National Vinyl Record Day 2023: Date, History, Facts, Activities

National Vinyl Record Day is on August 12, so this is your opportunity to be retro. Vinyl records are here to stay, according to our estimation of the world’s spin music enthusiasts, with whom they may disagree on a number of other matters. There’s a good chance you have your own collection of vinyl records if you value sound quality, owning physical copies of your favourite albums, or merely the nostalgia factor. Now is the time to clear off the record player and let the music transport you on a cloud of good, good, good vibrations.

The background of National Vinyl Record Day

Gary Freiberg, a music enthusiast and the originator of the first non-profit organisation dedicated to preserving the cultural influence of vinyl, created National Vinyl Record Day to honour the art of music, collecting, and recording.

American inventor Emile Berliner created the first vinyl record, also known as a phonograph record, in the 1890s. In 1895, record players were made available to the general public, but radio soon eclipsed them. Even though record players were still popular in the 1930s and 1940s, the golden era of records did not peak until the 1960s and 1970s. The introduction of the first cassette in 1962 presented vinyl with formidable competition. Consumers embraced the new technology because cassettes were more portable and could be rewound, fast-forwarded, paused, played, and stopped at the stroke of a button. Beginning in 1974, the development of the Compact Disc (CD) virtually wiped out the vinyl market by 1988. Sales of vinyl records continued to decline from 1988 to 1991, with only collectors and audiophiles remaining loyal to the format. Since then, however, records have made a significant revival for a variety of reasons, a phenomenon known as “The Vinyl Revival.” Today, we acknowledge not only the positive effect vinyl had on our lives, but also on music itself.

Freiberg explains, “The purpose of Vinyl Record Day is to remind us that, despite our personal or national difficulties, life has its positive aspects. Music is the primary conduit for our most cherished memories; Vinyl Record Day is a day to celebrate and recall them.” This event will hopefully state, “Let’s celebrate our good times by remembering our favourite music, fond memories, and happy times.” We couldn’t be more in agreement!

Activities associated with National Vinyl Record Day

Visit your neighbourhood record store

Grab a few dollars and peruse the dollar bin, or indulge on that album you’ve been wanting to add to your collection! It is always beneficial to support local music retailers.

Give your LPs some affection.

Take the time to wash down your vinyl records with vinyl cleaner to ensure that they are in pristine condition.

Get into the swing

As long as you’re appreciating the music, you’re doing it right. Pick out your favourite record and make a move, or even one of the sad ones and get all emotional.

5 AMUSING FACTS ABOUT RECORDS

In 2015, “Once Upon a Time in Shaolin” was sold for $2 million, making it the most expensive record ever sold.

Although they may have a stylish appearance, coloured vinyl has a lower sound quality than black vinyl.

Currently, the Voyager 1 probe carrying Carl Sagan’s Golden Record is the most distant man-made object from Earth.

It is true that when played backward, ‘Stairway to Heaven’ by Led Zeppelin sounds a lot like a satanic prayer, but lead vocalist Robert Plant has always attributed this to an unfortunate coincidence.

In 2012, The Flaming Lips released a limited edition vinyl pressing of their album “Heady Fwends” that included genuine blood samples from Nick Cave, Erykah Badu, Ke$ha, Coldplay’s Chris Martin, and others.

NATIONAL VINYL RECORD DAY DATES