What is it about vinyl records that continue to captivate me? Is it that grainy yet "authentic" sound? Is it the memories attached to that record player? Is it the colorful album covers that remind me of music's "good old days?" Maybe it's none of them - or maybe it's all of them - whatever it is, to me, and many other consumers, records are still relevant in today's world of iPods, Pandora playlists, and digital music pirates.
CD's, on the other hand, are a thing of the past, as they have dropped in sales in eight of the last nine years. It's amazing how quickly CD's have declined as the American public's first choice for music consumption. The music section's at Target, Best Buy, and elsewhere seemingly lose an aisle of CD's each time I patronize their stores. At the same time, companies like Furnace MFG capitalize on the revival of records.
I personally think this speaks to how technology has transformed consumer general interest in the last ten years. It seems that in this day and age consumers value authenticity, convenience, 
and efficiency more than anything else. As recent research suggests, mp3s and the internet have created a "culture of free" so to speak - where finding, obtaining, and listening to music has never been easier. However, for some reason, vinyl records are thriving at the same time. This suggests that consumers want one of two things when purchasing (or pirating) new music: instant (and free) gratification or nostalgic satisfaction. Therefore, CD's are the odd man out in an already declining music industry as they don't deliver the same authenticity as records or nor the same level of expediency as mp3s.
Do you still buy CD's? Do you think the music industry will utlimately benefity or suffer from recent techonogical developments? Has iTunes transformed the way you approach music? Is an iTunes playlist or a classic record more appealing to you?
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