ALEXANDRIA, Va. — In a digital world, vinyl records continue to prove their staying power.
According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), vinyl albums sold more units than CDs in 2022--the first time that's happened since 1987. Record sales brought in $1.2 billion nationwide, continuing a 16-year streak in year-over-year growth, according to the industry group.
Scott Parven, a record collector and frequent customer at Crooked Beat Records in Old Town Alexandria, thinks that trend will continue.
"People now are returning to taking a minute for themselves, or a few minutes," he said. "Sitting down with a book or a record and actually enjoying it the way it was intended."
While so much of daily life can seem to emphasize speed, Parven believes vinyl's sticking power is in its commitment to the alternative.
"Just because it's quicker doesn't mean it's better," he said.
Bill Daly, the owner of Crooked Beat Records, argues that the physical nature and often-elaborate cover design of the medium help vinyl stand out from streaming and CD alternatives.
"You can hold it like a newspaper and you can go sit and listen to a record and just like you're reading a magazine or a newspaper and it takes you somewhere," said Daly.
The fact that vinyl is often sold at indie stores is a draw, too.
"I always come back to this shop because for me this embodies the spirit of what independent record stores should be," said Parven.
While the music industry as a whole is often defined by the biggest stars and broadest trends, the more intimate feel of many local record shops allows space for customers of all kinds.
"My parents were big record collectors and when my dad died, my mom opted to throw away my dad's entire collection," said Caitlin Mellon. "Every time I go and I buy something different, if I pick up something that just seems kind of totally out there, it feels like a little bit of a connection back to my dad."
To store owner Bill Daly, that connection is the sweetest music.
"Some people say that...this is the happy place for them," said Daly.
Crooked Beat Records is getting ready to move to a new location in May. Their new address will be 2417 Mt. Vernon Ave. in Alexandria.