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Vinyl comeback continues in Massachusetts and beyond

BROOKLINE, Mass. — What’s old is new in the world of music.  Vinyl records are hot and local businesses are cashing in on the trend.

A record spinning on a turntable is a sight, and sound, that many people thought had faded out.  But now, a new generation of music lovers is finding the slightly scratchy tones of a vinyl album appealing.

Twenty-something graphic designer Gregg Goins will patiently sift through stacks of records looking for a possible treasure.

“My dad introduced them to me when I was younger.  He brought them up from the basement and said this is how we used to listen to music and something about that just kind of charmed me," he said.

Bought a treasure trove of amazing used vinyl from the inimitable Bill T Miller this afternoon. The last time I got to...

Posted by Village Vinyl & Hi-Fi on Wednesday, November 15, 2017

Goins likes having 12 full inches of art on the cover of an album.  He also said, “If you're looking for a rich, mid-tone sound, I think that vinyl is where it is for that.”

For the seventh consecutive year, vinyl sales are up. They might even hit a billion dollars for the first time since the 1980s.

"The vinyl revolution is definitely here," said Jonathan Sandler of Brookline. He opened Village Vinyl and Hi-Fi in Brookline this month.

“The reception has been absolutely amazing.  We're getting passersby who are just coming in and buying a Beatles or Rolling Stones record.  I've got punk rockers from Allston spending $300-$400 bucks at a time," he said.

Hot new artists like Ed Sheeran and Sam Smith are also selling vinyl versions of their latest albums.

Sandler said classic jazz is moving in big numbers too.

“I am seeing a lot of people coming in and, oddly enough, they’re rebuying their jazz CD collection on vinyl," said Sandler.

People need a way to play their music, and more of them are getting their turntables from U-Turn Audio from Woburn.

“So far this year, we’ve made 11,000 turntables with about 20 employees," said co-founder Bob Hertig said.

That’s a big jump for a company that was launched five years ago by three buddies from Lexington High School.

"At the time, we were just vinyl listeners ourselves.  We didn't expect the rest of the world to be into it as much as we were, but as we kept doing it, we saw people really respond to our product,” said Hertig.

Now, the company is considering getting a larger space, although they want to stay in their home state.

“It means a lot to be able to employ 20 people and build a product that so many people love, right here in Massachusetts,” said Hertig.

There are also a growing number of subscription companies popping up, like Vinyl Me, Please, which deliver a special edition record every month.