Scout with her grandmother Virginia Kirk. She says vinyl records have been a way connect with her grandmother, Virginia Kirk of Eagle River.
Scout Gramse with her record collection.
Do you have fond memories of hanging out and listening to vinyl records when you were young? Maybe you still have some in a box in your attic, collecting dust. Or perhaps you still listen to them. Records are back in style. And they're not just popular with people who are nostalgic for days gone by.
Introduced in 1948, the "long-playing" (LP) record format dominated the music industry until the late 1980s when they were largely replaced on store shelves by compact discs (CDs). Long forgotten by most consumers, vinyl has enjoyed a steady return in popularity. More than 43 million records were sold in the U.S. in 2024, according to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). While a far cry from the glory days of the late 1970s, when annual sales peaked at nearly 350 million, records are back to being the most popular physical music format over CDs and tapes. Vinyl isn't nearly as popular as electronic music services such as Spotify, but it has found its niche. Specialty record stores, such as Obsession Records in Anchorage, have returned as well. And it's not just those who remember Woodstock that are shopping. There's a whole new generation of listeners, as many of today's teenagers are opting for vinyl.
Scout Gramse of Anchorage is one of those kids. While she mostly listens to music on Spotify because of the convenience, she prefers the listening experience that records provide. Like many, she likes records because of the artwork. She also buys records to connect with and to support artists, as services like Spotify pay relatively little. She says it's also been a great way to connect with her grandmother, Virginia Kirk of Eagle River. "My grandma has a big crate full of records. When I visit her I'll pull some out and she'll tell me stories about them. It's been a great way to bond." Scout said that some of the records are so scratched up they're unplayable. But they're special to her because of their history, such as a Disney record of Cinderella that has her mother's childhood handwriting on it. She's also discovered old bands that she likes, such as Fleetwood Mac and The Moody Blues. She likes to display records on her bookshelf as pieces of art, changing them every month to reflect her moods.
The rise in popularity of records has also meant an increase in their value, with some fetching as much as thousands-although this is rare, as most records are worth only a few dollars. If you still have vintage vinyl, what might they be worth? As you might guess, it depends on a record's condition, its rarity, and the demand for it from collectors. The popularity of some artists has stood the test of time-such as the Beatles-where others have faded. A record's condition is usually assessed on the "Gold Mine" grading scale, which takes into account scratches, wear and tear, and other damage to the record and its sleeve. The demand for a particular record depends largely on which version; e.g., a "first pressing" usually fetches more money than a recent reprint. Determining which version you have can be tricky. For example, there are over 500 different pressings of the Beatles' "White album"-but an online music database called Discogs can help. Discogs also has a marketplace, which you can use to buy and sell records. But determining the actual market value for a record is tricky. Online markets such as Craigslist are full of ads from hopeful sellers wanting to cash in, but their records seldom sell for the asking price. (Sorry, but no one is willing to pay $50 for your beat-up Johnny Horton record.) Local record stores may buy your collection, but usually you get only a fraction of their worth. Instead of selling them, why not dust them off and fire up your old turntable? Or better yet, share them with someone from a younger generation– and show them how good music used to be.
Travis Rector is a professor of physics and astronomy at the University of Alaska Anchorage. He is also married to editor Paola Banchero. Virginia Kirk is Kenneth Kirk's mother. If you have questions about your record collection, you can reach him at tarector@alaska.edu.
