In the past few years, vinyl has seen a comeback amidst music streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music, which are way more portable and, quite frankly, more convenient. But why is it that vinyl has made a resurgence? Well, keep reading because I’ll tell you about it.

Vinyl records were first commercialized back in 1948 by Columbia Records, with the first album being Mendelssohn’s Concerto in E Minor, marking the start of vinyl as we know it. The creation of vinyl was huge back then. Introducing the LP format—otherwise known as “long play”—it was a significant improvement in audio quality for recorded media and demonstrated that LPs could be used for full-length albums. This was groundbreaking because, prior to this, 78 RPM shellac records could only hold 3-5 minutes of music per side. Nowadays, albums can reach up to an hour in length, with LPs holding up to 25 minutes per side, so it was a huge improvement.

Vinyl’s popularity in the ’70s was partly due to the rise of people listening to full-length albums. Another reason was the rise of DJ culture, as turntables allowed DJs to blend vinyl records seamlessly, creating a continuous listening experience without dead air. Vinyl was also popular among artists for sampling; DJs used turntables to “scratch” by moving the vinyl back and forth with the turntable needle, producing a distinctive scratch sound.

However, by the ’80s and ’90s, CDs became more commonplace, offering a digital sound that was more portable and could hold longer playtimes without needing to flip sides. By the early 2000s, vinyl had become a niche product, mostly for collectors or DJs.

In modern times, vinyl is loved for being physically tangible. Handling records feels satisfying to some people, and there’s a sense of nostalgia attached to them. Many people also appreciate the warm audio quality that vinyl provides; because vinyl records are analog, they capture audio waveforms continuously, and many audiophiles say this provides a fuller sound. Personally, I collect vinyl for the art and the collectible aspect—I love seeing my collection stacked on my shelf. One of my favorites is my signed Razzmatazz vinyl by I DONT KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME, which I got from a concert two years ago. It was awesome to get that chance.

Overall, vinyl is awesome—from its invention to its comeback from niche status, it’s just so cool.