TAYLOR SWIFT AND METALLICA LOVE VINYL: BUT WHY?

Metallica was already a huge success as a heavy metal band when Taylor was born in 1989, releasing their world-renowned self-titled album, Metallica (referred to by many fans as The Black Album) in 1991 when she was but a toddler. By the time that Taylor released her first pop-country album, Taylor Swift, in 2006, Metallica had been a global phenomenon for years.

Metallica rose to fame during the age of vinyl recordings, while Taylor’s career skyrocketed during the age of CD recordings, a time when vinyl records fell out of use to the point that most people probably assumed that they would never be revived. The appeal of being able to take your favorite albums with you on your daily commute or on a trip across the country in the form of a CD (without the aggravation of cassette tapes that tended to come unwound) put the final nail in the coffin of vinyl records for most people. The portability of the CD was an important feature for a generation that was always on the move.

So how could Taylor Swift and Metallica possibly have anything in common? It’s kind of crazy, but surely, they must share a love for the true-to-live sound of vinyl recordings, and each of them has the superb business sense to profit from the current production resurgence of all things vinyl, if each in their own way.

As for Metallica, rest assured that there must be an element of nostalgia in their recent decision to acquire a majority stake in Furnace Records, the Virginia-based vinyl pressing plant that has been pressing their records for more than ten years. Having risen to fame during the robust 1980’s era of vinyl recordings (along with cassette tapes), surely their decision is not purely profit-driven.

On the other hand, Taylor Swift is simply a great businesswoman in addition to a phenomenal performer with a lilting, nightingale voice. It’s impossible for her to experience the nostalgia of listening to records by the Beatles, Tina Turner, Fleetwood Mac or ELO on the family Curtis Mathis record player in the 1970s.

All that being said, it’s probably safe to assume that both Metallica and Taylor Swift, among other famous performers, are primarily exercising an acute business sense to cash in on the latest resurgence of a once-mothballed technology. Taylor, especially, is cashing in on her fan loyalty, as evidenced by the fact that most “Swifties” who purchase her records don’t even own a record player. Their current infatuation with her vinyl recordings is simply rooted in collectability and their obsession to own "anything Taylor Swift.”

As for the true audiophile, this current boom in vinyl record sales, and the analog technology required to enjoy their unique sound characteristics, is both a blessing and a curse. Their renewed popularity has not only spurred interest in the records themselves, but it has also inspired manufacturers of sound technology to take an interest in improving the analog components of quality hi-fi sound systems. On the other hand, the thought of a “Swiftie” enjoying Midnight through a digital streaming service while pink and purple heart-shaped records of the album serve merely as wall decorations that will never know the touch of a stylus must seem like an utter abomination.

Dreaming of owning your first 2-channel Hi-Fi System, or upgrading your current system? AV Enthusiast is a dealer for Pro-Ject, ARCAM, KEF, Denon, Totem, Marantz and Sonance, among others.

Call the professionals at AV Enthusiast at 256.882.5081 to schedule a personal consultation or drop by their showroom at 514 Madison Street in Huntsville Monday – Friday from 9 AM to 5 PM or Saturday from 10 AM to 3 PM.