The Vinyl Revival

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Being a business leader is essentially about connection—connecting with colleagues and customers. That initial connection then develops into loyalty. A good LP follows the same trajectory. It hooks listeners and then rewards them for continuing to tune in. By the end, a successful album has created a lifelong fan.

At a time when music is so often consumed via playlists and singles, demand for full-length vinyl records is booming. Sales exploded during the pandemic as people indulged in collective nostalgia, but interest has remained steady as listeners rediscover the craft of a complete compilation. The following albums pay dividends to those who immerse themselves fully in the experience and allow the artist to take them on a journey of exploration and intimacy.

Sudan Archives, Natural Brown Prom Queen

A one-woman band traversing pop, hip-hop, and electronic with probing curiosity, infectious energy, and pure power.

Start with: “Selfish Soul”

Makaya McCraven, In These Times

The “beat scientist” blends his Hungarian folk roots with funk and hip-hop to create what’s been called a modern jazz masterpiece.

Start with: “Dream Another”

Sault, 11

Sault is a London-born collective of musicians that grapples with existential questions while defying genres and classification.

Start with: “Fight for Love”

Big Thief, Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You

The folksy indie band from Brooklyn doesn’t take itself too seriously but their latest album is no less profound.

Start with: “Change”

Silvana Estrada, Marchita

Using her voice and a Venezuelan cuatro to convey emotion, the singer-songwriter tells a poignant story of heartbreak.

Start with: “Tristeza”

Billy Woods, Aethiopes

The underground hip-hop artist travels both time and geography, from North Africa to the Middle East to New York.

Start with: “Asylum”

Björk, Fossora

On her 10th studio album, the ever abstract Icelandic artist connects the micro to the macro in a search for hope amid uncertainty.

Start with: “Sorrowful Soil”