Today is one of my favorite days of the year because August 12th is National Vinyl Record Day #VinylRecordDay. I love vinyl records and have fun but not as many as I would like to have. How about you. Do you like vinyl records/ Do you collect them? Do you have a favorite record you can share with u?
National Vinyl Record Day on August 12 is your chance to go old school. Spin music lovers all around the world have disagreements on a number of things, but one thing we think everyone can agree on is that vinyl records are here to stay.
For those who value the quality of sound, owning physical copies of your favorite albums, or simply the nostalgia factor, it’s probably safe to assume you’ve got your own collection of vinyl records stashed away somewhere. Now’s your time to dust off the old needle and let the music take you away on a cloud of good, good, good, vibrations.
Did you know music enthusiast and founder of the first nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation of the cultural influence of vinyl, Gary Freiberg created National Vinyl Record Day as a way to honor the art behind the music, collecting, and recording.
Vinyl Records are also known as a phonograph record, the first vinyl ever created was by American inventor Emile Berliner in the 1890s. By 1895, record players were released to the masses, but soon became dominated by the rise of radio. I think that stinks. What about you?
Though record players still sold well in the ’30s and ’40s, it wasn’t until the ’60s and ’70s that the golden age of records reached its peak. Then the first cassette was released in 1962 and gave vinyl some stiff competition. Because cassettes were more portable and able to rewind, fast forward, pause, play, and stop at the touch of a button, consumers latched onto the new technology. Making records almost obsolete in some cases.
In 1974, the development of the Compact Disc (CD) began, which nearly drained the vinyl market in 1988. From 1988 to 1991, there was a continued decline in vinyl sales, with only collectors and audiophiles remaining loyal to the format. However, since then, records have made a huge comeback for a number of reasons with what is now called “The Vinyl Revival.” Today, we recognize the positive impact vinyl not only had on our lives but also on music itself.
Freiberg explains that “The objective of Vinyl Record Day is to remember that, whatever we go through on a personal or national level, life has its goodness. Music is the primary vehicle to our fondest memories, and Vinyl Record Day is to celebrate and remember those memories.” National Vinyl Record Day will hopefully say, “Let’s remember our favorite music, let’s remember fond memories, let’s celebrate our good times.” My family couldn’t agree more! How about your family?
National Vinyl Record Day Activities
- If you have the opportunity today grab a few bucks and pull from the dollar bin or maybe splurge on that specific album you’ve wanted to add to your collection because it’s always good to support your local music stores.
- Treat your vinyl’ records with care and take some time to wipe them down with vinyl cleaner to make sure your records are in tip-top shape.
- Pick out your favorite record and bust a move, or even one of the sad records you may have and get in your feels, as long as you’re appreciating the music, you’re doing it right.
FUN FACTS About Records
- Wu-Tang Clan’s “Once Upon a Time in Shaolin” sold in 2015 for $2 million dollars, making this the most expensive record in history.
- While they may look really cool, colored vinyl is proven to have a lower-quality sound to their black counterparts.
- The Voyager 1 probe containing Carl Sagan’s Golden Record is currently the farthest human-made object from Earth.
- Led Zeppelin’s song ‘Stairway to Heaven’ did sound a lot like a Satanic prayer but this has always been attributed as an unfortunate coincidence by lead singer Robert Plant. I never knew this. Did you?
- In 2012, The Flaming Lips pressed a limited run of their album “Heady Fwends” to vinyl that included actual blood samples of some of the artists involved, including Nick Cave, Erykah Badu, Ke$ha, Coldplay’s Chris Martin, and more. Isn’t that just gross?
Why People Love National Vinyl Record Day
- Music is the language of the soul and no matter which way you slice it, music has changed our lives in one way or another, so we think it’s important to recognize that impact.
- The sound of vinyl is incomparable to its competitors, while it might not be convenient or easily mobile, vinyl records will always have a special place in our hearts
- You don’t have to see the movie “Empire Records” to know it’s important to support your local music stores. They are the central location for art and culture in your community!
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
