I’m weird, I know, but I prefer vinyl records as my favorite source of music (not counting live).

What is it about vinyl records that I love so much? No, really, what is it?

Can I pinpoint why there is such a draw for me and so many others?

Is it the sound? Vinyl has such a nice warmth to it and richness (people who are bigger audiophiles than I am will also attest to that). I could go into the statistics of how vinyl has a lower dynamic range than digital media and can even be damaged by too loud of sounds, and thus, why vinyl tends to be a little “quieter” than digital. In fact, while doing my research, I discovered that there was a Loudness War of the 90s when producers decided to equate “louder” with “better.” Fun fact: Oasis’ album (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? has been cited as the start of this war. But, can we really hold them to blame for all of the war-torn sonic landscape of the time, since, after all, they did write “Wonderwall”?

Tangent aside, vinyl just sounds better to my ears, and many others’. I won’t go into all the details, but audiophiles often say that vinyl is deeper, richer, and warmer, among other terms. Plus, that soft vinyl hiss and occasional crackle are relaxing to my brain in much the same way a bonfire is. Vinyl has a way of slowing down the hectic pace of our lives; we don’t simply make a long playlist and click play – you have to take the time to choose your album(s) and load it in your player, and physically move the needle. Maybe lose yourself in the artwork and let your mind drift as the music soothes. Vinyl is therapy.

Then there is the nostalgia factor. For some people, it is nostalgia from earlier in their lives – perhaps of good memories tied to an album or song from that time of their lives. For others, it might be from romanticizing prior eras in history, and vinyl might be a physical bridge to that.

There is something about holding a tangible, physical object in your hands. To me, it feels more real. It feels like I am holding a piece of history, or at least the physical manifestation of music. More often than not, albums come with lyrics and artwork printed on inserts or the album cover itself. Having this right in front of me leads me to listen more deeply to the songs, following along more actively with lyrics in hand, than I do with digital songs I own. I have also found that displayed vinyl records (and turntables themselves, especially if you own a vintage cabinet turntable or a Crosley) are good conversation pieces with guests, analogous to coffee table books.

Our library has record players as well as curated bundles of vinyl albums such as British Invasion, Jazz, and 1970s that patrons can check out.

It is heartwarming to see how vinyl has made a comeback over the past couple of decades, and that it is not only for audiophiles and hipsters.

If you want to start or grow your own collection, here are some local places you can get your hands on your own vintage or newly pressed records:

• Revival Records (easily my favorite record store!)
• Goodwill/Savers/antique stores
• BAM
• Even retailers like Target and Walmart carry vinyl these days
  

  My Crosley with some checked out library records. Ah, the aesthetics of record colors!