PEORIA MAGAZINE June 2023

Joe Carmean, left, and his brother Nick shop for vinyl records

Still, 2022 marked the 17th consecutive year of increased vinyl sales. And those figures don’t include vintage vinyl, which at Moore’s shop still outsells new vinyl. Of course, overall streaming is still king, making up 84% of U.S. sales of recorded music. But increasingly, music fans are drawn to vinyl, in part for its warmer, fuller sound. Many just crave music they can hold in their hands. ‘YOU’VE BASICALLY OPENED A PIECE OF THE ARTIST’S LIFE WITH A RECORD’ — Craig Moore “In here, you know, people come in and they’re touchy-feely again,” Moore said. “They want something substantial.” Compared to downloads, vinyl also offers a bonus element: art on the cover and sleeves. Moore thinks art enhances the listener’s connection with the performer. “You’ve basically opened a piece of the artist’s life with a record, with whatever creative input they’ve forced into this package,” Moore said. Meanwhile, many young customers come in and know exactly what they want, often popular releases by the likes of Olivia Rodrigo and Kendrick Lamar. The contemporary queen, of course, is Taylor Swift, whose Midnights album

topped the sales charts last year with just under a million copies. How does that compare to vinyl’s heyday? Such comparisons are tricky because of multiple formats, then (vi nyl, CD, cassettes, 8-tracks) and now (vinyl, CDs, streaming). But look back to 1981, the year before CDs started to trickle out. Across all formats, the top-selling album was by central Il linois favorite REO Speedwagon. Hi Infidelity sold 6 million copies in the U.S., besting Swift’s Midnights by more than six times over. Often, young music fans are apt to let their eyes pore over many of the 25,000 vinyl albums, new and old, at Moore’s shop. And many times, they’ll buy something – new or old – just because they find the cover intriguing. “That’s precious and priceless,” Moore said, smiling, “because I did that when I was 14, 15 years old.” Moore thinks young people are starting to seek the kind of listening experience he enjoyed in his youth. “ Aqualung comes out: Jethro Tull, 1971,” Moore recalls dreamily. “I’d go down and buy the album. Friends of mine would come over. And we’d sit down and listen to side one. And then think, ‘Wow, that’s amazing’ – and discuss it. … Then turn the record over and listen to side two, and then discuss it.

Younger Than Yesterday is at 2615 N. University, Peoria

“It was a thing. It was an experience to listen to an album.” And that’s why I’m jealous of Moore. He is reveling in a revival of one of my life’s greatest cheap thrills: not just buying and listening to albums, but gathering with pals to debate their musical merits. I’d like to write about this further, but I’ve got to split. It’s time to dust off the turntable, grab a comfy seat and spin some vinyl. You’re welcome to join me, but you’ll have to take your turn in flipping the albums over.

Phil Luciano is a senior writer/columnist for Peoria Magazine and content contributor to public television station WTVP. He can be reached at phil.luciano@wtvp.org

JUNE 2023 PEORIA MAGAZINE 115