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A Rolling Stones vinyl LP

Photo: Paul Kane/Getty Images

News
Vinyl's resurgence stoked by millennials why-vinyls-popularity-continuing-rise

Why is vinyl's popularity continuing to rise?

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A legion of music fans will be coming out in droves for Record Store Day on April 22, but you might be surprised by the age group that is driving the continued resurgence of the vinyl LP
THE GRAMMYs
GRAMMYs
May 15, 2017 - 2:36 am

Be honest. You've been eyeing up your parents' vinyl collection in the basement, craving the feel of a physical record in your hand, gently dropping the needle on the turntable as vinyl's classic, rich and arguably superior sound emanates into the room. We're right there with you, and so are the millions of vinyl fans who will celebrate Record Store Day on April 22.

Independent retailers participating in the 10th annual Record Store Day are expecting a surge in vinyl sales by as much as 321 percent. This tracks with Nielsen Music's year-end report that showed vinyl finishing out 2016 with 13 million in sales, the format's highest tally since 1991. The majority of those adding to their vinyl collections — an estimated 72 percent, according to Music Watch — are under the age of 35.

Why is vinyl making a resurgence in the middle of the digital age of streaming?

"Millennials, a/k/a 'kids these days' are who we were back when we, or any generation, was spurred into a mania for records," Miriam Linna, president of independent label Norton Records, told CNBC. "Now with the internet and instant gratification, the younger record fans still love the feel and sound of a physical artifact. It's highly personal."

"It's a tangible form," Clement Perry, the publisher of The Stereo Times, told CNBC. "It's a little personal contact with the music that no other format can really match. It's really special in that regard."

Clearly, vinyl isn't a generationally bound format anymore. Kayla Greygor, a senior communication and philosophy major at the University of Pittsburgh, is one of the many millennials embracing their parent's preferred music medium.

"I started my own record collection separate from my parents' in my senior year of high school," Greygor told The Pitt News. "I liked the idea of being able to pass records around. It's totally different and more special to me, rather than just listening to the new stuff on Spotify."

And high-profile vinyl releases from modern-day and legacy artists alike are spurring on the trend. The vinyl version of GRAMMY winner Kendrick Lamar's new album, DAMN., is available as a pre-order ahead of Record Store Day, offering those who order by April 20 a signed copy accompanied by a digital download.

The Oscar-nominated film La La Land also got in on the action, with the vinyl version of the soundtrack clocking in at No. 1 for 2017 vinyl releases thus far. GRAMMY winner Ed Sheeran also made Nielsen Music's Top 10 vinyl list for his recently released Divide, along with releases from Bob Marley, Ryan Adams, Amy Winehouse, the Beatles, and Twenty One Pilots.

Monthly Music Roundup: What was new in music in March 2017

Following 11 years of year-over-year growth in sales, now comprising 26 percent of total physical music shipments, vinyl's popularity seems to show no signs of waning.

"Vinyl is huge across all age groups," Jim Johnson, a sales and marketing employee for music distributor Alliance Entertainment in Florida told The Pitt News. "But with popular events like Record Store Day and many younger, hip bands releasing their music on records, it has really allowed vinyl to take off once again."

Check out the Record Store Day exclusives coming your way on April 22

Beatles on vinyl

Photo: Toshifumi Kitamura/AFP/Getty Images

News
Feeling Physical? Brits Love CDs, Vinyl, Books uk-music-consumers-gravitate-toward-media-you-can-touch

UK Music Consumers Gravitate Toward Media You Can Touch

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Research by eBay U.K. reveals a special status for physical media among young people
Philip Merrill
GRAMMYs
Nov 13, 2017 - 2:42 pm

In August a representative sample of British consumers were polled by eBay U.K. and ICM Unlimited to produce "A Guide To Physical Media," a report exploring the meaning of buying physical products in a world transformed by digital. Trends such as Instagram book "shelfies" or "phygital" sales bundles that combine physical with digital instigated this closer look at how traditional "goods" retain special appeal while entertainment is increasingly available on streaming services.

Surprisingly, the report found that young people are responsible for the resurgence in the sales of physical goods. Among U.K. buyers between the ages of 18 and 24, 47 percent bought a CD and 25 percent bought a vinyl record. The Beatles, David Bowie and Pink Floyd have done especially well among collectors, representing buyers' desire to own some of the most meaningful music they listen to.

Whether gift-giving, showing off at home to guests or sharing digital pix of tangible purchases online, young U.K. consumers are proving that real-world things have not outgrown their appeal. This is certainly good news for e-tailers like eBay, but it also raises the thought heading toward the holidays that digital convenience hasn't made the sentimental satisfaction of ownership obsolete.

RIAA Reports: Music Industry Revenue Up In Early 2017

2017 GRAMMY Nominees album vinyl record

Order the '2017 GRAMMY Nominees' album on vinyl

News
Order '2017 GRAMMY Nominees' album on vinyl 2017-grammy-nominees-album-now-available-vinyl

'2017 GRAMMY Nominees' album now available on vinyl

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Add the best-selling '2017 GRAMMY Nominees' album to your vinyl collection; double LP features hits by Adele, Beyoncé, Justin Bieber, Drake, and Demi Lovato
Tim McPhate
GRAMMYs
May 15, 2017 - 2:36 am

Vinyl aficionados who were unable to score that Record Store Day exclusive they were eyeing can set their sights on a new prize.

