Gramaphone records back in vogue with new generation
İZMİR - Anatolia News Agency
Thanks to a group of people who could never give up nostalgic records, record stores have never closed down. In recent years, gramophones and nostalgic records have come into fashion again.
Gramophone and vinyl records that were once kept on display in the most beautiful rooms of houses were moved up to attics and almost forgotten after the introduction of cassette tapes and CDs. But now they are finding buyers at high prices, due to an increased interest in records on the part of younger people. Because even secondhand records command high prices, the possibility that vinyl records may begin to be produced again is on the horizon.Birol Üzmez, a record shop owner at İzmir’s historic Kemeraltı Bazaar, said that with their promotion in films and on TV series, there was currently an increased demand for vinyl and gramophone records, despite the fact that they were seen as mere accessories until only a few years ago. Young people especially have recognized the difference between digital and analogue voice recordings and now they have a chance to compare them, said Üzmez, adding that they usually prefer the original records.
“Thanks to the efforts of young people, gramophone and vinyl players are being repaired and used again. Some electronics companies have noted this development and begun to produce
new-generation players. Record shops were once places for regular customers only, but now many people from different backgrounds visit to examine the records and get information about them. There has been a noticeable rise in sales,” Üzmez said.
Interest in records because of nostalgic reasons
Those born before the 1980s are showing a particular interest in records, for nostalgic reasons, Üzmez said. “Until the 1980s, people listened to music at home on record players. And they were so meticulous about protecting their records; they used to take
the record from its case carefully, dust it off and put it on the record player. It was a great pleasure to watch the circling needle on the record. After the introduction of tapes and CDs, records were
seen as unnecessary and were stored or sold to junk dealers. Thanks to a group of people who could never give up nostalgic records, record stores have never closed down. In recent years, gramophones and nostalgic records have come into fashion again. In the Turkish film ‘Issız Adam’ (Alone), the late famous singer Ayla Dikmen’s song ‘Anlamazdın’ became a turning point for nostalgic records and greatly increased sales. The film took audiences back to the past. The TV series ‘Seksenler’ (80s), broadcast by state-owned Turkish Radio and Television, has also caused a rise in the sales of records.”
Ayla Dikmen records sell for 500 liras
In order to learn the historical background of Turkish rock music, young listeners began seeking out records by Cem Karaca, Moğollar, Barış Manço, Üç Hürel, Fikret Kızılok and others, according to Üzmez. Some singers, in turn, have realized that young people are interested in their nostalgic recordings, and have begun to releasing new-generation records, he said. There is an active record market on the Internet and there has been a notable price increase in the second-hand market, Üzmez said.
Records made and signed by famous Turkish pop singer Sezen Aksu under the name of “Sezen Seley” sell for 2,000 Turkish Liras, while an LP set by Elvis Presley set has found buyers at 3,000 liras.
“Prices are quite high; buyers have difficulty finding nostalgic records. Best-selling records by certain singers, especially, should be reprinted. Before the film ‘Issız Adam’ came out, no one used to buy Dikmen’s records even at 10 liras, but after the film was released, prices increased, up to 500 liras. Two years ago, Ajda Pekkan’s records were 15 to 20 liras but now it is hard to find them at 60 liras,” Üzmez said, adding that if the old records were reprinted, the prices would go down.
