Critical popcorn

Vinyl is making a comeback now more than ever. In fact, the resurrection is so strong, that there are worldwide delays and shortages for everyone, as artists clamber to secure their release on this physical form of media.

With that being said, CDs are yet to follow the same suit, and the reason why is quite interesting…

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A Cultural Revival is Happening

Right now, many classic cultural activities are seeing a resurgence. Vinyl records are certainly one of them, but other forms of entertainment are also witnessing a comeback. Some of them include outdoor movie nights and even bingo. Outdoor movie nights are often held in public spaces and have seen a sharp rise in popularity over the years. People even bring their own chairs, snacks, and blankets, as a way to reinvent the outdoor cinema experience that was famous in the 80s. You also have bingo, which is also experiencing a resurgence. Bingo halls were once filled to the brim and often combined with quiz nights as a way to provide fun and entertainment to the local community.

Even though traditional bingo halls are becoming more popular, the biggest boom is happening online. A lot of this comes down to more accessibility and game variety, but you also have perks like being able to claim a bingo sign-up bonus if you’re a new player. Examples of this include getting a £30 bingo bonus, £10 club bingo bonus and up to 200 Fire Blaze Blue Wizard Megways slot spins when you register. Offers like this also allow players to experiment with other types of games, including online slots, expanding on the experience in ways that weren’t previously possible.

At a traditional bingo hall, this can’t be done, and as a result, it’s harder to offer bonuses like this. Online versions however offer way more options, which is a driving factor behind its resurgence, especially when you consider its worldwide reach.

Source: Pexels

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Why Aren’t CDs Making a Comeback?

With vinyl making such a comeback, it raises the question. Why aren’t other physical forms of media, such as CD and cassette seeing the same resurgence? For audiophiles, a lot of it comes down to sound. Vinyl’s analog sound is warmer and richer when compared to CDs. It’s less clinical and depending on the genre of music you listen to; this can be a big deal. Vinyl also offers a ritualistic feeling, as you handle it carefully and place it on the turntable. It’s almost a tactile experience. With vinyl often being produced in rare limited runs, with coloured variants, gatefold packaging and even exclusive editions, they have a strong appeal to collectors, whereas CDs lack the rarity factor.

Source: Pexels

Although it’s evident that CDs are technically better in terms of sound quality, they do lack the experiential qualities that help to make vinyl the preferred choice. In this day and age, record systems are also getting better than ever. Sound advancements have helped to create better speakers, amps, preamps, and turntables, which help to showcase all of the fine elements that vinyl is known for while eliminating static fuzz.

With vinyl sales breaking more records (no pun intended) by the year, it seems we are entering a new golden era for vinyl. It’s sounding better than ever, and this is something that CDs just can’t compete with.

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