Record collecting can be a passionate hobby — and a community builder. | PHOTO: JOSUE SANCHEZ/UNSPLASH
RADAR
The Vinyl Frontier
Tracking the record boom as collectors trade streaming convenience for analog ritual.
By Anne Marshall
There’s nothing like the physical sensation of taking an LP out of its sleeve. With a thumb on the record’s edge, you unsheathe the shiny black vinyl from its inner sleeve and place it on the turntable’s spindle, pressing it gently down onto the platter mat. You guide the cartridge (and stylus) by its tiny metal arm with a single finger, carefully lining it up with the record’s edge. And now, ready to lower the needle, you could cut the tension with Bryan Adams’ knife. But it feels so right. Then, that inevitable static as the stylus finds its groove, a breath of silence, and the first few notes of the rest of your night ring through the speakers. This is the ritual of vinyl.
(Clockwise from left) Local. bar; long-time Niagara-based DJ and vinyl collector, DJ Marinko, in charge of Local.’s vinyl listening program; exterior sign. | PHOTOS: SIMON VAUGHN/ COURTESY OF LOCAL.
The appreciation for physical media is not just nostalgia — say, sifting through your uncle’s pile of discarded 45s. It is a major trend in 2026.
At the beginning of the 21st century, nobody could have predicted the surprising resurgence of vinyl collecting. Sure, it’s always been a passion for the type of music lover seen in Canadian filmmaker Alan Zweig’s award-winning documentary, Vinyl (2000), which focuses on some extremely eccentric collectors. But after a long decline, in 2008, vinyl sales numbers and revenue started increasing for the first time since the CD took over. Many believe that the uptick coincided with the creation of Record Store Day (RSD), which was first conceived in 2007 in Baltimore by a group of independent record store owners and employees. The first RSD took place on April 19, 2008, to celebrate the unique culture of these treasured shops. Now a keenly anticipated annual event globally, the day sees vinyl fans lining up outside of their favourite independent shops, hoping to grab limited-edition pressings and rare re-releases. And the passion among communities of collectors isn’t restricted to record shops. “Listening bars” and vinyl record nights have emerged in many Canadian cities in recent years. In Niagara Falls, a bar and resto called Local. recently launched a record listening-room night with DJ Marinko. Inspired by Tokyo’s vinyl record listening rooms, the Hi-Fi Listening Room at Local. gives patrons a chance to enjoy the popular club DJ’s eclectic taste in music, with more emphasis on listening than dancing.
If you grew up with not only records, but also 8-tracks, cassettes, CDs and MP3s before streaming, the vinyl trend comes as no surprise. Most Gen X-ers and even some (early) Millennials have used at least three or four of these overlapping technologies. Music lovers embraced the new wholeheartedly, but some still picked up boxes and crates of records and equipment on the street all through the ’90s, whenever someone foolishly decided to give them away. Now those same items are in high demand at higher prices than ever before. According to the website Discogs, the average price paid for records has increased by 24 percent since 2020. For the passionate music collector still chasing that elusive collectable LP, or waiting for that special edition 30th anniversary reissue, price is no object. That said, musician and lifelong record collector Adrian Stickland — who prefers to shop for records in the Niagara Region rather than in Toronto — believes people are spending their entertainment dollar wisely, noting the rising costs elsewhere, including live sporting events, concert tickets and even the price of a night at a pub. “It’s $11 a pint without a tip.” The pleasures of food make for an apt comparison. Many vinyl lovers point to the sensory aspects of their preferred medium as a major part of the appeal. For the visually inclined, the large-scale cover art and liner notes offer a more immersive experience than tiny CD booklets — and almost anything beats the thumbnail pics and descriptions on a streaming app. And that’s not to mention the rainbow of coloured vinyl that’s yours to discover. When it comes to the sound itself, it’s not just a matter of opinion — scientific evidence indicates that people enjoy analog more than digital music. In a 2016 study from the Technical University of Berlin, listeners were exposed to music on vinyl as well as on CD. Participants of all ages found vinyl more “aesthetically exciting” not only for its sensory appeal, but also for its distinctive sound, which held true even when researchers manipulated the sources.
In a 2016 study from the Technical University of Berlin, listeners were exposed to music on vinyl as well as on CD. Participants of all ages found vinyl more “aesthetically exciting” not only for its sensory appeal, but also for its distinctive sound.
For those who’d like to get a record collection started, your local record shops are an excellent place to seek advice from the knowledgeable folks behind the counter, says Stickland. “Walk into a record store — a local one, not a chain,” he says. “And let them know the genres of music [you] like. They can usually suggest where to start.” Record shows, fairs and swaps — such as the newly established Niagara-on-the-Lake Record and CD Show and Sale, which held its inaugural event in December 2025 — are a great way to meet fellow music lovers and get advice from experts who don’t stand to make a commission. This year’s Record Store Day falls on Saturday, April 18. Record collectors — new and old — might want to check out a few of Niagara Region’s finest independent vinyl shops. CAA
Shopping for records — or crate-digging — can unearth some unusual vinyl discoveries. | PHOTO: JOSUE SANCHEZ/UNSPLASH
Local. bar; long-time Niagara-based DJ and vinyl collector, DJ Marinko, in charge of Local.’s vinyl listening program; exterior sign. | PHOTOS: SIMON VAUGHN/ COURTESY OF LOCAL.
The appreciation for physical media is not just nostalgia — say, sifting through your uncle’s pile of discarded 45s. It is a major trend in 2026.
At the beginning of the 21st century, nobody could have predicted the surprising resurgence of vinyl collecting. Sure, it’s always been a passion for the type of music lover seen in Canadian filmmaker Alan Zweig’s award-winning documentary, Vinyl (2000), which focuses on some extremely eccentric collectors. But after a long decline, in 2008, vinyl sales numbers and revenue started increasing since the CD took over. Many believe that the uptick coincided with the creation of Record Store Day (RSD), which was first conceived in 2007 in Baltimore by a group of independent record store owners and employees. The first RSD took place on April 19, 2008, to celebrate the unique culture of these treasured shops. Now a keenly anticipated annual event globally, the day sees vinyl fans lining up outside of their favourite independent shops, hoping to grab limited-edition pressings and rare re-releases. And the passion among communities of collectors isn’t restricted to record shops. “Listening bars” and vinyl record nights have emerged in many Canadian cities in recent years. In Niagara Falls, a bar and resto called Local. recently launched a record listening-room night with DJ Marinko. Inspired by Tokyo’s vinyl record listening rooms, the Hi-Fi Listening Room at Local. gives patrons a chance to enjoy the popular club DJ’s eclectic taste in music, with more emphasis on listening than dancing.