Vinyl is back! Are Hula Hoops and Bobby Socks Next?

Weren’t we done with “records” “cassingles” and the like a couple decades ago? Didn’t new and supposedly better tech push those and many other “no longer useful” items into a huge pile to decay on the scrap heap of history?

Not so fast.

The Recording Industry of America reports that vinyl record sales, which first overtook CD sales in 2020, have been increasing for a decade now. And they’re up substantially over the two year pandemic period, by as much as an additional 200%.

But it’s not just vinyl records making a comeback. Another once nearly extinct item, the cassette tape, has also increased year-after-year in sales that now total in the six figures over this past twelve month period.

As more and more listeners choose vinyl and cassettes, the case for songwriters to make a portion of their work available in these old school formats is building, and some singer-songwriters already have.

For example, the Los Angeles based duo, The Swansons, have recorded three full albums here at Nashville Trax, are midway through a fourth, and just re-released their popular second album done here, titled Bam!, on vinyl…. red vinyl, no less.

Yes, far more people have cell phones to play an mp3 than have record players or cassette tape players at this point in history, but even if your vinyl record sales don’t track quite strong enough to turn a profit, there’s a certain coolness factor to having product in a retro format that can make releasing on cassette, on vinyl, or both, a good business decision regardless. It’s also uncommon enough, with many people, including members of the press, not realizing the comeback is on, that it can help your act obtain articles and interviews.

Since we are discussing old things becoming new again, there’s this kinda sorta related fact:

Did you know that all growth in the music business is coming from decades old songs? Yes, really. Newly written and produced material is actually experiencing a decrease, proof and details here:

Is Old Music Killing New Music?

But what what does this interesting, little known fact, mean for songwriting, if anything? Your songwriting?

Not much. Make no mistake, the trend line may not be in their favor, but the numbers that “new music decline” are based on were huge so even with a decline, new Christian, country and pop artists are still enjoying plenty of radio airplay and are still building lucrative careers. There is plenty of opportunity to write and market your songs in those genres.

If you’re an independent songwriter/performer you don’t want to sound dated of course, that’s often the kiss of death for someone plugging their latest tune. But food for thought: if you can incorporate the best aspects of the material that was popular in the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s and 90’s into your writing- the super catchy hooks, the cool arrangements, while having your demos produced with a modern spin, you may tie into something of a hybrid nature that can grab airplay and sell in big numbers to both the diminishing demographic that loves the new songs, and also appeals to the older demographic that is tiring of listening to Heart’s These Dreams” on their local oldies station for the 3,000th time.

That influence can be subtle, it can be overt, such as the Kidd Rock riffing on Sweet Home Alabama in “All Summer Long”, or downright blatant the way De Jay Silver recorded a rap tune that sampled bits of the Alabama country hit “Dixieland Delight”.

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The first step to releasing your songs on mp3, CD, Vinyl or cassette is to have a professional recording produced. Nashville Trax can guide you through the entire production process. Interested? Drop us an e-mail at nashtrax@bellsouth.net

Need Acoustic and/or Electric Guitar for Your Project?

Hi Bill,

Thank you very much for your fast service and the GREAT sounding

guitars 🙂

Song: Laber

Player: Tom Wild

Provided: High and low register acoustic picking/rhythm, electric fill and electric bed tracks.

Player:

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Need A Steel Guitar Track for Your Project? Or the Best?

Simply e-mail NashTrax@bellsouth.net

“What a great performance! Thanks for the quick turnaround and for the stellar track. This is totally what I was after.” Dave F.. 9-23-20

Song: New Colors.

Pedal Steel

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Steve Sturm, 7 years with Travis Tritt.

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Need to add the best Pedal Steel Guitar track Nashville has to offer to your project? And at a reasonable price? Text 615-319-8616 NOW! J

Is Your Songwriting Dated?

There are many things that can knock your song out of contention.

One of those things is your presentation sounding, or even looking, dated. That can be in the writing itself, the subject matter, or the demo recording. it’s often the kiss of death if an A&R person is thinking, “This could have been a hit back in the 80’s”. But that happens… a lot.

If it’s friends and family you’re writing for, no problem, write what you like, nothing here applies to you. But if you’re hoping for a cut with a major label artist you likely have little choice but to “run the A&R gauntlet”. They are the gatekeepers, so to speak, between you and the final decision maker, either the artist or their producer.

Many writers get mentally entrenched in what was popular in their formative years, not realizing how much radio hits have changed over time. Or maybe its not recognizing how much influence their formative years still have on their writing, even when intentionally attempting to craft something more modern.

The instruments change. The way records are mixed changes. Listen to 3 or 4 country hits from the 60’s, 70’s 80’s etc. on up to current hits. you’ll hear dramatic differences every 10 to 20 years.

Lyrics change. The culture changes. If your lyrics are conjuring up stereotypes from a decade or more ago, it’s not likely your song will get very far.

One thing to be very careful about is when you attempt to reference something familiar and universal in your song. If you reference a famous movie star, will the younger people who buy most of the records even know who you are talking about? Stadiums and teams get re-named. Products go out of production, stores go out of business. Slang and cliches fall out of favor and new terms take their place.

Even a dated approach can lessen your chances. Mailing in a cassette tape for example. Cassettes have not been popular or used much in the music industry in over twenty years. Even CDs have largely given way to mp3 files. Most communication these days occurs via e-mail, not the postal service,. Mailing in a cassette will impart the impression that you are old, out of touch and clueless.

Review your catalog or have it reviewed by someone who won’t pull punches. Be sure your songs are similar in terms of lyric content and overall sound to what’s getting played on radio right now. If not, updating is in order.

The best way to stop living and working in the past is simply to listen to more modern music regularly. In your early years you probably listened to a steady diet of what are now oldies. Can you honestly say you’ve embraced the modern music you are hoping to get a break with in that same way? Are you listening to it the same number of hours? If not, that may part or all of your problem.

Life Is So Unfair! Releases this week!

The Thompsons, a family band from Canada had Nashville Trax produce this track titled, Life Is So Unfair, this past winter and it’s finally being released, you can hear it on Spotify.

Lead singer Danielle.

“Life Is So Unfair” written by Danny and Danielle Thompson.

Produced by Bill Watson for Nashville Trax.

For more about this exciting band visit

The Thompsons

And be sure to attend one of their shows listed on the site!