The resurgence of interest in physical music formats has been a salvation for local music shops. “This rise has been a real lifeline for all of us,” said Raymond Stewart, owner of Stewart’s Music Shop in Northern Ireland.
Stewart, who explained that they had removed LP shelves years ago, but had to look for them again when vinyl sales exploded, said that the 50th He said that CDs still make up the largest share of sales in his store, which is celebrating its anniversary.While vinyl sales declined in the late 1980s and early 1990s, CDs came to the forefront due to their portability.
However, in recent years, vinyl has regained popularity and as of 2024, sales have reached their highest level in the last 30 years.Rebirth of independent music shops
The number of independent record stores, once declining, is now on the rise again. The number of independent music shops in the UK has reached its highest level in the last 10 years.
This situation has brought new vitality to the local music scene.Nico Devito, owner of Vanilla Records in Cookstown, states that the success of record stores lies in “offering a special experience”:
“On the internet you can buy everything with a single click, but the feeling of walking into a store and holding the album in your hands is something else. You remember where you bought it; not the moment of clicking.”
According to Devito, his customers consist of both long-time collectors and young music lovers buying records for the first time.
“There’s nothing like the sound of a record”
BBC Radio Ulster presenter Ralph McLean says that records offer the listener a more “intimate connection”:
“Holding a record in your hand, examining the cover, reading the liner notes… These are not digital “Things that platforms can never offer.”
According to McLean, many people still want to hear the artist’s music in its purest form, with the warmth of analog sound. Stewart agrees:
“People have realized that there’s nothing like the sound of a needle touching a record. Even though everything is going digital, the joy of owning a physical product is something else entirely.”
