Vinyl is back, baby. Take a look around at all the Record Store Days and limited LP releases that have popped up in recent years, and you’ll see the evidence everywhere. But hold up — are hipsters and nostalgists really powering vinyl’s unlikely resurgence? Not according to a new study by market research company YouGov, who analyzed data on 2016 vinyl sales in the UK and arrived at a much different conclusion: Vinyl collecting is mostly the province of middle-aged loners.
That’s right — the chances of you being a total loser seem to correlate with the size of your record collection. More specifically, the study (first reported by The Vinyl Factory) found that 56 percent of vinyl collectors don’t like to share their feelings, while a whopping 69 percent can be described as introverts who enjoy spending time alone. Then again, with that sealed out-of-print copy of Sonic Youth’s Goo just waiting to be caressed — I mean, listened to — who needs friends?
To make matters worse, the study found that the majority of collectors in the UK fall between the ages of 45 and 54 — a rough time to be an introvert, especially if you’re staring down the barrel of a long retirement. Oh, well. Friends come and go, but the music will always be there, right?
In other news, would anybody like to purchase my entire record collection? I think I’m going to take up a different hobby before it’s too late.
