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Implications of vinyl on musical trends?

I’ve been super enamored with vinyl since making the leap from digital.  My mom gave me her old records; mother-in-law gave us hers; aunts and uncles have offered theirs, etc.  Throughout my life it seems vinyl was always around.  Maybe it was tucked away in a closet, but it was there—albeit a bit dustier during the 1990s.  As a result of its ubiquitous nature, it logically influenced musical trends in a similar hand-me-down sort of way (e.g. blues to Zeppelin et al).

I’ve watched over the years as rock & roll struggled and was always a bit vexed by it.  I generally chalked it up to aging; but, it struck me that maybe the decline of vinyl directly contributed to the decline of rock & roll.  Could it be that the decline of vinyl caused some sort of musical schism?  Or, maybe the “decline” was simply another evolution (though to what, I cannot say)?  I find it interesting that the resurgence of vinyl seems to correlate with a younger rock movement (e.g. Greta Van Fleet).  Nothing deep, profound, or particularly meaningful…just something I was thinking about on a random Saturday.

mikek1
ghdprentice
7,685 posts
 

OP,

Good thoughts.

 

But in reality, music moves on and appeals to the next generation. Bach was new music once. The truly great stereo recordings were in the late 1950’s and very early 60’s. I have a couple thousand vinyl albums collected since the 60’s. Many audiophile pressings from the late 50’s. 
 

My digital and analog ends now sound the same (see my UserID)… so, while some recordings are good, ok, am\nd great… I think some music stands the test of time and some doesn’t. Bach, Beethoven, Mahler, Billie Holiday Miles Davis, The Beatles, The Who, Crosby, Nash, and Young, Passport, Afro-Celt Sound System…. Etc will. Many will not. My niece loves XXX… I agree, great. There are bands that bond to a culture and time and will emotionally capture the time… some will remain timeless. 
 

The fidelity of the recording are secondary.

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sbank's avatar
sbank
3,382 posts
 

@ghdprentice Let's hope your niece likes The XX, not XXX!

mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn
8,570 posts
 

@ghdprentice 1+

If anything it is vinyl that limits music, to about 20 minutes a side. Since the onset of CDs albums have become longer resulting in a lot of three sided albums when converted to analog. 

The problem with todays music is that there is so much garbage you have to wade through. In the old days you had to be reasonably talented to get a record contract. Now, anybody who thinks they can sing and has a computer can produce an album including the cover and release it as a file or even a CD. The computer can play all the instruments. There is still some great music being made in all genres. You just have to wade through all the trash to get to it. I use to buy records just because I liked the cover. The cover for Transatlantisim got me into Death Cab and the three legged dog got me into Alice.  It is a big mistake to do that now.

ghdprentice
7,685 posts
 

@sbank 

Well yes, I intended XX… but unfortunately My niece’s mother was crazy and XXX works with her daughter… as well a drugs… sad. Good news, she is 32 years old and still alive. I would have bet against it.

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