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Why
Vinyl
Matters

 
In a bold declaration of love
for pre-digital music technology, pop culture historian Jennifer Otter Bickerdike 
celebrates the vinyl revival

Amazon #1 Best Seller

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In 2015, vinyl sales in the US increased by 30% - a raise for the tenth year in succession - and 1.29 million vinyl albums were sold in the UK in 2014, the first time the million mark has been surpassed since 1996. Vinyl, once thought to be a dying market, is now facing a major revival.

Pop culture writer and historian Jennifer Otter Bickerdike interviews some of our most iconic artists, including hip-hop stars, Indie legends, DJs, producers, album cover designers, photographers, label founders and record store owners. Each superstar and superfan talks about their own experiences of vinyl and what it means to them, and the importance of its re-emergence - seemingly against all odds - as a physical format in the era of the digital economy.

Why Vinyl Matters is part history, part future forecasting, part nostalgia and all celebration. A collection of more than 25 interviews, all illustrated with photos, sidebars, quotes, album covers, outtakes and much more. This is the book for anyone who has ever gone to the store and bought music on vinyl.

Includes interviews with:

Fatboy Slim; Tim Burgess (Charlatans); Henry Rollins (musician, actor, writer, comedian); Gaz Coombes (Supergrass); Lars Ulrich (Metallica); Maxi Jazz (Faithless); Rob da Bank (DJ and founder of Bestival); Clint Boone (Inspiral Carpets); Mike Ness (Social Distortion); Chief Xcel (Blackalicious); Cut Chemist (Jurassic 5); Fab 5 Freddy (hip hop pioneer, visual artist); Fat Mike (NOFX); Julia Ruzicka (Future of the Left); Steve Hackett (Genesis); Nick Hornby.

"It's the ritual element of it. It's running your finger down the side of the record, trying to open the plastic wrap, and then pulling it out, seeing if there is an inner sleeve, hoping for a gatefold. Nowadays, you just walk over to your computer, you click three times, and you have 140,000 songs at your fingertips. Vinyl was just a different kind of thing - and it still is."

- Lars Ulrich

Metallica 

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Reviews

"Why Vinyl Matters should come with a warning as it will seriously damage your bank balance given the amount of album covers presented throughout subliminally begging you to buy them."

Northern Soul 

"Why Vinyl Matters: A Manifesto From Musicians and Fans, to celebrate its rich history – and promising future."

PRS for Music

"The perfect gift book for any audiophile

Why Vinyl Matters is a must-read in 2017"

Long Live Vinyl 

"Why Vinyl Matters is a great addition for any vinyl lover. It really shows off how much vinyl not only means to the author, but why it matters to musicians, music industry stalwarts and music fans alike."

Vinyl Chapters

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