August 1, 2013

Why I Buy Vinyl

The Loop > Magazine > Issue 7

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By Michael Dalrymple

I’m 18 years old. And while most people my age download music from iTunes and enjoy the convenience and instant gratification it brings, I’ve chosen a different route for my music collection.

For as long as I can remember, music has been one of the most important things in my life. When I was younger, I wrote up a list of my favorite songs on a piece of paper—like most things in my room, it got lost almost immediately, but I recently found it again. Among the songs were classics like “Wind of Change” by the Scorpions, Metallica’s “Enter Sandman,” and AC/DC’s “For Those About To Rock.”

My musical influences came from everywhere, and still do. My father introduced me to rock and metal, while my mother showed me blues and classical. My sister showed me electronic music, rap and punk that my parents probably would have never even considered. From there, I expanded on my own, sharing with my friends, finding new bands, new tastes and a somewhat unique style all my own.

This fresh taste in a variety of musical genres could not be satisfied by listening to other people’s libraries. Although I could listen to Blizzard of Ozz on repeat for a long time, it couldn’t last forever. Since buying albums and songs on iTunes didn’t really appeal to me, I started my music collection by purchasing CDs.

The physical copy has always meant more to me than anything else. When you buy something online, a certain connection to the music is lost—at least, it is for me. There’s something to be said for holding the album, tearing off the plastic if it’s a new CD or record, or just holding it and hoping for the best if it’s a used copy. The feeling of opening up the lyrics booklet and finding detailed artwork, a poster, or even a sticker is special. Some people may not care for it, but it’s something that can’t be replaced by any digital means.

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