Is MP3 responsible for the return of Vinyl?

Dance and hip-hop definitely kept vinyl alive during the dark ages of the (late) 80's and 90's, but today a lot of DJs are backing away from using vinyl when they perform (or whatever you want to call it), either switching to CD rigs or using computer software like Serato produces. DJs are still buying tons of vinyl, but I can't blame them for not wanting to haul heavy boxes of records everywhere and risk them getting lost, damaged or stolen. I've even heard that certain famous DJs charge different fees depending on whether you want them to play LPs or DJ digitally.

It's also worth noting that punk, hardcore and indie rock helped keep vinyl alive - in the case of punk, 45s and LPs have always been the standard format, even in the 90's. If I didn't grow up going to punk shows and collecting punk records I probably wouldn't care about vinyl today.

I just ordered (on the net) an "off the beaten path" classical CD. Had to go to Norway to do this. I find that European dealers have superior selections, but with the fall of the dollar the prices have become high.

the loudness wars are at least partially responsible as lps tend to be better mastered at least for classic rock and 50-60s jazz

03-23-08: Tvad
Take a look at the new vinyl listings on Amazon. The majority have are rap and hip hop titles.

I suppose if the OP's question is specifically directed at the increase in audiophile vinyl sales, then you might be correct. But, I suspect there is larger market growth in vinyl sales related to rap, hip hop, and non-audiophile titles, and these have nothing to do with better sound quality. It's kids' curiosity in nostalgia which fuels an appreciation for the medium, and promotes more sales.

I just checked Amazon's vinyl section and this is how it breaks down today, bearing in mind that there is significant overlap from category to category (e.g., Thriller is in both Pop and Dance/DJ):

Rock: 30,657
Dance & DJ: 22,845
Pop: 22,185
Alt Rock: 18,919
Rap/Hip-hop: 13,433
R&B: 12,377
Classic Rock: 7,094
Jazz: 6,470
Punk: 4,451
Classical: 5,403
Reggae: 3,493

Although Rap/Hip-Hop and Dance/DJ have large numbers, Rock and Pop are bigger by far. Even Jazz and Classical combine for nearly 12,000 titles, which isn't far behind Rap/Hip-Hop.

Certainly not all growth is in the dance market. Look at what's happening in turntables and cartridges. Rega, SOTA, Music Hall, Clearaudio, Thorens, and Pro-Ject have all expanded their lines. NAD, Marantz, and McIntosh have introduced badge-engineered turntables. KAB is making a living adapting the DJ's most popular turntable for satisfying home use.

If you look at the sheer number of titles, LPs have far eclipsed SACD and DVD-A as the high resolution format of choice.

My stepson is 21. His persistent urging is what got me back into vinyl a year ago. He has an iPod stuck to his head much of the day, but when he comes home and wants to truly enjoy the music, he spins vinyl. According to several articles I've read lately, that's what this generation is discovering and doing--iPod for portability, LPs for connecting to the music. LPs don't have to be audiophile pressings to sound better than CDs or lossy-compressed mp3 files. The vinyl I pull from the 99-cent bins sounds loads better.