Has the vinyl bubble finally burst?

[Steelmaker]

I realize that this is a completely anecdotal take, which is I why I posted the thread title in the form of a question and not a declaration.

Last night I stopped by my local Barnes & Noble. It had been quite a while since I've been there, so quite a lot had changed and been rearranged. One of the changes that jumped out at me the most was how much the vinyl/music section had been shrunk down! The last time I was there, they had quite a big vinyl and CD section. However now, the vinyl has been reduced down to one table and the CD section was one very small shelf! It was shocking, actually! I get the reduction in CD's. However, I was under the impression that vinyl had been thriving and growing for a few years now. You wouldn't have known it, going by how little space B&N has dedicated to it now, compared to say 3 years ago!

[Mojo Blue]

I'm all for it if it drops the prices. (I don't collect vinyl because it's popular.) I don't visit Barnes & Noble often and was surprised how much vinyl they were actually carrying when I stepped into the store years ago. I have picked up a few releases there over the years but if I go to a brick & mortar store, it will usually be one of the several record stores in my area. It is unfortunate that there will be one less location though.

The roll back in interest is sorta expected. I've been reading predictions of it for a good 12-18 months now. I hope you have some shops near you, because mail ordering might be cheaper but has its own set of issues.

[victorvondoom88]

I think the problem with Barnes and noble is they priced themselves out of being an option. I live in a relatively small town ~15k people. Our local Walmart has more vinyl than the Barnes and Noble an hour away.
Plus the economy right now isn't helping anything. Vinyl has outlasted several other mediums though

[bhampton]

If it ever does, ... I am certain my daughter won't notice.

She's having a ton of fun collecting records mostly new records but also enjoys finding old records.

Her little setup and collection is immune to whatever happens to be trending.

I'm very proud of her and she inspires me to actively enjoy my media collection with the same resolve.

[sfmarine]

My B&N section is the same size for the most part. It could definitely change. They had a few priced at 50% off.

I agree with Mojo Blue that if it means the prices will go down, then it ain’t a bad thing.

[Steelmaker]

Originally Posted by sfmarine

My B&N section is the same size for the most part. It could definitely change. They had a few priced at 50% off.

I agree with Mojo Blue that if it means the prices will go down, then it ain’t a bad thing.

Typically the more niche something is, the more expensive it is. So I doubt it's going go the way you hope it does.

[Mojo Blue]

So I happened to stop into my local B&N to check out the status of their vinyl section and, unfortunately, the OP (Steelmaker) is correct. They only have a fraction of what they were carrying just a couple of years ago. It's too bad, but I imagine they simply weren't moving enough to continue carrying a large volume.

[sheri1983]

I resisted Vinyl for years, not because of hate but convenience. I didn't grow up with it and I listen to Vinyl rips if I like the sound of a certain album but a few weeks ago I got a vintage MCS receiver from the 70's for $20 and my music world collapsed I fell in love with that warm sound which my modern equipment lacked. I got a Sansui 4000 (even better) and ordered a Denon Turntable from Japan (still on shipping). Got some vinyl from the used stores around me and can't wait to check out Vinyl for the first time. So from my POV Vinyl is growing!

[Mojo Blue]

Originally Posted by sheri1983

...and ordered a Denon Turntable from Japan (still on shipping). Got some vinyl from the used stores around me and can't wait to check out Vinyl for the first time.

Oh, now you've gone and done it. Welcome, and just remember... "budget".

[SpookyDollhouse]

I don't think so, I've noticed new vinyl releases are cheaper and more well stocked than UHDs in my area actually

[Rayjg]

The whole MOFI debacle probably hasn't helped. Especially among higher end vinyl.

[SchoolOfHardbox]

I have fun browsing the records at b&n, but the prices are so high that I've never purchased one and honestly don't plan to. They seem to be a full $10-$15 than other stores. It's also tougher when I know I can buy some spectacular soundtrack through someone like Waxwork for significantly less than I can buy a plain, repressed, mainstream album from b&n.

[BaronVH]

Originally Posted by LeviCalebTitus

I have fun browsing the records at b&n, but the prices are so high that I've never purchased one and honestly don't plan to. They seem to be a full $10-$15 than other stores. It's also tougher when I know I can buy some spectacular soundtrack through someone like Waxwork for significantly less than I can buy a plain, repressed, mainstream album from b&n.

Depending on where you live, it is possible that there is a record store that has both new and used LPs. A reputable one will only sell good quality used records. A less honest store will make it a crap shoot, but you can still find really high quality titles for a fraction of the cost, some of which could even be rare specimens that you could never get elsewhere. The really big cities will have popular stores that are way overpriced but also really good stores that are reasonable and care about the music. I have never bought a record at Barnes & Noble, Target, etc. My favorite record store will allow you to listen to the titles in advance and serve you beer while you do so.