JARRED HILL: This blast from the past continues to spin shockwaves through the music industry.
“You are never alone if you’re in a room with a record player and a record’s playing.”
JARRED HILL: In 2025, sales of vinyl records grew for a 19th consecutive year. That’s according to the Recording Industry Association of America. Mike Davis says things were a lot different when he opened New York’s Academy Records 25 years ago.
MIKE DAVIS: That was the low point at least in the commercial landscape for records.
JARRED HILL: He noticed a real shift a few years ago. Studies show today, Gen Z is driving the record revival, sometimes influenced by social media.
“I’m sure some of it sometimes they heard a song on TikTok video or something.”
“TikTok is bringing people to the record store.”
“Yeah.”
JARRED HILL: Not quite the case for Joseph Mintz.
“My dad took me to a record store just once, and I fell in love with it.”
JARRED HILL: The 20-year-old says he’s been collecting vinyls since he was 10.
“Someone can just take their music off Spotify or streaming at any time. If you own the record, you own the record.”
JARRED HILL: Vinyl’s rebirth has been buoyed by newer artists like Taylor Swift dropping multiple colored variants of the same album, sending fans flocking but raising questions about sustainability.
“The industry’s making a lot of records. It creates a lot of excess waste.”
JARRED HILL: Matt Slifkin works for record manufacturer Independent Record Pressing. Over the past year, he says they’ve seen a huge increase in interest from artists like Paramore’s Hayley Williams repressed new records from the rainbow colored leftovers of old ones. It’s called eco mix.
“It helps answer environmental concerns because it’s already made. It’s already at the facility.”
JARRED HILL: Back at the store, Joseph’s hunt continues.
“Anything that I can find that like I’ve never seen this one before.”
JARRED HILL: As for vinyl, the beat goes on.
Jarred Hill, CBS News, New York.