On the face of it, it seems a ridiculous question. Are record stores worth saving? I'm a huge music fan - of course I'm supposed to think they're worth saving. And I do... kind of. Just not for me. Record stores are for the nostalgic, and the audiophiles, and the unrepentant fans of vinyl. I am none of the above.
Don't get me wrong - I prefer the sound of a CD to an mp3 file, and yes, you really can hear the difference. IF you're in a quiet place. But I am rarely in a quiet place, and the compressed audio of an mp3 file works just fine coming out of my car stereo speakers or my computer. And vinyl? I grew to hate surface noise, and with the improvement in digital technology, I have to say that I can not hear the difference between vinyl and a post-1995 CD.
That leaves nostalgia. Do I miss walking into a record store and sifting through the stacks? Honestly, no. It's a lot easier to sift online. I do use record stores when I know what I want and can just walk in, grab the appropriate record off the shelf, pay for it and walk out.
If I'm being totally honest, I have to say I've developed these feelings about record stores in part as a defense mechanism. A financial defense mechanism. Because deep down, I think I do love record stores. As a kid, once I'd saved up a few bucks, I'd run to the store and buy the latest Bowie album, or Clash record, or whatever. It's how I spent what money I had. And I began to find that if I walked into a record store with money, I'd be walking out without it. With my musical tastes broadening at a much faster rate than my wallet, going to record stores was soon a very dangerous thing to do.
Now, with more music coming into my office than anyone can keep up with, that's no longer an issue. Although I still do feel obliged to buy something when I enter a record store... an obligation I don't feel if I'm browsing through eMusic or iTunes online.
So yes, save the record stores. They're invaluable when you want to give music as a gift. And maybe the younger generation, growing up hearing music as mp3 files, or coming out of TV or worse, computer speakers, will eventually hear what music can sound like when you actually have a physical disc in your hands and will need a place to go to get it. Plus, I find the idea of a town (especially one like NY) without a record store to be very depressing. Just don't expect the sympathetic shopowner with the keen ear and the knowledgeable staff to help curate your musical experience. Those shops were always easier to find in movies than in real life.
Tell us: Are record stores worth saving? Are they relics of the past? Do you miss them?
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John Schaefer has hosted Soundcheck since the show’s inception in 2002. He has also hosted and produced WNYC’s radio series New Sounds since 1982 (“The No. 1 radio show for the Global Village” – Billboard) and the New Sounds Live concert series since 1986.
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