No one really knows if Vinyl sales are up or down. Of the hundreds of articles out there about the revival of record sales, half say the hype is true, the other half say record sales are as low as ever. I myself, believe the hype because I look at it comparitively. Are records selling more than CDs? No. Are Records selling more that digital mp3s? Of course not. But Vinyl is being bought more and more by music lovers of all ages. You have the adults who never got rid of their turntable and never stopped buying records, then you have the young 20 somethings seeing the value of purchasing hard copies of music and the beautiful sound quality of a record. So what's the answer? Is Vinyl up or down? My answer to this conundrum is simple yet complex: People like the idea of vinyl more than they actually like buying it. For diehard music lovers, music is all about the experience. You go to the local record store, you sift your fingers through the endless library, you find an exciting new piece, and you buy it with money you saved. Feeling the grooves in your hands, placing the large disc on your turntable, and hearing the music make its way through the needle and to your speakers. There is nothing more satisfying. But, all the while the average music junkie goes to itunes to get there quick fix.
It is for this reason that stores like Criminal Records are suffering. In his article "Co-Founder of Record Store Day's Atlanta Store Expected to Close," Tyler Kane covers the upcoming demise of a beloved Atlanta music staple. The current owner of the store, Eric Levin, is a prominent member of the music community and is credited with starting Record Store Day, a nation wide event where independent record stores all across the country release new vinyl in a celebratory way. Levin does not cite a decrease in record sales for the collapse of Criminal Records, rather he says its just the Economy in general. All of the products he sells are expensive, and people just don't need records, comics, and action figures to survive. Despite the economic downturn, Criminal Records isn't going down without a fight. Many are starting campaigns to save the store, and many bands are stepping in to help.
This article is an important one to the Atlanta music scene. I myself am an Atlanta native and have visited Criminal Records numerous times. It pains me to know that Criminal Records is dying, but they are not yet dead. I love to see that artists and locals are fighting to save the in-debt business. Music is the lifeblood of many communities, and the people need to protect their independent retailers. Articles such as this are extremely important to raise awareness. It is easy for music lovers to forget about the little guy. Itunes is just a click away, and in a world where convenience rules, people aren't going to record stores. Vinyl is what musicians love, and they love to play small, intimate shows in stores like Criminal Records. If music lovers want to keep records alive, they must support local independent retailers.
I would have liked to see this article talk about why vinyl is appealing. If people are going to be made aware of failing record stores, they must also have a reason to save it. Vinyl is a pure form of audio, and is enriching to buy. It sounds better, it looks better, and it's a better value, truthfully. The average CD is abut 12 dollars compared to about 20 dollars for vinyl. However, when you buy Records you also receive a CD or a digital download code. Its a 2 for 1 deal, and a good investment. I would like to see articles urging people to save Vinyl and make the record comeback bigger than it already is.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Thursday, February 16, 2012
For the Love of Old
In the article, Shabby Chic, Spin Magazine writer, Simon Reynolds takes a closer look at Lana Del Rey and her retro style, throwback music, and the comeback the past is making in 2012
I've been noticing a trend over the past year. Every time I am with my mom, and I see someone wearing the latest, trendy wardrobe, I'll say, "Hey, I like the way they're dressed." My mom replies with, "That's the kind of stuff I wore when I was growing up." Simply put, the past is cool, and the music, fashion, and art of today is without a doubt taking creativity from the 50's and 60's. I once heard someone say, there's no such thing as new knowledge. Every new idea is really just borrowed or inspired by someone or something else. Well, I believe there is no such thing as new music, or new fashion, or new art. It is all borrowed or inspired from past decades, and presented to wide-eyed, fresh faced hipsters seeking their next counter-cultural high.
