Turntable Stories is a new series exploring vinyl culture. Records have made a resurgence in the last few years and they play a prominent part in music lovers lives once again. Despite all the predictions that digital downloads and streaming would spell their doom, vinyl has staged a stunning comeback since the mid-2000s.

Streaming continues to dominate the music landscape, but vinyl enthusiasts yearn for something more tangible The allure of larger album art, the rich sound quality of analogue, and the tactile ritual of playing a record all contribute to the enduring appeal of vinyl.  Each episode of Turntable Stories brings you closer to the pulse of this revival, featuring conversations with record shop owners, music fans, musicians, DJs and journalists shedding a light on why the world is putting the needle to the groove once again.  

The four episodes will focus on record shops, the festivities of Record Store Day, vibrant record fairs, Irish musicians and DJs and the ecological ramifications of the vinyl revival.

You’ll hear firsthand from the passionate owners of beloved independent record stores like Bell, Book and Candle in Galway, The Record Break in Ennis, and Bunker Vinyl in Cork. The series will explore the changing fortunes of these shops over the years, and the sense of community they foster for record lovers. 

At Steamboat Records in Limerick, both staff and customers will share what Record Store Day means to them. Local artists Paddy Mulcahy and Strange Boy will give their thoughts on the value of records to them.

The Earagail Arts Festival in Donegal will come alive with a record fair hosted by BRR BRR BRR, where enthusiasts will comb through racks in search of their next vinyl treasure.

Indie bands Junk Drawer and I Dreamed I Dream, will examine their own record collections and finding their vinyl holy grail. They will also explain the importance of releasing an album on vinyl for independent artists and the costs involved. DJ Big Cheeks, a Rwandan DJ based in Dublin will share insights into why records are essential to DJs and the electrifying vinyl events that celebrate them.

What actually goes into making a record, and what are the environmental implications of the production process? Kyle Devine, a professor and dean of graduate studies at the University of Winnipeg, will tackle these questions head-on.

Zara Hedderman is a freelance arts and music journalist. She will explore her own love of vinyl, the impacts the format has had on the independent Irish music scene and if the vinyl bubble will burst.