Comments (0)
News |  15 Dec 2012 15:40 |  By zualachhangte

Vinyl market still not resurrected in India

MUMBAI: Beneath the hype of streamed music and downloads, the vinyl record or LPs has been making a comeback in the global music industry over the last few years. Left for dead since the turn of the 21st century, the vinyl refuses to go down quietly, and now is finding converts among audiophiles across the globe.

According to Nielsen SoundScan nearly 3.9 million vinyl records were purchased in 2011 compared to 857,000 in 2005. A small but impressive figure.

The success story however seems to elude India where the main players are still CDs and digital music. And compared to global markets where LP versions of contemporary artists like Adele and Mumford & Sons are selling briskly, here it is still restricted to middle-aged collectors.

"In India, there is no market now for vinyl records. A few selected people come and buy them. Hardly any music stores stock them. I hunt around Fort area where if I'm lucky I get to find a good LP with the inlay artwork for Rs 75-150/- among the roadside stalls. But that is a matter of chance and luck and not the norm," says journalist and music buff Verus Fernandez. He has a collection of around 800 records- albums and singles, mainly from the 80s, and also an LP player on which he enjoys the music from his vinyl collection.

The main reason cited by supporters of the vinyl is the 'unmatched' sound that the vinyl gives. Audiophiles and purists swear that the music which comes from a good vinyl record has warmth, clarity and natural resonance which no digital- CD or downloads can ever match. They are quick to point out that the much available MP3 music is a compressed and compromised file of music.

"The charm of vinyl apart from their 'real' sound is the artwork, photos on the covers that add value and beauty to the record. And vinyl has actually stood the test of time. It has faced challenges from cassettes, CDs and downloads. You can listen to a 100 year old record with its beauty intact,"

says LP collector and dealer Pilak Bhatt. Taking his passion as a profession, Bhatt's  collection of almost 1,00,000 vinyl has number of rare and expensive records including Beatles 78's (singles records made out of

shellac) that are worth Rs 50,000 each.

Bhatt feels India's vinyl market is not dead, but actually vibrant albeit restricted and minuscule.

"The market is very much alive and vibrant. Those who are into vinyl are more of the middle-age population who have tasted the sound of vinyl. Very few from the younger generation are into it, and they are missing out on what music sounds like."

On the business side, record labels here don't seem to be much interested in catering to a small and niche market when physical sales in the form of CDs are still significant and the digital and mobile platforms are so full of potential and challenges.

"The vinyl market is a small and niche market and don't offer any commercial significance.  We however still sell a few classic titles on vinyl,"

Saregama India business head-music Adarsh Gupta says.

Many retail outlets- Reliance, Landmark and others, which earlier offered LPs have closed down the section.  Standalone shops like the iconic Rhythm House, in Fort and Sweet Melody in Bandra still have a sizable collection for sale.

"We have  small but stable collection of LPs with a small stock. Buyers are usually those who enjoy the sound of the vinyl music and who want to collect records which they have liked and enjoyed. The price has of course increased. A Neil Young record ('Old Ways') which was for Rs 45 when released will cost around Rs 1,500 now," Rhythm House MD Mehmood Cumally says.

There are a few major hurdles that need to be resolved for vinyl to be more feasible choice for consumers. For one the price has to come down. This of course has to do with the economics of demand and supply. An LP's steep price often deters buyers from making the purchase, but the purchase is pegged high due to the low availability of supply. Moreover, a number of records are collector's items which can fetch very high prices later on.

The lack of proper record players in the market is also a drawback. The good

machines- semi automatic and automatic ones are usually imported. And with the duties, it makes very little sense to purchase one. A turntable which costs Rs 5-600 in the US will cost three times in India.

"The problem is that the (Indian) record labels are charging too much for the LPs (Rs 800 on average) and the records are not from the first print.

They are the digital versions of the album, which negates the very purpose of making the LP and makes the purchase senseless. The art cover, an integral part of the album's identity is today photocopied by labels. All these reduce the value of the LPs," points out Bhatt.

But for genuine and hard core audiophiles who swear by the vinyl, there are a good number of LPs still available in the market- from stores that still stock them, roadside stalls and private dealers like Bhatt's.

Tags
Games