Jan 18, 2016 4 min read

The top-selling audio item of Christmas 2015 was not a high-concept, state-of-the-art music device. It was a record player – the same style of record player popular in the ’60s and ’70s. But if savvy big-box store executives smartly latched on to that throwback item, they failed to come through with the gift that could keep on giving at retail: records to spin on that player.

Amazon announced a few days ago that its best-selling home audio item over the holidays was a $50 Jensen turntable with built-in speakers, very similar to those portable record players you bought as a kid. The British chain HMV reported it was selling one turntable per minute during the week before Christmas. Its CEO, Ian Topping, added, “The gift of the year in 2015 has to be the turntable as we see a huge resurgence in the sales of vinyl.”

American retailer John Lewis said turntable sales increased 240 percent in 2015 – mostly for the low-cost record players. Crosley, one of the larger producers of record players, reported double-digit sales increases over the past few years, and now plans to release a kids’ version of the record player (with a Peanuts design on the lid) for National Record Day in April.

I bought a Wildcat in 1964 and, as I recall, the price was about $50 even back then. And even though I have several higher-end turntables scattered throughout the house, I picked up a 21st-century version of the record player for my son, partially, to be honest, because I was curious about its quality. Amazingly, those small speakers deliver decent sound. What’s even more amazing, though, is that the player comes complete with a 45 rpm adapter.

Too bad most retailers forget about offering record-player “software.”

Finding vinyl remains an issue. As part of its weekly circular a few months ago, one major chain ran an ad offering dozens of vinyl albums at a discount price. I drove to the store that very day, only to be told by a young whippersnapper that we senior citizens need to read the fine print. The albums were available only online. After advising the youngster that his store might also consider carrying the albums, as senior citizens do spend money (but evidently not on good reading glasses), I went home and subsequently purchased about a dozen albums on the store’s website. I was pleasantly surprised to find that many newer pop acts – Bruno Mars, Katy Perry, Adele and Justin Timberlake among them – had new vinyl albums, an indication that perhaps these young artists have a better business sense than some retailers.

In England, vinyl sales jumped from 205,000 in 2007 to more than 2 million in 2015, while here, Forbes reports that vinyl sales jumped 30 percent over the past year, to about 12 million. While that’s nowhere near the sales of LPs in the ’60s, ’70s or even ’80s, it’s the trend that’s raising eyebrows. CD sales are in freefall, and digital downloads are down as well. That, along with the recent move toward streaming as opposed to owning something physical (CDs, DVDs, etc.) makes the trend toward buying vinyl all the more interesting.

Unfortunately, most records are purchased at independent record stores, which are sometimes difficult to locate. Last week, I was able to find a CD/DVD chain store with some vinyl at an area mall, but it was a very small selection and about $10 more per item than online.

As most big-box chains are quickly depleting CD and DVD selections, there’s ample room to test interest in LPs by adding a bin containing the top 20 albums, along with some steady-selling classics (Beatles, Eagles, Pink Floyd). It should be noted that the late David Bowie’s new release is available on vinyl – one can imagine sales had retailers stocking that LP last week.

While I have next to no hope of ever using the new record player adaptor to accommodate any new 45s, there’s always that slim chance Justin Bieber will discover one more way to market himself.

Just imagine: “Collectible 45s each featuring a photo of one of Justin’s tattoos on the label. Collect all 953 now!”

1. “25” – Adele

2. “1989” – Taylor Swift

3. “Dark Side of the Moon” – Pink Floyd

4. “Abbey Road” – The Beatles

5. “Kind of Blue” – Miles Davis

6. “AM” – Arctic Monkeys

7. “Carrie & Lowell” – Sufjan Stevens

8. “Sound & Color” – Alabama Shakes

9. “Hozier” – Hozier

10. “Guardians of the Galaxy Soundtrack”