August 12th is Vinyl Record Day!

Do you have plans for August 12th, 2014? If you don’t stop by your local London Drugs and join in the activities as we celebrate Vinyl Record Day!
Wondering what Vinyl Record Day is?  The folks at www.vinylrecordday.com said it best:

“No less important to the purpose of preservation is the goal to establish a national day to enjoy our favorite music. Perhaps most important of all, Vinyl Record Day is to not lose touch with what is individual to us, yet is shared by millions worldwide; the ability for music to remind us that regardless of national news, or personal daily challenges, we attach fond memories to our music, nothing else connects us to friends, family, and special times as the songs of our personal soundtrack. Vinyl Record Day is August 12; the day Edison invented the phonograph in 1877. “

They are considered precious treasure to many collectors when they are awarded gold or platinum status, but they aren’t your typical treasure. However, vinyl records are as close to gold for many audiophiles who love to hunt down their favourite titles.

Vinyl Record Day takes place August 12, and London Drugs is joining the party. Vinyl sales in the United States have grown by around 40 per cent the first half of 2014 compared to the same time frame in 2013.[1]

London Drugs is the first large retailer to offer a vast collection of vinyl, and we have expanded our collection to several hundred titles over the last few years. We are proud to be a destination location for vinyl enthusiasts, and enjoy seeing music-lovers of all ages come in to experience all that vinyl has to offer.

“Vinyl records are no longer just a blast from the past,” said Andy Kahrmann, Business Unit Manager, London Drugs.

“We are seeing new generations discover vinyl for the first time, and at the same time we have long-time vinyl enthusiasts rediscovering the world of vinyl.”

So why all the love for vinyl again? The simple answer – it’s a memorable experience. Not only that, but it brings back memories. The nostalgia associated with a vinyl record cannot be matched by a digital track.

Take a vinyl album, with its big, beautiful cover art and liner notes, take it out of its sleeve and smell the fresh vinyl, place it on the turntable and drop the needle. The second you hear the needle drop and the speakers crack to life, you are hearing music the way the artist intended.

“I own about 1,700 albums,” said Brent Bexson, Calgary musician and vinyl record collector. “The audio quality is superior, and I love the fact that you can read the liner notes without a magnifying glass. There’s also something static about vinyl. You can’t just walk into the other room, or leave the house with it attached to your head. You are forced to sit and listen and devote your attention to the music.”

For some of us, vinyl records are a symbol of a simpler time. For others that are just discovering vinyl records, it is a link to the technological past enjoyed by their parents. Whatever it is that vinyl means to you we can be certain of one thing. The organic, distinct and imperfect sound vinyl provides cannot be beat. It is warm and inviting in a way audio formats today cannot match.

London Drugs invites vinyl enthusiasts across Western Canada to celebrate Vinyl Record Day on August 12, 2014 at any store location. Stores will be participating by spinning vinyl, and providing sales discounts on various items. In addition, customers will be given a party kit checklist in preparation of their own Vinyl Record Day celebrations.

We hope you find the time to stop by your local London Drugs on August 12th and see what vinyl in the 21st century is all about. If anything it will be a fun trip down memory lane.

[1] Source: SoundScan (United States) via Digital Journal