By Aimee Kuge
Despite the challenges facing the world today, at least we can take solace in our record collections and the vinyl community at large. Vinyl collectors on Instagram in particular continue to flourish. This probably has to do with how easy the app makes it to distract, share, connect, and *ahem* feed vinyl addictions. Afterall, the physical and ritualistic act of getting up, pulling out your favorite record (don’t be TOO rough with it!) can be meditative and mood boosting. Unless you’re trying tofeed that gloom!
It makes sense after all, Instagram is such a visual social media platform. I think it’s safe to say that almost every vinyl collector has made a purchase based solely on cool cover art. So why wouldn’t collectors want to share their new purchase, prized presses, and current obsessions with the digital world? Here are some fantastic accounts that Ship To Shore loves to follow whose primary focus is sharing their passion for vinyl!
Bio: Donkey Kong / VGM collector. This page will be dedicated to my Vinyl and music collection.
Why You Should Follow: This account is a video game music collectors dream! The first reason why we love @banana_hoard_vinyl is because of how they layout their posts. They are so visually pleasing, symmetrical, and vibrant. Best of all, they showcase all aspects of the vinyl from the front and back cover art, to the interior packaging, liner notes, and glorious colorful wax. It’s also great to see how varied their collection of video game music is, spanning different video game platforms, genres, and decades. Lastly, @banana_hoard_vinyl makes sure to sprinkle in some super rare records and test pressings for good measure. Warning: you will get jealous of their VGM collection and you will be adding a lot of titles to your Ebay watch list.
@mastervinylWhy You Should Follow:Their interior design is top notch! Come on! Just look at that setup, it is freaking gorgeous. You can tell that a lot of thought went into their listening space. Their slick vintage gear, wooden shelves, and floor standing loudspeakers are GOALS. Plus, there is a ton of variety in their photos with lots of different arrangements that showcase how vast their collection really is. Bonus points for funny vinyl-related memes, which we can all agree are necessary.
Bio: KEEP VINYL WEIRD 🤪
Why You Should Follow: Cassie hands down has some of the most creative photos and videos around. Her attention to detail is unmatched. You can tell that she takes production value seriously from conception of her posts, the execution, to the photoshopping and video editing that she does. Each post is infused with her own unique brand of humor and quirkiness. Her captions are like mini blog posts that tell unique stories that oftentimes weave across her feed. It’s safe to say that her positive personality shines in every single post! Cassie showcases tons of different music ranging from ‘80s city pop, psychedelic, classic rock, and modern power pop. Final note: COSPLAY!
Bio: An 11 year old music lover, and his parents (but mostly the 11 year old), sharing our vinyl collection. P.S. We Also Review Movies 🎥
Why You Should Follow: This is hands down the most heartwarming Instagram account we’ve found! Vinyl appreciation certainly isn’t ageist as Sawyer from @the_whites_albums shows that there are still vinyl collectors out there starting young! We love this account because it’s run by the collector’s mom and dad (who get the award for coolest parents for sure!). Some captions for these posts are written out by mom and dad while others come from Sawyer himself! The family’s collection is vast and varied but the they definitely has a soft spot for classic rock.
Bio: 32 years old. My collection of video game soundtracks (and other oddities) on CD, vinyl, & tape.
Why You Should Follow: Frank’s account focuses primarily on video game soundtracks but also includes other oddities on vinyl, CD, and tape! We love following him for his personal ratings and anecdotes that he adds both in the captions and in the comments. His commitment to including what each purchase comes with makes his account perfect for those deciding on whether or not to bite the bullet (more often than not, the answer is pick up the vinyl!). The photos on his page have fun and varied layouts that really break the mold and make his feed extra scrollable.
Bio: Puttin’ some Sunshine in my spins ☀️
Why You Should Follow:Sunny from @puttherecordon has a stunning vinyl collection! What makes her account unique is all of the different locations that she showcases throughout her feed. She’s definitely not just posting her turntable over and over again. Her content has a refreshing and uplifting vibe and you can tell that she puts a lot of love into her captions. She even ends each post with a different question for her followers which sparks an engaging and fun comment section. Sunny makes sure to celebrate artists’ birthdays, holds giveaways, and writes reviews. Her taste in music spans different genres and decades but we see a recurring appreciation for classic rock.
What are some of your favorite vinyl collectors to follow on Instagram? Let us know if there are any that we missed!