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North State vinyl retailers prepare to celebrate Record Store Day

A collection of vinyl from NSPR's Angel Huracha.
Angel Huracha
/
NSPR
A collection of vinyl from NSPR's Angel Huracha.

Forty-fives and 78s records ruled the music world before the listening landscape changed. Decades later, the old turntable is making a comeback and Record Store Day is a cause for celebration.

Record Store Day goes back to 2007 when a gathering of independent record store owners and employees united to celebrate the culture of listening to vinyl.

Andrew Campanale of Redding Records & Music in Redding, is one of those who took a pledge to keep the tradition of vinyl alive and thriving.

"You do have to make a pledge to be a part of Record Store Day … there's an official Record Store Day website that tells you the different people participating, and I'm on that list," Campanale said.

Record Store Day primarily highlights independent records and has played a vital role in the resurgence of vinyl and promoting local record stores.

This year’s celebration is Saturday, April 22. Labels and musicians offer limited-edition LPs, reissues of rarities and exclusive releases.

Expected releases range from Taylor Swift and Miles Davis to Pearl Jam, Mac Miller, Dolly Parton, and many, many more.

Redding Records & Music in Redding, Calif.
Redding Records & Music
/
Facebook
Redding Records & Music in Redding

Vinyl’s resurgence has been full-steam ahead since the pandemic. In 2022, for the first time in more than three decades, vinyl records outsold CDs, according to the Recording Industry Association of America's annual revenue report.

“The resurgence has kind of been starting since maybe even the early 2000s. And I've been collecting since before that,” Campanale said. “Especially over the past 10 years, you've seen it increase, and they're making a lot more records, and a lot more people are buying records.”

In Chico, Melody Records has been around since 1979. Owner Ray Coppock, said the store has adjusted to the climate for various decades.

“It's been really good for me because we went through the whole down cycle and there used to be several stores in town and everybody went out of business and left me standing alone when it came back,” he said.

Melody Records in downtown Chico.
Adia White
/
NSPR
Melody Records in downtown Chico.

As vinyl album sales continue to grow, so does the demand. But what is the appeal of vinyl? As the world has grown accustomed to the age of streaming, Coppock seems to think it’s the visual appeal and the allure of owning a physical copy.

“Records have some inherent quality that is really appealing. Some of it is the sound, some of it is just the visuals of the covers. I think some of it's a cool factor … I can’t really put my finger on why it is, but something about it,” Coppock said.

North State residents can celebrate Record Store Day by finding a local vinyl retailer or checking out the exclusive releases that many artists and labels issue for the special day.

Angel Huracha has been a part of the journalism field since 2006 and has covered a range of topics. He is a graduate of Chico State with a Bachelor's degree in news-editorial and public relations with a minor in English.