Listening With Intentionality

This is not another story on vinyl’s comeback. That’s old news. The Recording Industry Association of America has tracked double-digit growth in records the past four years, with 2024 marking its highest sales since 1988. 

To no one’s surprise, vinyl sales now outpace CD sales. Instead, this story looks at four record stores in Snohomish County, including one that’s sold discs for 35 years and another that recently opened, and how they navigate analog’s growth in a digital world.

Why vinyl? A recent New Yorker cartoon showed two men in front of an elaborate record player system, with huge speakers to the side and dozens of vinyl albums stacked below. “What really drew me to vinyl,” the owner says to his friend, “were the expense and the inconvenience.” Yes. With Spotify offering virtually all recorded music (for a subscription) – and AI now generating music on demand – why would anyone invest in vinyl? 

Also, cassettes are making a comeback? We’ll get to that, too.

It’s a big world of music

“There is room for both streaming and physical media,” said Rachel Gardner,who opened Musicology in Edmonds in 2024. She said the interest in vinyl, CDs, and cassettes connects to an entirely different experience. “Listening to an album in its entirety with intentionality is quite different than letting an algorithm choose music for you. I believe that, especially as AI gets more involved in music generation.”

To counterpoint the New Yorker cartoon, Gardner added: “There is more of a draw to hear the slight imperfections and crackles of vinyl. The so-called inconvenience of listening to records is also what makes it enjoyable; there is an element of presence that you must have to be part of the listening experience. It brings it back to the physical vs digital.”

Just up the road from Musicology is Edmonds’ second record shop, TNT Music, which Tammy Snow and Tre Tolman-Snow opened in September in the Five Corners strip mall. Like many audiophiles, she points to vinyl’s excellent sound. “The sound quality is superior to digital,” Tammy Snow said, “and vinyl is physical and tangible and holds an aesthetic appeal.” But what about the cost of new vinyl? Those who remember $10 new albums may cringe at the cost today, which can run $30 and up.

“The data shows that it doesn’t deter people,” said Snow, who discovered vinyl in 2019, bought a turntable, and was hooked. “Since 2016, vinyl sales have increased by 300%. In the last year, they’ve increased by 7%; that’s 18 years of continued growth.”

Gardner said the cost of new vinyl may deter some, but she stocks a variety of price points at Musicology so every budget can find something. “We often will hide some gems in our $1 or $3 bins for the searcher to come across, and we put together fun mystery bundles for $5 to give accessible options to different budgets. New vinyl is more expensive than in the past, but the costs to press are also quite high. Many rising artists would love to press vinyl, but it can be cost-prohibitive to do so. I think when you see how expensive it is to make vinyl, the pricing makes sense.”

Gardner explains that the process of getting an album onto vinyl is time-intensive. Getting through the master lacquer to the pressing of hundreds or thousands of albums has a long lead time. “I think this is why you see a mix of when and how artists release,” she said. “There is also a trend over recent years for artists to release several singles on streaming and then hold back a few songs for the physical release.”

It’s not just top-selling artists such as Taylor Swift or Post Malone who release vinyl, often with several versions in different colors. Taylor Meier of Caamp, a folk-pop band from Ohio, has a second band, Sumbuck, whose music is only available on vinyl and Spotify. No CDs.

Who buys records?

The sexy storyline goes that it’s the younger generation stocking up on physical records. In part, that’s true. “According to market data, there are a variety of buyer types,” Snow said. “The biggest growth is with Gen Z, who are motivated to buy vinyl for the physical medium, and millennials who are drawn to vinyl due to a blend of nostalgia and lifestyle.”

But stop at a longtime record store in Everett and you’ll spot Boomers and Gen X’ers flipping through vinyl alongside whatever generation is current. You won’t find a mix of new and used records like Musicology; it’s not like TNT Music’s focus on new vinyl.

