Vinyl Still Gaining Steam

The old vinyl record just won't go away. In fact, it's appeal just continues to widen. And it's not just boomers with some time and a turntable or DJs who've not gone hi-tech. A whole new generation of listeners now believe that the format is cool (they're right - it is) with a big part of the demand coming from the under 25 crowd.

Projections for this year's vinyl sales see an increase of about 50%, with indie record stores accounting for about 70% of that. There must be some heat in the format since major retailer Best Buy is even allotting it's valuable floor space to records, even as they decrease CD space.

One of the more interesting aspects of the trend is that some record buyers don't even own a turntable, buying it just for the collectible value. On of the major beneficiaries has been Guns n' Roses Chinese Democracy, a release that has generally been considered a stiff but meeting with great demand in its vinyl version.

And finally, in 2008 there were 400 lp's that sold more than 1000 units, with Radiohead, Metallica, The Beatles, Elliot Smith and Bob Dylan leading the charge. By the looks of things, those numbers will increase in 2009.

Chinese Democracy Now On Rock Band

Guess what? Guns N’ Roses’ Chinese Democracy will be available today as downloadable content for the Rock Band game.

Since the album sales were considered a failure despite an exclusive with big-box retailer Best Buy, it seems that G N' R believe they if they can't make money on CD sales then they can cash in on licensing their music to a game.

The logic behind this move might be faulty since people only want to play along with songs they know. Since Chinese Democracy received limited airplay and even more limited sales, and the band was out of circulation for such a long time, don't be surprised if the demand is less expected.

Axl blew a golden opportunity with G N' R, even if the he was the only original member left. If he would have continued touring every few years to stay in the public eye rather than becoming a musical recluse making the so-called "ultimate album," the music from the original album was strong enough to sustain their following and maintain the band's legacy. Even now, if the band would hit the road they'd develop enough press and interest to maybe even revive Chinese Democracy despite the poor reviews. It only takes one song with decent airplay, online buzz and some traditional press to bring a band like this back to life.

I guess Axl made too much money with the original band, or at least enough that he doesn't have to work to hard any more. Then again, driving a truck, digging ditches or working for McDonald's is working hard; playing music isn't. You could fill up several Rose Bowls with artists that would be willing to trade places.