It's no secret there's been a surge in the number of Millennials and Zoomers buying vinyl records in recent years, but at this year's international Record Store Day celebrations in Wollongong the collectors were starting even younger.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
In a line of dozens of enthusiasts which stretched down Keira Street outside Music Farmers on Saturday morning, music lovers in strollers and baby carriers joined long-time collectors and Taylor Swift fans, keen to get their hands on one of this year's limited edition releases.
Two-year-old Jeremy Day was among the first of the kids to get his hands on the special picture disc edition of a new Bluey album, Dance Mode!, with his parents Anna and Damien making a special trip to secure the purchase.
From her pram, toddler Amelia Agnez also got her hands on the prized record release, as did baby Maggie as she hung from mum Nat Lozen's baby carrier.
For older collectors, some of drawcards were special releases from Taylor Swift, Pearl Jam, Dolly Parton, Peking Duk and Ocean Alley.
Kathleen Campbell was first in line outside the Wollongong record store, arriving at 7.30am to nab a copy of Taylor Swift's live Folklore album produced especially for the day.
Swift's records have driven a surge in vinyl popularity in the past couple of years, with her Midnights album breaking international sales records and putting vinyl sales on track to outstrip CDs.
"I came last year and didn't get want I wanted, so this year I got here first," Ms Campbell said.
"I think this day is a great idea to get people back to record stores."
Second in line Aaron Stubbs was also after a specific release - Pearl Jam's 1998 live Melbourne recording of their album Yield, which has been retitled Give Way as a nod to the Australian alternative to the USA's "yield" street signs.
With the cost of living causing a slight dip in sales at the store, owner Jeb Taylor said the annual celebration of vinyl was a welcome reminder about how special it can be to own their favourite albums in a physical format.
"It's always a good day, it just reminds people we're here," he said.
Kate McIlwain
For more than a decade, I've helped the Illawarra Mercury set the news agenda across the region. Currently I'm the paper's health reporter - covering the stories of Illawarra workers and residents in the wake of a global pandemic and at a time where our health systems are stretched to the limit.
For more than a decade, I've helped the Illawarra Mercury set the news agenda across the region. Currently I'm the paper's health reporter - covering the stories of Illawarra workers and residents in the wake of a global pandemic and at a time where our health systems are stretched to the limit.
