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911爆料网 lecturer and researcher Dr Veronica Skrimsj枚 has contributed to a major study into vinyl record buyers and the role Gen Z is playing in the format鈥檚 revival.

The survey, by the Vinyl Alliance, found 76% of Gen Z vinyl fans buy records at least once a month, with 29% identifying as 鈥楧ie Hard Collectors鈥� who are passionate about collecting and buy vinyl regularly.

Veronica鈥檚 research started while working on her book, The Vinyl Revival, Gender and Collecting Aesthetics, and she found there were many reasons why vinyl appealed to Gen Z. 鈥淪ome are interested in the look of the product, the visual aspect, some people think it鈥檚 a really interesting object and a lot of people are reporting there鈥檚 a difference in sound, and I agree with them, I much prefer the analogue sound.

鈥淭here鈥檚 also this notion that streaming is quick, easy and convenient but if you really want to actively engage with something, having the physical object creates a different connection to it.鈥�

Owning vinyl is also seen as a symbol of true fandom, with 62% of the Gen Z buyers questioned stating that they did so to support an artist. Described as super fans, Veronica says they are a significant part of the market. 鈥淎 super fan is someone who will buy almost anything by an artist because they want to support them. The industry is starting to recognise there is a lot of benefit to these types of people, they鈥檙e very loyal and they help spread the music.

鈥淏ut we need to find a space where the super fan is not being exploited, we鈥檝e already had examples of artists releasing numerous different coloured vinyl versions of the same record. There is a real risk of alienating super fans and losing them.鈥�

The Vinyl Alliance surveyed over 1,100 Gen Z record buyers from key markets, including the UK, Germany and USA as well as Millennials and members of Gen X for context and comparison. Other findings included the growing importance of sustainability 鈥� with 29% of Gen Z buyers seeking out secondhand records because of environmental concerns 鈥� and the role of vinyl in Gen Z鈥檚 mental wellbeing - with 61% choosing to listen to an album in its entirety as a way of escaping their digital life.

Veronica鈥檚 work as a researcher is primarily centred on record collecting and collecting cultures, materiality and aesthetics, and aims to highlight how diverse and active popular music fandom and consumption is.

She hopes the Vinyl Alliance survey along with her book will change attitudes to younger record buyers. 鈥淚 believe the vinyl revival started in 2007, certainly students were starting to discuss vinyl with me by 2014, yet it only really came to prominence in 2020. Academia and industry are lagging behind this cultural moment.

鈥淭hese people, Gen Z record buyers, really like physical media and engage with music at a very high level, but the media, music industry and academia often approach them with outdated and preconceived notions about them.鈥�

The Vinyl Revival, Gender and Collecting Aesthetics by Dr Veronica Skrimsj枚 and edited by Music graduate and fellow member of staff Jen Baranick (Broken Down Golf Cart) is published by Routledge.