It’s no news that vinyls are back. They have made a comeback over the last few years and the statistics show that more and more people are buying them. It’s not a hipster trend anymore. Vinyl shops have resurfaced and customers are pouring in with an enthusiasm for listening and collecting music once again. We’re one of them and here’s why.

The love for music was always there, we grew up listening to it, and it was always present in our home, not in the background but rather as a way to celebrate life. It’s easy to associate memories and time periods with specific songs, artists and even albums. The importance that we used to give to music got lost somehow and somewhere during the digital era. Since it was easier to get access to music, this also made it easier to forget and put it aside.

Earlier this year we inherited a turntable that was bought by an uncle and used during the seventies. It was roughed up and not fully functional, but after a quick search online we discovered that we had in our hands a very much valued turntable, praised by audiophiles, so we took on the challenge to overhaul it.

Much to our surprise, we then found out that all this time the vinyl community was still there, in the shadows. Even though after the nineties less and less records were produced, giving way to CDs and later mp3s, people were still collecting, exchanging and listening to them.

We realized that so many who decided not to give in to the digital formats, and always felt that the music listening experience was important, have now found a new place to hang out, no longer at vinyl shops but online. There, in the Internet, a global vinyl community was willing to lend beginners like us a hand. Thanks to them we have now managed to revamp an amazing turntable, and after lots of patience and frustrating mishaps, we are now rewarded by a newfound passion for music.

Technology nowadays tends to alienate us more and more, but ironically thanks to it, with the help of YouTube tutorials and online forums, we were able to rediscover a great way to come together through music. It happens now every time we take the time to put on a record and actually listen to it, when we go out looking for vinyl shops and pay for records, when we sit down and read the lyrics, actually appreciating the effort the artist put in making that album.

We now feel part of a community that takes the time to appreciate music, to celebrate life.

For those interested, here’s a website where you can find all vinyl things related. In depth forums and databases about technical stuff, turntables, components and much more. Created by vinyl lovers from all around the world: vinylengine.comF

For the music lovers and collectors, check out this other website: discogs.com

The biggest database and online marketplace, where you can find any piece of music imaginable that has ever been produced: LPs, eight-tracks, cassettes and CDs.

And for those in Rome or anyone visiting, here’s one of our favorite record shops:

Radiation Records. Via Romanello da Forlì, 14, 00176 Roma RM

Records: a love story