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The phonograph - Thomas Edison designed the first version of a record player, the phonograph, in 1877. The phonograph’s functional principles are the same as that of a modern vinyl player.

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Marketing -

In marketing the device, it is rumored that Edison often fooled large audiences into thinking that music came from the device when a musician would be playing behind a curtain.

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Improvements -

Volta Laboratory, established by Alexander Graham Bell, made several improvements in the 1880s and introduced the graphophone.

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The disc system -

Years passed, and eventually Berliner invented the disc system. This had substantial commercial advantages, as these vinyl discs could be mass-produced through pressing. Various other technological advancements were also made, such as the invention of the smooth tipped stylus, which improved functionality.

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Popular amongst the public -

As the technology improved, became more consistent in production, and cheaper, record players as we know them became more widely available to the public by the 1950s, which resulted in various music cultural phenomena.

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Magic on wax -

The analog audio quality, the ritual of putting the record on the turntable and placing the tonearm, the ample 12-inch canvas for cover art, and liner notes all made and make the vinyl an attractive purchase.

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Cultural value -

Culturally, vinyl's value lies in rarity, exclusivity, and relevance to dance, electronic, and hip-hop music, as visible grooves permitted disc jockeying.

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Significance in club culture -

As mentioned, the value of music on vinyl is also rooted in DJ and club cultures. We saw this in full force in the '70s, but it still remains true today.

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CD -

From the 1980s, vinyl was replaced by the CD.

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P2P file sharing -

The invention of the MP3 file format and widespread access to high-speed broadband subsequently led to P2P file media sharing networks such as Napster.

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Streaming services -

Today we see a range of services offering unlimited streaming at extremely low prices.

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A phasing out of the physical -

Though Apple Music ties with Spotify in market share, the pay per song model that the former operates under is not expected to last.

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Acquisition to access -

Music has gone from acquisition to access, and experts expect this trend to continue, except for vinyl.

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Ownership -

It was the prevalence of streaming that made the ownership qualities of vinyl more attractive for consumers.

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“Crate digging” -

Its aura and authenticity lend a hand to those music lovers who find themselves in record shops “crate digging” and going to extreme lengths to find a boutique batch pressing of an album (i.e. imagine an original edition of all old record).

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Buying in person -

Vinyl is expensive to ship, so the cheaper used items tend to sell in physical stores instead of online.

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Originality -

Originals are valued the highest since most are lost in a sea of digital reissues.

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Vinyl replaces CD -

Vinyl is now taking up the market space the CD used to have. Doubt it?

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Prices soar -

Since 2017, vinyl sales were higher than CD sales for the first time in 33 years. From 2007 to 2017, the average price of vinyl records increased by 490%, with a new pressing selling for US$4.80 in 2007, to being sold for $28.40 in 2017.

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A hero's death -

Some music icon’s deaths are also a key driver in vinyl sales, as people invest in records as mementos. 

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David Bowie -

One example: David Bowie’s death resulted in five of his albums charting in vinyl sales.

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‘Back to Black’ -

Amy Winehouse’s ‘Back to Black’ sold 351,000 copies in the last decade.

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'Thriller' -

‘Thriller,’ the Michael Jackson album, sold 334,000 new copies in the last decade.

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"Grab that cash with both hands and make a stash" -

Of course, it's not always recent deaths sparking sales. Pink Floyd’s album ‘Dark Side of the Moon’ sold 376,000 new pressings in the last decade.

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‘Rumors’ -

Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Rumors’ sold 304,000 copies in the last decade. 

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‘Abbey Road’ -

Also in the last decade, the Beatles' album ‘Abbey Road’ sold 558,000 new pressings.

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‘Legend’ -

Bob Marley & The Wailers had the fourth highest-selling album on vinyl of the last decade. ‘Legend’ sold 364,000 new copies.

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‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ soundtrack -

A surprisingly successful and somewhat recent vinyl edition was the soundtrack from ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ (2014). ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Awesome Mix Vol. 1’ sold some 367,000 copies.

Sources:(Forbes)(Consequence of Sound)(Library of Congress)

See also: Read up on these rad facts about the radio

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