Enter Lana Del Rey. The lastest and greatest pop star to hit the scene. Straight off of Youtube, Lana Del Rey is one of the most loved yet hated musical artists at this moment. Lana is the focus of Reynolds' article, using her as a prime example of the way artists today are simply drawing inspiration from the glory of their favorite past decade. Reynolds' eloquently explores the fact that artist are becoming more and more retro-esque. Reynolds explores the appeal behind a relapse to the golden age. The clothes were beautiful, the celebrities graceful, and the music was some of the best in history. Even mainstream artists like Adele are being compared to great singers like Etta James. Throughout his article, Reynolds provides quotes from Lana Del Rey explaining why she takes a step back into the past. Reynolds notes that the word "beautiful" pops up quite a bit in there conversation. She even changed her name from Lizzy Grant to Lana Del Rey. Why? She wanted a beautiful name to go along with beautiful music. Plus it was reminiscent of 60's movie stars and Hollywood (Or, maybe, it is a marketing ploy since "Lizzy Grant" didn't make the label much money). Nevertheless, Reynolds does a wonderful job of bringing to the attention of indie music lovers that the present is not their own. Musical Artists are all just drawing from influences of the past.
Though this piece wonderfully focused on the mystery that is Lana Del Rey, I wish it had been a bit more critical. I love the past. I love the music of the 50's, 60's, and 70's just as much as the next music lover, but it angers me to see so many young people go about life thinking they are so creative and original, when all they're really doing is wearing my mom's clothes from her childhood and making it "cool." To borrow from others is flattering, and to revive a lost art is noble, but originality is the highest form of artistry. I would like to see more artists being truly original, if that's even possible. I would like to see artists create something that is their own so that in 30 years bands say, "Let's recreate the sound of 2012." Most importantly, I would like to see heavy media influences promote the idea of originality, even if that means being critical.
I've been noticing a trend over the past year. Every time I am with my mom, and I see someone wearing the latest, trendy wardrobe, I'll say, "Hey, I like the way they're dressed." My mom replies with, "That's the kind of stuff I wore when I was growing up." Simply put, the past is cool, and the music, fashion, and art of today is without a doubt taking creativity from the 50's and 60's. I once heard someone say, there's no such thing as new knowledge. Every new idea is really just borrowed or inspired by someone or something else. Well, I believe there is no such thing as new music, or new fashion, or new art. It is all borrowed or inspired from past decades, and presented to wide-eyed, fresh faced hipsters seeking their next counter-cultural high.
Enter Lana Del Rey. The lastest and greatest pop star to hit the scene. Straight off of Youtube, Lana Del Rey is one of the most loved yet hated musical artists at this moment. Lana is the focus of Reynolds' article, using her as a prime example of the way artists today are simply drawing inspiration from the glory of their favorite past decade. Reynolds' eloquently explores the fact that artist are becoming more and more retro-esque. Reynolds explores the appeal behind a relapse to the golden age. The clothes were beautiful, the celebrities graceful, and the music was some of the best in history. Even mainstream artists like Adele are being compared to great singers like Etta James. Throughout his article, Reynolds provides quotes from Lana Del Rey explaining why she takes a step back into the past. Reynolds notes that the word "beautiful" pops up quite a bit in there conversation. She even changed her name from Lizzy Grant to Lana Del Rey. Why? She wanted a beautiful name to go along with beautiful music. Plus it was reminiscent of 60's movie stars and Hollywood (Or, maybe, it is a marketing ploy since "Lizzy Grant" didn't make the label much money). Nevertheless, Reynolds does a wonderful job of bringing to the attention of indie music lovers that the present is not their own. Musical Artists are all just drawing from influences of the past.
Though this piece wonderfully focused on the mystery that is Lana Del Rey, I wish it had been a bit more critical. I love the past. I love the music of the 50's, 60's, and 70's just as much as the next music lover, but it angers me to see so many young people go about life thinking they are so creative and original, when all they're really doing is wearing my mom's clothes from her childhood and making it "cool." To borrow from others is flattering, and to revive a lost art is noble, but originality is the highest form of artistry. I would like to see more artists being truly original, if that's even possible. I would like to see artists create something that is their own so that in 30 years bands say, "Let's recreate the sound of 2012." Most importantly, I would like to see heavy media influences promote the idea of originality, even if that means being critical.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
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