Vinyl records, paper books and magazines are showing growth in some markets. For example, according to the Recording Industry Association of America, vinyl album sales grew 12.9% in the first half of this year. What do you think is keeping these old formats going in the digital age?

@gokai_wo_maneku

I have some album covers on my walls, but I also have a player. However, I don’t think using album covers as decoration without having a player is strange at all. There’s some really great album art that’s definitely worthy of being displayed, especially albums that open up to double their size. I’ve got a couple of those up on my walls. I’d have those up even if I didn’t have a player.

My friend who collects albums and singles does not have a record player, but puts the albums and singles on the walls as decorations. Is that common?

I have an MD player. I'm waiting for it to become popular again. (just kidding)

The popularity of these retro items is all about collectability. Some of the rare and good condition popular albums sell for big bucks at auction.

It has to do with having something in physical form. As a gamer, it's convenient to be able to get my games from digital stores, but nothing beats having the game in a disc, storing it to your library, etc (especially back in the day, when games had color manuals and other goodies as well). Same thing for music, whether that's CD or vinyl. I think vinyl's popular because, apart from the excellent sound quality, it's about the... "ritual" of turning on a turntable, putting the vinyl on, etc. You just can't have that with modern devices. Plus vinyl album covers look great too.

Nostalgia for an age when things were much better than they are now.

Vinyl: The difference between analog and digital sound is akin to the difference between 3D and 2D images for me. I have a pretty decent collection of vinyl, from Jazz to Progressive Rock. Books: Paper and audio for me, for the same reasons people have stated above.

Cassette tapes. Who agrees that guns and roses appetite for destruction sounds better on cassette?

I just love the nostalgia from a time when music was just plain better. I have tons of records which I am trying to hide from my wife who also doesn't understand my fixation of shoes and laserdiscs lol

I like the looks of large album covers. Sure wish I still had my huge collection. All were stolen.

Regarding books, in ‘Reader Come Home’ UCLA Professor Maryanne Wolfe (cognitive neuroscience and developmental psycholinguistics) makes the case that we read more deeply and get more out of ‘hardcopy’ books than we do digital. Most of us tend to skim digital material. I’ve noticed that and buy more hardcopy books as a result, especially when reading for pleasure.

If you buy a book or record they are yours, you own them. Not the same with digital, the provider can remove it at anytime.

People want something tangible to hold on to (both literally and figuratively) in this fast-moving immediate impact/instant gratification over substance. In terms of music (and books to me), intangible formats disrespect and do a great disservice to the importance of the art form and relegate it to the status of something like wrapping paper design, implying it should be enjoyed in the context of the present only. Art like our emotions, ourselves and life in general should not be treated as disposable. Somehow I think this phenomenon speaks to a great revolt of the human soul against this kind of post-modern oppression.

I still read paper books because I like to go to the library and choose a book based on its cover and blurb. It means I read things I probably would not have come across searching online. It's also a nice break from looking at screens. My Gran has switched to e-books because she can make the font bigger. Different formats meet different needs, so I think there will always be demand for old and new.

It's a salute to olden times. Records were arguably the first time people could listen to music without listening to live music. Books have their irreplaceable spot in society that e-books and electronic media cannot compare. I think traditional media, collectively, have its own niche in modern society in the same way cooking foods in the old fashioned manner still remains today.

The human touch.

I guess because not every format is redundant or has a limited shelf life.

I love vinyl and the only reason I don't have more, is because of cost and space. In the meantime, I stick to second hand CDs, which are of excellent price and quality in Japan.

And books? Love a literal page turner. Reading on the phone doesn't give quite the same experience and can be a bit wearing on the old eyes, y'know?