No. There’s old school, then there’s Gordy Arlin, proud proprietor of Bargain CDs, Records, & Tapes in Everett, where generations collide. His store, now in its second location, recently celebrated 35 years. Arlin, a lifelong musician and drummer, opened his shop in December 1989, initially focusing on what was then a novelty: CDs. 

He spent 11 years before that honing his craft at two of Seattle’s largest used record stores, Cellophane Square and Golden Oldies Records. His passion for music started much earlier; in 1976, he became a professional musician, performing as a drummer and even working as the first disco DJ in Snohomish County.

Arlin is as genial as they come. He’ll steer you in the right direction, but you can only catch him at the store on Sundays. He’s 78. Arlin recalls a time in the mid-1990s when the popularity of CDs surged, leaving his shop with a vast, unsold inventory of vinyl LPs. The store went through some hard times, but the rediscovery of vinyl transformed his previously stagnant inventory into sought-after treasures.

“There was just no action on LPs, and then the shift came about 10 years ago,” he said. “The thought that vinyl sounded better, that just sort of caught on. And to my good fortune, those 18 copies that I had of the Led Zeppelin IV album that I couldn’t sell were actually suddenly in demand. It was a pleasant surprise.”

Arlin may be old school – the store has no website, unlike newer ones where you shop online as well – but he uses online resources like Discogs and eBay to set prices. He said this has built trust with customers, who can verify prices on their phones. Arlin also credits the internet with providing free advertising, as search engines now easily direct music lovers to his store, a happy jumble of not only vinyl but also CDs, and DVDs.

“Everybody who comes through the door is happy,” Arlin said, who added that ’50s and ’60s rock, R&B, and metal – yes, metal – are top sellers. “We see every social group come through the door, because music is universal. Customers are either being good to themselves and getting themselves a little something, or they’re being good to someone they love and getting them a little something. It’s a wonderful place, and the social interaction is great. Everybody’s upbeat, kind of taking a break from their life.”

Room for everyone?

While business owners like Arlin have an established clientele (and Google search), some record stores realize that they have to be more than just a place to get vinyl.

Before opening Musicology, musician Gardner had already been active in the local music scene, performing locally and supporting musicians. “The space has now been a continuation of that passion, offering a gathering space for those who love music,” she said. “I like to think of it as a welcoming place for all; it's a way to connect with your favorite artists or to learn about new ones.”

Musicology has monthly songwriter meetups, open mic and DJ nights, weekly live music, jam sessions, album signings and more. You can also browse the online store for music and merch and pick them up at the store. But Gardner says not all record stores are the same. “Some of my favorite shops focus solely on their curated collections and do zero events. And yes, I still go crate digging at other shops on a regular basis for my personal collection. I love vinyl and supporting local shops wherever I go.”

TNT Music also has live events.

Father and son

A little east, one block north of First Street in historical downtown Snohomish, Stargazer Records is a family-owned business filled with music. Derek and Mark Florian opened the store in February 2023. They carry both new and used records, cassettes, and CDs.

What’s popular? “Artists like Tyler the Creator, Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam, really the whole ’90s Seattle scene is huge,” Derek said. “Sabrina Carpenter, Kendrick Lamar. Vinyl resurgence can be attributed to many factors – I could write a book. Sound quality, the packaging of records in great jackets that are almost artwork in their own right. Also, can’t discount the interest from the young people today, making it a cool thing to own.”

Stargazer stocks a variety of genres in various formats. “We also have a wide selection of rare and hard-to-find records. We take donations, trade, and also buy. We pay top prices with cash, then and there. Please call the store to make sure Derek or Mark is in the store before bringing items for consideration.”

One last thing

So, cassettes? Yes – it seems the more things change, the more … you know. Yes, yes, and yes!” Gardner said. “Cassettes are making a comeback. We carry both used and new cassettes and new cassette players. We are seeing a lot of artists releasing their music on cassette (as well as vinyl and CD). Some local labels are even releasing straight to cassette.”

Who wants to borrow a Walkman?