The Best Vinyl Records

Buying Guide

In a time when digital music has become extremely common and fewer people even buy CDs, vinyl records have actually surged in popularity. Not only can playing a record make you feel nostalgic for old times, but the music also has a warm sound that is enjoyable and grabs your attention. It also helps that vinyl records often have cool album art that makes them nice to look at and display. 

When shopping for new vinyl records, you’ll notice they usually cost more than alternatives like CDs and digital downloads. They also take up more space wherever you decide to store them. Therefore, it’s important to choose which records to add to your collection carefully to fit your budget and space needs.

Whether you’d like vinyls of classic albums or modern hits, you’re in luck. You can find records from classics such as Michael Jackson, the Beatles and Pink Floyd alongside modern artists such as Billie Eilish, Taylor Swift and Kendrick Lamar. You’ll typically find the widest selection of vinyls for albums released in the 1960s through 1980s when the format was especially popular. Also, be aware that vinyl releases of newer albums often lag behind a bit.

Vinyl records come in different sizes with tracks on both sides. For example, 12-inch LPs are very popular for featuring a full album tracklist while 10-inch EPs feature fewer songs. You can find 7-inch and 10-inch singles for some artists. Vinyl records also come in different weights affecting their durability and sound quality, where a 180-gram weight is common for LPs.

In addition, you’ll come across some different terms when you look at vinyl records. If you see something saying the record is a repress, it’s just like the original’s source material, while a reissued one may differ a bit. Remastered records, on the other hand, have an enhanced sound, so they’re not just like the original.

• If you don’t already have a record player, make sure you buy one that plays at the speeds you need, is durable, fits your budget and is easy to use. You might also look into a player with features such as a USB port so you can export your music digitally.
• Use the right technique for removing your vinyl from its inner sleeve so that you don’t touch the playing surface. You can put a few fingers in the center and hold the edge with your thumb to pull it out safely.
• Once you have the record out of its sleeve, handle it properly at all times to keep it from getting scratched or oily. It’s usually safest to gently hold on to the edges of the record. Plus, make sure your hands don’t have dirt or grease on them.
• To prevent issues such as warping, keep your vinyl records in a place that isn’t too humid, hot, cold or sunny.  Stacking your vinyl records could lead to damage due to the weight, so avoid this too.
• Keep your vinyl record in its outer and inner sleeves when you’re not playing it. If you’d like more protection, you can purchase a clear outer sleeve to protect the artwork or a third-party inner sleeve that is more durable than what your record came with.
• Feel free to get creative in how you show off your vinyl record collection at home. You can always keep it simple and display them on a shelf or keep them in a bookcase, but options such as ledges, record stands and even record frames exist. If you care more about storage than display, you might opt for solutions such as flight cases, cabinets and crates.
• If you’d like a larger variety of vinyl records to pick from, extend your search to used ones. Just be sure to check how the seller has graded the record, look for potential damage and ensure it plays properly. Don’t forget to consider any compatibility issues with modern record players too.
• You can use a record cleaning brush or microfiber cloth to remove dust from your vinyl record. Soap and water or a record cleaning fluid are good for a more thorough cleaning, but be gentle so you don’t end up scratching the record. Make sure you fully dry the record before you play it or return it to its sleeve.