I've joked about hipsters and vinyl for as long as it's been a thing. It's an outdated format. Unweldy, impractical and by it's very nature designed to degrade. I hauled a half dozen milk cartons full of records around every time I moved until I was 28. Then I just abandoned them. Other than Aerosmith and the Black Crowes I left probably 300 albums in my Mom's garage when I sold her house. I didn't want them anymore and saw no future where I ever would. I only kept the records I did as a collector with no plans on listening to them. A few years later the flood of 2010 happened and I lost those too.

Fast forward to this year and there were actually a few special Record Store Day releases I really wanted, all the while hoping they'd come with download codes so I could throw them in iTunes and forget those 12" pieces of plastic existed. None of them did. I was stuck with 5 records and no way to listen to them. So I did what any sane person in 2017 would do - I had Amazon Prime Now deliver me a turntable in less than an hour. I hooked it to my receiver, dropped the needle...

And instantly remembered why vinyl is so fucking great.

For so long I never listened to records. I was just forced to store them and move them and completely forgot why they have the appeal they do.

The artwork, the inner sleeves, the liner notes, devoting time to sit down and actually listen, not having 25,000 other songs in your pocket to distract you, that sound when the needle first hits the record. Not to mention Aerosmith 'Rocks' (one of the greatest albums ever made by anyone) just sounds better on vinyl. Maybe not scientifically/technically better, but it sounds the way it was intended to.

I won't be growing a beard or wearing skinny jeans anytime soon, but count me as part of the resurgence.

Just don't fucking call them vinyls.