Why records are better than CDs in the streaming era

Vinyl sales are showing an upward trend. This is reported by the RIAA that 43 million records were sold in the US in 2023 compared to 37 million CDs, the second year this was true. The difference is even more astonishing when you look at revenue: the vinyl sales earned that year. $1.4 billion, which is 71 percent of total physical sales. Customers who paid to download songs, meanwhile, accounted for $434 million, less than a third of vinyl volume.

Simply put, vinyl is the most popular way to buy music. To be clear, the revenue from all sales combined is insignificant compared to streaming, which will generate $14.4 billion in 2023 (84 percent of recording industry revenue). The majority of people prefer to rent music rather than buy it.
Still, I find the rise of vinyl fascinating. A growing number of people are willing to pay more for a less convenient way to listen to music. For example, you can’t listen to records in your car, and lugging them around on a plane trip will be annoying. Why do people even buy records?

I’ve written about why DVDs and Blu-rays are better than streaming and why physical copies of video games are better than digital ones, and I think these arguments all hold water. Simply put, it’s nice to own something instead of just renting it from a streaming service. But why do you record via CDs?

You’d expect me to be here talking about the improved sound quality of vinyl over streaming and CDs, and a certain kind of journalist would do that. And just to be clear, many people prefer the sound of vinyl, but I couldn’t find any clear research showing that it is clearly superior.

It’s a great way for fans to support artists

People are generally aware that streaming, while convenient, isn’t a great way to support artists. Weird Al once joked that 80 million streams could make him $12enough to buy a sandwich. It’s not far from the truth: artists typically make less than half a cent on each stream. That can certainly add up for some artists, but your favorite local indie band probably won’t make much. However, if you buy a record, they get a much higher share of the sale. It’s one of the best ways to support an artist you care about.

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Now this also benefits artists who already earn a lot of money. Taylor Swift accounted for 7 percent of all vinyl albums in 2023according to Forbespartly because fans wanted to support her and ensure her albums stayed at the top of the charts. Artists, including Swift, have also been known to release multiple versions of the same record to increase sales, while hardcore fans clamor to complete their collection.

Both dynamics play a role here. The point is that music fans want to support artists and records provide a clear way to do that.

The art looks great

Record jackets are large, which really makes the art stand out. It may sound crazy, but I think this is a big part of the appeal. You can hang a dust jacket on the wall; people build shelves for this very purpose. It’s a way to show off albums you like, similar to a shelf full of books. But the larger size also allows you to appreciate the art more.

Streaming services have reduced album art to a thumbnail and crammed it into the corner of the screen when you can see it at all. CDs aren’t much better. With a record, the art and liner notes are a lot easier to read.

Records just feel better

When the Apple Watch was launched ten years ago, some experts predicted the end of the Swiss watch industry. That, if you haven’t noticed, didn’t happen. While part of this is the luxury factor, I also think the fatigue of an overwhelmingly digital world makes people appreciate the beauty of a timepiece that is completely mechanical.

There’s something similarly charming about records: the idea that you can shape a physical object in a certain way to mimic sounds. And there’s a ritual to deciding which album to listen to. It makes the experience more tangible. That’s a big part of the appeal.

The benefits of CDs are basically irrelevant

Much of what I just argued could apply to CDs, which also have many advantages over records. CDs, for example, are much more portable and, unlike records, can also be listened to on the go. CDs are easier to rip to your computer, assuming you still have an optical drive, and they take up much less space in your home. CD players are cheap, while record players are expensive. I could go on.

The point is, almost every argument for CDs over records is irrelevant in the age of music streaming. CDs may not take up much space, but you already have your phone with you and Spotify doesn’t take up any physical space. And people don’t really rip CDs anymore because of streaming. I could go on. The point is that every advantage CDs have over records are things that streaming does even better. If you want to commit to a less convenient way of listening to music, why not go all the way? Record buyers clearly agree. I guess most people buy records Also pay for streaming services. But just because you enjoy streaming music online doesn’t mean you don’t also want to physically own the music you love most. That’s why I fully expect vinyl sales to continue to grow even as streaming remains the norm.