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Opinion

10 Modern Songs Hi-Fi Shows Should Be Playing

10 Modern Songs Hi-Fi Shows Should Be Playing

Hi-fi shows often rely on the same familiar demonstration tracks. Here are 10 modern songs that can reveal what a serious audio system can do while helping the industry connect with a new generation of listeners.

Does Hi-Fi Need to Stop Playing Led Zeppelin?

Does Hi-Fi Need to Stop Playing Led Zeppelin?

Hi-fi says it wants younger listeners, but too often it speaks through the same music, systems, and traditions. Is the hobby preserving its heritage, or losing touch with today’s music culture?

Vinyl Is Still Growing. So Why Does the Boom Feel Over?

Vinyl Is Still Growing. So Why Does the Boom Feel Over?

Vinyl sales are still growing, but the explosive momentum of the revival is beginning to cool. Could slower growth lead to better pressings, smarter reissues, and a healthier future for the format?

Can a Band in Their 80s Still Make a Great Rock Record?

Can a Band in Their 80s Still Make a Great Rock Record?

Can rock legends still make great music in their 80s? Using The Rolling Stones’ latest album, Foreign Tongues, we explore whether creativity has an expiration date and what today’s vinyl collectors should expect from the artists who helped define rock music.

CDs Are Growing Faster Than Vinyl. But Is Listening Still the Point?

CDs Are Growing Faster Than Vinyl. But Is Listening Still the Point?

CD sales are growing faster than vinyl, driven by affordability, collectibility, and superfans. But as more buyers purchase physical music without owning a player, is listening still the point?

Is Vinyl Collecting Becoming Too Data Driven?

Is Vinyl Collecting Becoming Too Data Driven?

As new tools promise to track record wear, play counts, cleaning history, and cartridge life, vinyl collecting may be entering its data-driven era. But does better information help us enjoy our records, or make us afraid to play them?

Taylor Swift’s Wedding Was Private. The Machine Around It Wasn’t.

Taylor Swift’s Wedding Was Private. The Machine Around It Wasn’t.

Taylor Swift’s wedding may not be a vinyl story on the surface, but the reaction around it says a lot about modern music fandom. When an artist becomes this big, even a private life event can turn into a public economy of media, branding, fan attention, and collectible culture.