MP3 vs. the LP

It all started inconspicuously enough — a few people scattered here and there with thin white wires flowing from ear to ear, and at first, the new brand of white earphones simply seemed in vogue. Before long, however, they became synonymous with a revolution that would turn the music industry upside down. In a few quick years, the number of little white earphones skyrocketed, and soon people began turning their back on the CD and embracing an entirely new digital format: the MP3.

Now, the CD buyer is a rapidly dying species, often seen as some troglodytic half-wit bogged down by the weight of a rapidly dying format. Discmen are harder and harder to find, and CDs seem to be going the way of Beta. But if this is truly going to be the end of the CD buyer, what fate awaits their predecessor, the record collector?

In the current iPod era, one would assume these record collectors would also be a dying breed, but, in fact, many signs show they have fared significantly better than their digital counterparts. Even with MP3 players becoming more of a force on the street and in the world of home audio, sales figures and the marketing choices of many labels show vinyl is still very much in fashion.