Is Collecting Records A Hobby? (About Vinyl Records)

It’s as if people nowadays relate records to being dinosaurs. You know; being extinct.

And while records are far from being the most popular way of listening to music, collecting and listening to records is still a thing. Let’s talk about that more now.

Is Collecting Records A Hobby?

is collecting records a hobby

Yes, collecting records is certainly a hobby. There are countless people from all over the world who like to collect certain items in their free time, including records.

Some people prefer to collect postage stamps, while others might choose to collect classic comics, to give just two examples. Almost no one would ever think to doubt whether or not these examples constitute hobbies, so why should it be different when it comes to records?

Additionally, a hobby is something that people generally put a lot of energy into since they just adore it that much.

With this logic in mind, you don’t have a choice other than to consider collecting records a hobby because there are people who are genuinely very passionate about this.

So, if you’re someone who takes great pleasure in collecting records and you find yourself dedicating a lot of your free time to it, you can be guaranteed that this is a hobby.

Collecting records isn’t necessarily the cheapest hobby and if you want to gather an impressive collection for yourself, you should know that you have to put some real effort into this.

Fortunately, you can talk with like-minded people who also have this hobby online or offline if you need some help. To be more concrete, there exist groups of people who like to collect records and who desire to swap stories, tips, and tricks about it.

Consequently, if you take into account that there’s a whole community revolving around collecting records, it becomes extremely hard to argue that it isn’t a hobby.

Is Listening To Records A Hobby?

Just like was the case with collecting records, actually listening to records is most definitely a hobby as well.

Listening to music in general falls under the categories of hobbies and since listening to records is just a more specified way of doing that, this also surely falls under it.

Namely, a hobby should ideally be something that can truly take your mind off things and something that can make you feel completely and utterly relaxed.

Well, listening to records wholly has that ability. So, if listening to records makes you forget the world around you for a little while and if it makes you feel at ease, this unmistakably is a hobby.

Related Article: The Hobby Of Listening To Music.

Also, whether something is a hobby truly is hard to determine by anyone other than yourself. Hence, if you like to listen to records from time to time and you’re wondering whether or not this can be defined as a hobby, you’re genuinely the only one who can answer that question.

Finally, the most important thing when it comes to hobbies is that you get a sense of satisfaction from them. Hence, if you feel like listening to records brings you joy and excitement, or if you feel like it’s a remarkably productive way to use your free time, then that’s all that matters.

What Is So Special About Vinyl Records?

what is so great about vinyl records

So what is so special about vinyl records anyway? Most people don’t realize that there are some big differences when being compared to digital media and CDs.

Here are two big reasons why people love vinyl records so much.

1) Vinyl Records Have An Amazing Sound

First and foremost, nothing truly compares to the sound of authentic vinyl records. To make this less abstract, if you compare the sound of a vinyl record to the sound of a CD, for example, you’ll find that the record will come out on top every time.

Particularly, vinyl records produce a significantly warmer, richer, and intense sound. Because of this, you can literally hear all the details and peculiarities of the music you’re listening to.

If on one hand, you listen to CDs or digital music, you’ll notice that certain aspects of the music get lost in translation. Thus, you’re losing depth and that’s a real pity.

So, if you want to get the true listening experience, vinyl records clearly are the better choice. The quality of the sound is just better with records, that’s just the truth.

2) Vinyl Records Are Nostalgic And Valuable

The second reason why vinyl records are so utterly special is that they’re remarkably nostalgic and valuable. That is, people have been listening to vinyl records for way longer than they have been listening to CDS, for example.

Because of this, vinyl records can really bring feelings of nostalgia to many people.

Moreover, because vinyl records have been a fixed feature in the music sphere for a long time, some of them have gradually become surprisingly valuable and you can interpret this in two ways.

On one hand, these vinyl records are emotionally valuable to a lot of people since they can make said people think about their childhoods, for example.

Some vinyl records are so old and treasured, that they’ve become antique, so to speak. Because of this, vinyl records can also have great financial value. Specifically, you can get a significant amount of money from them if you play your cards right.

Is Collecting Vinyl Records A Good Investment?

Lastly, there’s the question of whether or not collecting vinyl records is a good investment. Well, the answer is a rather nuanced one. Namely, while it’s true that some of them are extremely valuable, this is not the case when it comes to all vinyl records.

Nonetheless, it’s also true that there has recently been a boost of popularity again as regards vinyl records. There’s a new target market and thus, collecting vinyl records in this day and age could positively be profitable for you.

Concretely, the supply and demand will just keep on increasing, so that’s definitely a good thing when it comes to investing in records.

Now, while it’s true that investing in vinyl records equals investing in quality, you have to take this with a grain of salt, of course.

That is to say, while there are some vinyl records that are worth a lot of money, you have to be able to separate the wheat from the chaff. However, if you succeed in this, collecting vinyl records definitely is a good investment!

Collecting Vinyl Records As A Hobby: Closing Words

Collecting vinyl records is definitely a great hobby, that is, if you want to get into it. What makes it more fun is the ability to purchase vinyl records at deeply discount prices.

This can be done through tag sales, flea markets, or even browsing around the Facebook marketplace. Usually, people just want to get rid of them and will offer very low prices.

At the end of the day, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise that collecting records isn’t a hobby. It’s no different from many of the other hobbies that I’ve talked about when it comes to collecting various forms of entertainment:

Thanks for reading, and enjoy your collection!