Record players: nostalgic, expensive, and regaining popularity? Among a resurgence of other vintage trends like baggy pants and turntables, vinyl has made a comeback. They are appearing at alarming rates in thrift shops, Urban Outfitters, and every store in between.
Indeed, these vintage pieces have a strong presence at Shorecrest: 47.1% of the student body surveyed said they own a record player, and 52.9% of those who didn’t said they hope to invest in one in the future.
Sophomore Emmie Harris bought her first vinyl in 2018, and now owns a growing collection. Sophomore Veronika Sarkis said, “I started getting into vinyl right around quarantine because I wanted something to do that wasn’t on my phone, so I got a vinyl.”
Counterintuitively, modern artists are some of the most popular vinyl purchases. Manny Kool, a record store worker at Daddy Kool Records in St. Pete said, “There are a lot of people who come in to buy vinyl, so for popularity there are a few, but it’s probably neck and neck between Phoebe Bridgers and Taylor Swift.”
Harris falls into that consumer demographic as the first vinyls she bought belonged to the Arctic Monkeys and Lana Del Rey. Similarly, Sarkis first purchased “Tame Impala because [she] really like[s] their music.”
Shorecrest students corroborate this: 35.3% own predominantly modern artists, overwhelming the 17.6% that listen to older vinyls. It seems for Generation Z, record players are a new mode of self expression rather than a return to the past. “I think the idea that Generation Z listens to vinyl records because they look cute or because it sounds cool is a good idea because it is how they express themselves,” said junior Luca Baker.
Popular artists, such as Taylor Swift, have fandoms eager to consume whatever media they release. “I bought Taylor Swift vinyls because I wanted to hang them up in my room because I like having them as decoration,” said sophomore Ella Cash. Taylor Swift’s fandom exemplifies vinyl popularity simply due to artist appreciation. Many people may buy a record player just because they love an artist and want their vinyls.