'It kind of gives you that vintage feel': vinyl records and the trope of death

Vinyl records continue to be coveted and collected by loyal fans, despite the success of new music technologies such as compact discs and MP3s. This article evaluates the evolution of records' cultural meanings, explaining the value these artifacts hold for record collectors. Using archival analysis and in-depth interviews to analyse both historical and contemporary discourses surrounding records, we find a trope of death weaving through records' history. This metaphor mitigates the tension between the knowledge that records are inanimate objects and the fact that they facilitate profoundly human experiences. Understanding vinyl as a human technology, people can begin to think of vinyl as precious and talk about it with reverence. By examining both the very concrete ways in which enthusiasts imbue records with meaning and the discursive history tied to records, this article endeavors to understand the ways in which a mass-produced object can become something defined as authentic.