When Joshua Gibbs decided to open up a vinyl record store in the midst of a global pandemic, he knew he would be taking a risk.
“In the back of my mind it was always the dream,” he told SBS News.
“And it was really, really scary because it was coming off the end of one of the last Omicron lockdowns.”
He purchased a run-down shop in Sydney’s inner-western suburb of Leichardt. Around 16 months later, Crosstalk Records has transformed into a thriving local business, surviving through the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic and a cost-of-living crisis.
Crosstalk Records owner Joshua Gibbs says that vinyl records offer a unique way of "actively listening" to music. Source: Supplied (Josh Gibbs)
“Like all art, it brings people together on a cultural level, on a friendship level.”
COVID-19 and the Taylor Swift phenomenon
In 2021 vinyl outsold CDs in Australia but still comprised far less than streaming sales, which made up 86 per cent of the market. Vinyl albums were the biggest segment in physical sales, at $29.7 million, compared with $24.9 million for CD albums, according to the Australian Recording Industry Association.
Globally, vinyl sales have surged in the US and the UK, with the biggest-selling artist. The UK sold its highest number of vinyl records in 2023 since 1990.
“Last Record Store Day, which was our first as a store, I promised myself to never underestimate TayTay again,” joked Gibbs.
“I had fans down the street waiting since about 5 am for us to open.”
Swift and other global pop sensations have been encouraging their fans to buy their albums on vinyl, accounting for the large uptick in sales worldwide. In 2022, Swift was named Ambassador for Record Store Day, a celebration of independent record stores across the globe.
At the time Swift said, “The places where we go to browse and explore and discover music new and old have always been sacred to me. Record stores are so important because they help to perpetuate and foster music loving as a passion.”
The resurgence in record sales has also been attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic, with many seeking new ways to stay entertained while practising social distancing.
Vinyl on display at Crosstalk Records. Source: Supplied (Josh Gibbs)
“It’s an excuse to actively listen and maybe turn off a screen and intentionally drop a needle on something.”
Nostalgia and the inter-generational appeal
Marriage celebrant and independent consultant Marie Maait recalls browsing local record stores in her youth, as well as being entranced by her mother’s collection of vinyl sets.
“I’ve always had such a passion for music," Maait said. “This nostalgia for vinyl is just really beautiful to me.”
Marie Maait's lifelong love for music led her to rediscover the magic of vinyl records. Source: Supplied (Marie Maait)
“I guess it is a nostalgic thing for me,” she said. “I saw this Smashing Pumpkins box set. And in the 90s, I loved Smashing Pumpkins.”
“I was just freaking out…it brought back so many memories.”
Accessibility is also a factor for Maait, as the rise of independent record stores has made the medium more readily available.
“As somebody who has a career now and has a better disposable income, I guess that I can buy more vinyl.”
Mr Gibbs says that vinyl has wide appeal across all generations. Source: Supplied (Josh Gibbs)
“People who have grown up with it are still loving the records,” said Gibbs.
“But that album I sold to people in their twenties, their thirties, their forties, like couples, it was very cross demographic.”
Marie Maait says that vinyl has been a way for her to connect with her own child. Source: Supplied (Marie Maait)
An inclusive and vibrant community
From the earliest days of crate browsing in independent record stores, fostering community is at the heart of the vinyl industry.
The Crosstalk Records website states that “everyone should have easy, safe and affordable access to music” and aims to create a space that is “inclusive and welcoming” to people from all walks of life.
CrossTalk records offers consumers an extensive range of physical media for music. Credit: Supplied (Josh Gibbs)
“Working in creative industries in Australia, you do have a huge amount of marginalised people with very quiet voices.
“What we’re kind of doing moving forward is asking ourselves, how do we remove the barrier to entry for this so people don’t feel like there’s a world they need to learn before even walking in?”
As a neurodiverse person, Maait believes that vinyl is a very interesting way to consume music.
“It’s just a very sensual thing,” she said.
“You have that visual sense of what the band was looking at and the order of things. It’s like this is the way the artists intended for you to listen to the music, and I really love that as well.”
The local community helped to transform Crosstalk Records into a thriving business. Source: Supplied (Josh Gibbs)
“People are looking for something a little bit different for their wedding. And there are a lot of music lovers who really want to get amongst that and have a really unique experience.”
As the community of vinyl-lovers grows both in Australia and abroad, Gibbs is confident that there will always be a place for records in the music industry.
“What the trending shows us is that ultimately, physical media is going to find a way in the market,” he said.
“It might come in really cool and interesting ways as well.”
