Why You Should Start a Record Collection During Quarantine

8 Min Read

With recent stay at home orders in place across the world, millions of people have been forced to get creative in their own personal quarantine. For some, this consists of picking up old hobbies and activities that have faded away over the years. For others, this is a chance to branch out and take up a new hobby, perhaps one that’s been lingering in the back of their mind for sometime now. An exciting hobby that can help ease your mind in the midst of quarantine is starting a record collection. Wondering how to start a record collection of your own? Follow our guide to get started on building a record collection tailored specifically to you.

How To Start a Record Collection

In order to start a record collection, it is important to take a few things into consideration before you start listening to music at home with a player:

Determine Your Purpose

So you’ve decided to start vinyl collecting. Typically this hobby is picked up for four reasons: You appreciate the quality sound that comes from a vinyl record player, you were gifted a portable turntable or record player, you want to gather collectables for financial gain, or you enjoy the aesthetically pleasing nature of vinyl records in your home. Your reason for starting a record collection will determine a number of things. For example, if your reasoning is purely for aesthetics, you might want to seek out vinyl records with unique album artwork.

Investing in the Quality of Music

When it comes to sound, vinyl record players are unmatched. This is a result of analog versus digital playback. Analog sound, the composition of vinyl record players, has a longer bandwidth than digital audio, meaning that the resolution of the sound is much higher in quality. With that said, analog sound has a level of warmth that can be heard in the recordings that cannot be heard or felt in the digital realm of music. So if you are one who appreciates quality when it comes to audio, you will want to be sure to start a collection of vinyl records that you enjoy allowing you to fully embrace the sound quality of those tracks.

Collecting Valuables

As for investments, if the purpose of your collection is to gather valued records that are worth quite a bit of money, your main focus will be hunting down those records and attaining them for a good price. In order to do this, you will need to do your research and know how much certain records sell for, amongst other information regarding their overall value. You can even consider records that are currently transforming the music scene, as these may hold strong value in years to come.

Adding Aesthetic to Your Home

Another reason record collecting is a fun hobby is the aesthetic nature of the record player and the vinyl collection itself. Displaying a record collection in your home is a fun way to personify yourself through your musical collection. You can display your record collection on a bookshelf or even use vinyl records as artwork for your home’s interiors. Additionally, vinyl record players are a vintage yet timeless piece that look tasteful in any home setting, adding character to even the simplest of rooms.

Gather Records Based on Your Musical Preferences

No matter where your purpose as a vinyl collector lies, the best part is you can choose which records you want to own on vinyl. From rock and roll to neo soul music, you can find endless options to fit any musical preference. With that said, don’t be scared to grab some records that you wouldn’t typically reach for at first. Vinyl collecting is a fun way to gather albums from your favorite artists, while also expanding your horizons in the vast world of music.

Browse on our online record store to find your favorite album on vinyl! From classic rock to hip hop, we have all you need for your vinyl record collection!

Find The Perfect Record Player For You

Whether you prefer an old school, classic style or a modern flare when it comes to a vinyl record player, Victrola provides a large selection of record players that look great and sound even better. Just as your record collection says a lot about you, so does your record player of choice. Finding the perfect record player is a fun and exciting way to get started on a record collection that will enhance both your space and your life.

Why You Should Start a Record Collection

Enhancing your life might seem a bit far fetched, but we’re serious! Especially in uncertain times such as the quarantine and current stay at home orders in place, starting a record collection has a number of benefits and fun perks as well. Here are four reasons why you should start a record collection:

Mental Health Benefits

The health benefits of music have been consistently proven over the years and are undeniably powerful. The impact of music on our psychological functions results from releasing dopamine and endorphins, which can also be experienced when working out and through meditation. With that said, music has also been shown to relieve stress, calm anxiety, and stimulate happiness - this is especially true when listening to your favorite albums. Therefore, building a collection of music that you love can be a great way to boost your overall mental health in a variety of ways.

Music and Productivity Go Hand-In-Hand

Not only does music have great health benefits, it also increases productivity. That said, it’s no wonder why cleaning is twice as enjoyable when you have your favorite tunes on. Depending on the task, however, certain types of music are more useful than others. For example, upbeat music is a great way to enhance productivity when it comes to cleaning or replying to tedious emails that have built up in your inbox. On the other hand, classical and more relaxed music is a great way to help you zone in on homework, work, or other focus-based tasks as it increases mental productivity.

Regardless of what you have on your to do list, you can guarantee that putting on some enjoyable background music will help you push through those tasks a bit more efficiently.

Your Collection Personifies You

Another reason you should start a record collection is for the way your records of choice can represent you as an individual. People are unique in many different ways, this is especially true when it comes to music preference. The songs and albums that people resonate with and listen to say a lot about who they are as a person. By building your own personal collection of your favorite albums, you simultaneously piece together a collection of who you are as a person. In this sense, your vinyl collection personifies the person you are at this moment in your life.

You Can Visualize Your Music

For some, the process of placing vinyl records on a record player is a fun way to experience music in a way that is less common in the digital era that we currently live in. Watching your record spin underneath the stylus and pick up information embedded deep within the grooves makes the process of listening to music tangible. In other words, when you play music on a vinyl record player, you are watching the music come to life.

Another way vinyl records allow you to visualize your music is through the album art. One of the most exciting parts about starting a record collection is gathering records with album art that stands out to you. Not only does the artwork of an album give you a bit of insight on what to expect from the album, but it also adds to the overall aesthetic of your collection. As such, when you set out your vinyl record collection in your home, you are able to showcase your collection, making it more than just audio-based, but visual as well.

Given these positive benefits and fun perks that starting a record collection has to offer, don’t be afraid to branch out and delve into a new genre, whether it’s rock or hip-hop or alternative vinyl records. Use this new collection as a way to expand your musical horizons, you never know what you might find!

But Why During Quarantine?

Of course you can start a record collection any time, but making use of some potential downtime during quarantine is especially beneficial. For some vinyl lovers it can be a new hobby to keep busy, for others it can act as an opportunity to learn more about yourself and your musical interests. Regardless of the reasoning, starting a record collection during a time of such uncertainty can help keep you in a positive mindset. Additionally, this is a hobby that can last long after stay at home orders have been lifted, leaving you with a timeless collection to enjoy for years to come.

If you need ideas on how to take care of records or want to know “how long do vinyl records last?”, keep reading for more insights.

Don’t Just Collect, Enjoy The Music

There are various reasons as to why starting a record collection during quarantine can be beneficial and fun, however, the best part of it all is that you get to enjoy listening to each record as you collect them. No matter your reasoning for collecting records, there is no greater feeling than listening to your favorite album spin through each track reminding you why you started collecting in the first place. Whether listening to certain albums provides a nostalgic feeling, bringing you back to specific moments in your life, or if you are creating new memories, building your new record collection with top vinyl records of 2020 is a great way to make use of your time in quarantine.

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