Vinyl records get a digital makeover

Digital entrepreneurs are catching up to the resurgence of old-school vinyl records with a new crop of online subscription services tailored to discerning audiophiles.

“For a few years, it looked like vinyl would enjoy a quiet, perhaps short-lived resurgence as a go-to medium for hipsters and true audiophiles, but that assumption has proved incorrect,” says Hugh McIntyre at Forbes.com.

Vinyl appears to be here to stay, at least for now, as record sales increase and CD sales plummet. Vinyl lovers point to the tactile nature of the listening experience. Some say it provides superior sound quality—though the verdict is out on whether this argument holds water. To please the naysayers who point to the inconvenience of vinyl, many records also come with a digital download for listening on the go.

We looked at a couple of start-ups - including a Kickstarter project - leveraging the internet to help vinyl lovers find their groove:

Vinyl Me, Please:

The folks at Vinyl Me, Please have got your evening plans covered, for at least one evening per month. For a monthly subscription of $23 USD, the company sends a carefully curated record, a commissioned print and a cocktail recipe designed to accompany the record. Recent bands on offer have included Wells Fargo, Weezer and the Fugees.

Vinyl Moon:

Brandon Bogajewicz, the blogger behind the popular music site The Burning Ear, got this project off the ground using a Kickstarter campaign. For $25 USD he’ll send a custom-pressed vinyl record with his latest picks. Think of the high school mix tape, but way, way cooler. Interested listeners will have to wait a bit longer, however. The first two pressings, due in July and August, are already sold out.

VNYL:

This service uses a combination of crowdsourcing and curation. For $39 USD per month, listeners get three records, based on their personal profile and tastes. Subscribers can also chat with VNYL curators to tell them what they liked and didn’t. It’s just like talking to your friendly neighbourhood record store staff, but in the digital age. For anyone seeking that real-life record store experience, VNYL also has a very hip bricks and mortar location in Santa Barbara, California.