Vinyl records started making a comeback in 2006 and 2022, with over 41 million records sold, according to Businessinsider.com. Vinyl records are pressed with tiny grooves in them when the needle of the record player goes into the grooves, it causes the music to play. Because of this, it causes a warmer sound than digital.

This weekend on Saturday, April 22nd is Record Store Day. This is a yearly event that is meant to celebrate independent record stores. It is like the Black Friday for record collectors, with the records not only going on sale, but artists will sometimes make exclusive pressings for this day. Artists in the past have released new albums only for the sale of this day or pressings in different colors.

The average record can cost around $25 to about $55, depending on the artist and the color of the pressing. It is a little pricey, especially being a college student, but is worth it.

There are a few apps that people can buy and sell records, my personal favorite is Discogs. On Discogs, you can not only buy and sell vinyl, CDs, and cassettes, but also upload your collection to see an estimated collection value. My personal collection is worth up to $3,400.

There are many types of record players on the market. A suitcase record player is one of the cheapest options starting at $45; however, be warned that most suitcase record players can mess up records. Suitcase records are not big enough to hold the record properly which can damage the vinyl after time.  Personally, I use a Victrola 8-in-1 record player, which can play records, CDs, and cassettes. If you are looking for a new record player, then I recommend anything by Audio-Technica. However, this brand is on the more expensive side of things, with prices around $150.

The closest store that is participating in Record Store Day is Guestroom Records, located in Norman. Saturday is a great time to venture out to your closest record store, pick up a few records, drop the needle, and listen to the warm notes come to life from your record player.

Mary-Grace McNutt is a second-year Communication major at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma.