Not just surviving, but thriving — here’s why Malaysian music lovers still opt for music in physical formats

KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 5): Music in physical formats are still ‘in’.

The golden age for physical releases such as vinyl, cassette tapes and compact discs (CDs) may well be over with the emergence of digital music in the early 2000s and the introduction of various streaming platforms nowadays — but it’s hardly obsolete.

In fact, there has been a revival of interest in physical formats globally since 2010 — not to forget that Sony has actually started pressing vinyl records again after three decades in 2018 amid surging demands.

According to the 2023 year end music industry revenue report by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), total revenue sales from vinyl records in the US grew up to 11 per cent compared to 2022, reaching up to US$1.9 billion and covering 71 per cent of physical format sales that year.

Despite CDs being ousted by vinyl records sales, the format itself also showed an 11 per cent growth in 2023, collecting around US$537 million in sales.

With record stores all over including in Malaysia now beginning to regain their footing with demand, Malay Mail talked to a group of local music lovers and a record store owner on what makes physical formats desirable today.

Like in a relationship — being physically present matters

For music enthusiasts, the warm analog production on some physical formats, especially vinyl, offers a more pleasant listening experience — a main reason why people opt it,

But there’s also the organic connection between music lovers and their favourite artists.

And just like in any relationship, being physically present matters, especially when a song or an album holds nostalgic value.

This is the case for nine-members KL-based DJ collective, Disko Santan who are avid vinyl and physical format collectors themselves.

“For us, each vinyl brings good memories to the collectors, which some have grown up with.

“Obviously physical releases hold a special place for each of us. It’s not just about the value but also the satisfaction of holding and owning it.

“Some may have grown up with a particular album or song, so owning it is something words can’t describe,” the group told Malay Mail.

Disko Santan which initially started just as a group of friends exchanging and sharing their wide range of music collections, has seen their passion evolve into them taking up DJing in 2017.

With a special preference of spinning using vinyl records, their repertoire covers a wide soundscape classic hip hop to city pop to Nusantara funk and disco and more.

Although they also spin using digital format decks — their usual vinyl set see them bringing around 100 to 120 pieces of vinyl along, depending on the duration of their setlist.

From resellable value and supporting causes to the love of crate digging

According to Smol Records Store MY founder Adam, vinyl has the highest reselling value compared to CDs and cassette tapes.

Its value is determined by several factors including its production year, the quantity of pressings made, its designs and variants.

The older and the more limited the pressing, the more valuable and sought-after the record.

Variants are the different variations of a same album by an artist.

Taylor Swift for example, who has released different versions of her same album, where some versions are highly sought after by collectors and fans.

Smol Records, who just opened their first physical store at Amcorp Mall in 2022 after years of selling physical formats online and cosigning their inventory to other local record stores, specialises in local and Indonesian artists and bands.

“We bought the Indonesian pop band White Shoes & the Couples Company’s Vakansi vinyl album (2012) for RM700 back in 2017.

“That album is quite limited in number and the copy is in near mint condition and for me it’s a very fair price to be selling them for at that time,” Adam said.

While there are other rarer records that could snatch up higher prices reaching up to millions.

Hip hop trailblazer group Wu Tang Clan’s secret album Once Upon A Time in Shaolin which was bought by an online art collective Pleasr for US$4 million (RM17.4 million) as reported by The New York Times.

“For us, buying physical formats also helps artists to earn more.

“Compared to streaming, physical formats contribute more income to support artists for their creative development.

“To survive as an independent artist in Malaysia is not an easy task and we just hope that this will (in a bit) help artists, local and regional especially,” Adam said.

He said that this is also the same mindset for most of their young customers who would come over to his store to buy physical albums of their favourite bands.

For both Adam and members of Disko Santan, as physical format lovers, going to physical stores and crate-digging for albums also offers a distinctive satisfaction.

“On weekends, you can often find us exploring record shops around KL and PJ, like Sputnik Recordz, SMOL Records Store, Teenage Head Records, and Tandang Store, among others and we also love checking out any flea markets happening that month.

“There’s nothing quite like the thrill of digging through old, inexpensive bins and discovering hidden gems.

“The smell of the old cover sleeves and the joy of flipping through records one by one are what vinyl lovers live for-it’s a feeling that money can’t buy!” said Disko Santan.

The group said that the global revival of demands for vinyl has also made it easier for them to hunt for records in Malaysia these days. — Malay Mail