As she prepares the record player, junior Chloe Chung embeds herself into “Do I Wanna Know?” by the Arctic Monkeys, enhancing her listening experience through the booming quality coming from the speakers of her record player. She sets the vinyl down as the music gently fills her ears. Chung has discovered her Indie Rock aesthetic. For Chung, music has simply been a tool for expression and connection to the artists she is listening to.
“I believe that music is an expression of the listener,” Chung said. “I feel like when you’re listening to online platforms, you feel disconnected from the artist or music, and by collecting vinyl, it’s like you have your hands on a tangible source of music directly connected to the artist.”
Chung, who has been collecting album vinyl since she was a freshman, was influenced by her uncle, who gifted her the first-ever vinyl, “AM” by the Arctic Monkeys, to be included in her collection. Afterward, Chung undertook the responsibility of advancing her now extensive collection which she earnestly tends to through the pros and cons of it all, with defining pieces such as “The Best of Sade” by Sade, “Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not” by the Arctic Monkeys and “Ultraviolence” by Lana Del Rey.
“I feel like in modern times, everyone listens to music on online platforms, and not many people even have record players,” Chung said. “That’s why I started collecting more vinyl. However, maintaining the overall collection’s storage and expansion can be expensive and difficult.”
Still, as Chung looks back on her large-scale collection, she can’t help but remark on the many benefits of establishing such an extensive collection.
“A lot of times I tell people that they should collect vinyl, but their first response to me is that they don’t have a record player, so they can’t play it,” Chung said. “I feel like there’s more to collecting vinyl than just playing it for its use. You could support artists you like by buying their vinyl. I think it’s cool since not many people do that nowadays.”
