Since 2019, vinyl sales have surpassed those of CDs, something that hasn’t happened since 1986. We went to meet record store owners in Nice to understand the reasons behind this success.
So, is it a true success or just a passing trend? The record store owners at Kosimi Records (passage Nice Europe) and The Electric Monk (3 Alberti Street) shared their perspectives on this resurgence in popularity.
For Rémi, the owner of Kosimi Records, the popularity of vinyl lies firstly in the beauty of the object and also in the sound quality that “can’t be found in digital format or on CDs.”
“Vinyl is a beautiful collectible item that you can display at home. There’s also that vintage appeal that people like,” adds a salesperson from the shop. He also points out that the significant effort artists put into vinyl covers and packaging can be another reason to prefer them over CDs. “It’s more expensive, but sometimes the covers are incredible. They might have posters or lithographs inside, which you don’t get with a CD.”
Kosimi Records, passage Nice Europe. Photo: © Love Spots Nice
When the store opened five years ago, the owner of Kosimi Records thought vinyl would just be a passing trend. Today, he is surprised to see it is not.
At The Electric Monk, the owner claims that in the 26 years the store has been open, he has “always had customers.” The only change in recent years: there are more and more young people among his clients, who, according to him, buy vinyls because they “probably listened to their parents’ and liked it.”
Why vinyl instead of CDs?
A common point among these two record stores in Nice: no CD sales, only vinyl (and also thrift items and comics). But why? For the owner of The Electric Monk, the reason has nothing to do with current trends; it’s simply because a CD “can be stolen too easily,” especially since he is alone in the store, making it hard to keep an eye on everything.
Vinyls at The Electric Monk, 3 Alberti Street. Photo: © Pages Jaunes
On the other hand, for the owner of Kosimi Records, it’s because “it’s what sells best.” He adds that the CD market doesn’t hold much value today. “If you go to Fnac, the vinyl section has almost doubled in recent years, while the CD section has almost halved.”
The salesperson at the store does temper this, estimating that the CD is not “at the end of its career.” Even if vinyl is more collected than CDs, there are still players in cars, for instance.
The vinyl market seems to be booming, although it could become more expensive over time. This would be due to a plastic shortage with which they are made, as demand has increased significantly recently, the salesperson at Kosimi Records tells us.
A collectible item, better sound, beautiful covers… The reasons record stores offer vinyl are varied, but the three record store owners we spoke with seem unanimous: vinyl is indeed in vogue, while CDs are gradually being sidelined.
