all album sales. Vinyl records are not, nor will they ever, rise again to dominance and account for the majority of album sales in the music industry. But what I can see in the not so distant future is vinyl overtaking CD’s in the physical media market.

As more and more people turn to online downloading and physical media-less methods of obtaining music, what we are going to find is that CD sales will continue to decline, at a higher rate than ever. The market is not dedicated to the technology of the Compact Disc, which even to this day is arguably a flawed format in some opinions. And as high speed internet access continues to penetrate households, people will continue to choose the convenience of downloading music as opposed to heading to the store to buy the latest CD.

So where does the vinyl record fit into this equation? The technology of vinyl records was one of the first analog audio recording formats developed to bring music and sounds to the masses over 100 years ago and has barely changed since then. On the other hand, digital methods were first introduced in the early 1970’s, and have gone through many generations of preferred physical format. The next distribution method on this chain is not a new physical format however; direct to consumer downloads are on the path to become the primary source.

But vinyl has shown that it can outlast these technology changes. New formats appear every few years, and then they quickly fade once the newest method arrives. Vinyl has been the only type of media to last. A great example of the physical media downfall can be found in film and movies. Most experts are predicting that Blu-Ray will be the final physical media of videos sold. Almost every video distribution company has invested in digital download technology, giving signs towards the industries eventual acceptance of this method.

Some will argue that consumers will always desire to physically receive something for their money, and that having a tangible item in their possession will always be important. Flash memory is a far superior technology to any type of disc, and because of the reliability, standard acceptance by virtually every home media hub, and small physical size, brick and mortar retailers will find that this will be the preferred form.

But vinyl collectors will live on. Some find benefits in the small size and convenience of physical media, but record heads want precisely the opposite. And that is why, once the market embraces digital downloads as a whole, LP’s will live on for those who appreciate the artform.

And I, for one, look forward to the day that I can buy the latest Hannah Montana 3XLP printed on deluxe color splashed 12″ 180 gram virgin vinyl, with a hologram gatefold sleeve, at Best Buy.