If you are like most people you are now buying most of your music online, using a service like Apple's iTunes™. These music services have revolutionized the way we consume music by giving us more choice and convenience. I am amazed buy the variety that I find online, when I am searching for music. Most of the time I have one of those "Oh I remember that song" moments. Online music has started and revived many artist careers. It has given us access to artist that we might have never heard of and some that we have completely forgotten about. But in this digital age, when everything that can be recorded in ones and zeros is at our fingertips, other, more physical, things are slipping away.
The B Side
For those of us who grew up listening to cds, cassette tapes and vinyl, but in the last few years have converted our music library into digits, something has not felt right. We look down at our iPod™ and see what the album cover is supposed to look like, but beyond that we do not have anything tangible. Also, most digital libraries are not made up of albums but of tracks bought piecemeal, online, for 99 cents. We are not hearing the music like we are supposed to. A whole, two sided, album offered continuity, deeper cuts, and track placement that linked each song to the next. Instead of owning the works as they were originally composed by the artist, most digital libraries are made up of top 40 singles. It is the equivalent of owning a museum with paintings of Mona Lisa's smile or focusing in on one brush stroke in van Gogh's "The Starry Night." You are not seeing the full picture.
Back on tracks
The record companies have started to address this problem. About a year ago the independent record companies started releasing vinyl with digital downloads attached. This trend has become very popular and now most of the major artist including The killers, Coldplay, Radio Head, Beck, and just about anyone else who has released an album in the last year, have released their album on new vinyl. This is truly having your music cake and listening to it too. Every album I have bought lately has been on new vinyl. I still use the digital downloads for my iPod™ and computer but I like listening to the vinyl version when I can. Vinyl sounds great and looks cool. The analog warmth coming through the needle gives the music more weight and presence than the cold digital tracks.
Put the needle on the record
It is simple to start your vinyl collection. Most major electronics stores have started selling turntables again and I will post some links to places online that sell new vinyl. Your iTunes™ library will stay full of digital tracks and you will also have the vinyl to listen to and look at. Perfection!
Links:
Amazon is a great new vinyl source. They stock most new albums on vinyl and reprints of less recent artist.
This is a good source for new and used records. If you are not interested in the digital tracks and just want the vinyl you can usually find it here for a good price.
You won't find everything you are looking for at Waterloo online but if you ever get a chance to go to one of their retail locations, take it. It will take you back to the days of going into a record store, not knowing what you are looking for and coming out with something you are completely in love with.
Polyvinyl is a whole record label dedicated to new vinyl. Every record they distribute is available on vinyl with digital downloads.
Posts
I've noticed the digital downloads accompanying movies these days as well. It seems as though everyone is getting the hint that digital media is preferred for backing up tracks or movies on your computer or portable media devices. And that is a good thing.
ReplyDelete