National Vinyl Record Day

Today is National Vinyl Record Day—your annual reminder to drop the needle, go retro and enjoy your favorite music on vinyl. Founded by radio host Gary Freiberg in 2001, National Vinyl Record Day commemorates the day Thomas Edison invented the phonograph in 1877. Although technology has changed significantly over the years, music lovers can still pay homage to the birth of analog music by spinning vinyl instead of streaming on Tidal.

To celebrate the beginning of the vinyl timeline, we put a spotlight on people who love vinyl records just like you—musicians, record store staff members and more! 

Keep reading to see what vinyl means to them on National Vinyl Record Day. 

Jack White

Whether you have a small stack of 45s or enough LPs to fill the Library of Congress, owning a vinyl record collection creates a strong connection between you and music. Unlike keeping your music in a digital cloud, vinyl records are tangible—you can feel the texture of the cover and the weight of the LP in your hands. That’s just one of the things that draws Third Man Records co-founder Jack White to the medium. 

“Vinyl is the real deal. I’ve always felt like, until you buy the vinyl record, you don’t really own the album. And it’s not just me or a little pet thing or some kind of retro romantic thing from the past. It is still alive.” - Jack White

Grandmaster Flash

Vinyl records are passed down by relatives, shared among friends and cherished like a memory that never fades. Maybe you remember sitting on the floor, listening to your parents’ record collection for the first time. Or perhaps listening to vinyl reminds you of cruising record shops with your closest group of friends. Regardless of what sparked your interest in vinyl, you’ll never forget the moment that started it all. 

Grandmaster Flash—known as hip-hop’s first turntablist—was obsessed with vinyl from day one. As a child, his fascination with turntables flourished into a lifelong passion for vinyl records. 

“My father was my first inspiration. He had an incredible stereo and a turntable, and I was told not to touch it. But I’d go back and touch it anyway. I gained a respect for turntables when I was a kid. When I was a teenager, I came up with a ‘cueing system’ to work the turntables because they didn’t have it at that time.” - Grandmaster Flash

Nikki Sixx 

Each LP stacked on your shelf is a work of art, right down to the groove. Like a treasure trove of rare mosaics, your vinyl record collection is full of visually stunning album covers—you might even have some on display! Motley Crue bassist Nikki Sixx agrees—there’s nothing like it.

“I remember opening up my first vinyl and seeing the incredible artwork it had. There’s nothing like it. You also get that true gritty sound on vinyl that really makes a rock record sound great, which CDs can never achieve.” - Nikki Sixx

Quentin Tarantino

Listening to vinyl records is a ritual—removing the record from the sleeve, placing it on the platter and dropping the needle. It’s an immersive experience that allows you to focus on the depth and clarity of your music. 

The vinyl ritual is a source of inspiration for Quentin Tarantino. When it’s time to write a new film, he listens to records to get his creativity flowing. 

“I’m a big collector of vinyl—I have a record room in my house—and I’ve always had a huge soundtrack album collection. So what I do, as I’m writing a movie, is go through all those songs, trying to find good songs for fights, or good pieces of music to layer into the film.”

Beck

The popularity of vinyl has fluctuated over the decades. According to the RIAA, vinyl record sales made up 61 percent of recorded music revenue in 1973. A decade later, cassettes and CDs began to overshadow vinyl record sales, followed by the rise of digital music in the early 2000s. And today, vinyl records have surged again in popularity, due in part to the warm sound that CDs can't achieve. Check out what Beck has to say about it. 

"There's a different physiology happening between the sound waves and the body that doesn't happen with music playing off the computer. About five years ago, I got a turntable that hooks up to your computer, and I put the vinyl in there and I listened to it back-to-back with a CD, and it didn't even compare." - Beck

Justice Marley

When the needle drops on the record, it allows you to focus on the present moment. Above all, music is a form of therapy, and the especially warm sound of vinyl delivers a dose of relaxation like nothing else in the world. 

For entrepreneur and More Justice fashion designer Justice Marley—daughter of Ziggy Marley and granddaughter of Bob Marley—music creates a blissful moment. Vinyl records bring her a sense of peace and tranquility that she carries all day. 

“Listening to vinyl records is a form of self-care for me. I've found pleasure in the process, from selecting the record and dropping the needle to hearing my record play. It's become a part of my Sunday morning routine and a must while I'm cooking in the kitchen. The entire process keeps me present and content.” - Justice Marley

Tyler Glaser, Grimey’s New and Pre-Loved Music

Think about the first record you bought from your local shop. Whether it was a bootleg album from ‘69 or the soundtrack to your favorite ‘80s movie, that record became a part of your story. 

Taking home your first record wouldn’t have been possible without the helpful staff members behind the counter. They’re on the frontline of all things vinyl—upcoming releases, popular albums, rarities, hi-fi gear and beyond. And when you’re hunting for something new, they can point you in the right direction. 

When you visit Grimey’s Music in Nashville, Tennessee, you’ll likely meet Tyler Glaser. As the head buyer, Glaser keeps the shop stocked with a wide selection of used records—but selling vinyl records to new collectors is his favorite part. 

“I've had multiple people come up to me and tell me I sold them their first record they ever bought years before. Being a part of that story in people's lives alone is worth doing it all. If I could go back and thank the person that sold me my first album, I would in a heartbeat!” - Tyler Glaser

James Schultz, Quimper Sound Records

Brushing your fingertips through a stack of vinyl records ignites a feeling of anticipation—you never know what’s waiting for you behind every cover. That’s what makes every trip to a record store feel like a new adventure.  

James Schultz, the owner of Quimper Sound Records, knows a thing or two about record hunting. In addition to being a longtime collector, he manages Quimper’s endless stockpile of records, so crate digging comes with the territory. 

His advice? Buy in bulk and go with your gut. You might find a hidden gem waiting in a sea of records. 

“Buy big cheap collections of records you bump into because there are gems in those you will love, even if nobody else does. Not every record is a grail, but they were all recorded for a reason.” - James Schultz

Enjoy the Music

Celebrate National Vinyl Record Day with the records you love most! And when you’re ready to upgrade your setup, check out House of Marley Stir It Up Turntables and premium Bluetooth speakers.