The Recording  Academy and Atlantic Records have announced the double vinyl release of the 2017 GRAMMY Nominees album, marking the first time the GRAMMY nominees album has been made available via the format in its 23-year history.

The vinyl release features 21 GRAMMY-nominated artists and hit songs from a selection of 59th GRAMMY winners and nominees, including Album Of The Year nominees Adele, Beyoncé, Justin Bieber, Drake, and Sturgill Simpson, and Best New Artist nominees Kelsea Ballerini, the Chainsmokers, Maren Morris, and Anderson .Paak, among others. The album also includes tracks from Sia, Demi Lovato and Kelly Clarkson that are available for the first time on vinyl as well.

A portion of the proceeds from album sales will benefit the year-round efforts of the GRAMMY Museum Foundation and MusiCares — The Recording Academy-affiliated charitable organizations focused on music education programs and critical assistance for music people in need, respectively.

Order the 2017 GRAMMY Nominees album on vinyl today at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Warner Music Store 
 

New Year's 2018
Poll
What's Your New Year's Music Resolution? whats-your-new-years-music-resolution

What's Your New Year's Music Resolution?

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The New Year means a new you — how will you let music deeper into your life in 2018?
Nate Hertweck
GRAMMYs
Jan 1, 2018 - 12:05 am

Each new year, millions of people make resolutions to be their best selves, put their past bad habits behind them and improve their lives. But why not make your resolution a musical one?

When the holiday parties are over, the confetti is swept up, and school and work resume, it's time to get back to work and make the most of 2018. The good news? Music can help!

From mastering an instrument to learning more about the craft and history of music, to supporting musicians through live shows, we want to know: What's your New Year's music resolution for 2018?

Polls

What's your New Year's music resolution for 2018?

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Adele

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News
The Difference Between Record & Song Of The Year whats-difference-grammy-record-year-vs-song-year

What's The Difference? GRAMMY Record Of The Year Vs. Song Of The Year

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Ever wondered what distinguishes these two GRAMMY categories? Find out once and for all here
Nate Hertweck
GRAMMYs
Dec 26, 2017 - 10:41 am

Since the dawn of time, or at least since the 1st Annual GRAMMY Awards, casual music fans and uninitiated industry professionals alike have seemingly pondered the same GRAMMY question: What is the difference between Record Of The Year and Song Of The Year categories?

Adele wins Record Of The Year GRAMMY

If you've wondered this yourself, fear not, for you have arrived at the answer.

Simply put, Record Of The Year deals with a specific recording of a song and recognizes the artists, producers and engineers who contribute to that recording, while Song Of The Year deals with the composition of a song and recognizes the songwriters who wrote the song. That's it in a nutshell!

To dig a little deeper, let's look at the definition of each category, who it includes, and some recent examples.

Record Of The Year, Explained

The Record Of The Year GRAMMY goes to the artist(s), producer(s), and engineer(s) involved in crafting the specific recording (hence "record") of a song. For example, the winner at the 57th GRAMMY Awards for Record Of The Year was "Stay With Me (Darkchild Version)" by Sam Smith. As the primary artist, Sam Smith received a GRAMMY, as did the three producers (including Rodney Jerkins a.k.a. "Darkchild) and the four engineers who worked on the recording, including those properly credited for recording, mixing, and mastering the record.

Sam Smith Wins Record Of The Year

Song Of The Year, Explained

The Song Of The Year award, on the other hand, goes to the songwriter(s) (hence "song) of new material (not including sampled or interpolated material) of a song. For example, at the 44th GRAMMY Awards, the winner of Song Of The Year was "Fallin'" by Alicia Keys, and as the sole writer of the song, Keys received the GRAMMY. For this reason, Song Of The Year is referred to as a songwriter's award, one of several across the 84 categories that recognize the songwriter.

"Fallin'" Wins Song Of The Year

Does that clear things up a bit? Hopefully, it does.

The Recording Academy strives to award excellence in many facets of the music creation process, thus necessitating the distinction between the year's best recording and its best song composition.

For bonus points, let's look at one more example from the 59th GRAMMY Awards. The GRAMMY for Record Of The Year went to "Hello" by Adele, earning GRAMMY gold for Adele as the artist as well as producer Greg Kurstin and the eight engineers who worked on the record. The GRAMMY for Song Of The Year also went to "Hello" — however, only the songwriters, Adele and Greg Kurstin, received the Song Of The Year GRAMMY.

So now, when you're watching the 60th GRAMMY Awards live on CBS Jan. 28 at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT, you'll be able to dazzle your friends with your insider knowledge. For a rundown of this year's nominees in both of these major categories, check out our Record Of The Year and Song Of The Year roundups.

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Lady Gaga at the 59th GRAMMYs in 2017
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Kendrick Lamar performs at the 58th GRAMMY Awards
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Some of the content on this site expresses viewpoints and opinions that are not those of the Recording Academy. Responsibility for the accuracy of information provided in stories not written by or specifically prepared for the Academy lies with the story's original source or writer. Content on this site does not reflect an endorsement or recommendation of any artist or music by the Recording Academy.