Spotify Wrapped has become a common way to track a person’s yearly music listening statistics. The music-streaming platform surpassed 456 million users and 195 million premium subscribers this year, but some people continue to access the music world the old-fashioned way; here’s an idea on how to track the latter.
Old-fashioned is a broad term and can carry different meanings for different generations. To some, it might mean iPods and mp3 players, while others think of CDs and cassettes. Utica native Jat Mountjoy took to vinyl records 6 years ago when his wife bought him a record player for Christmas.
Infatuated with his newfound hobby, Mountjoy wanted a way to churn out his own Wrapped statistics. He turned to Discogs, an app where he could log his spins and receive recommendations for new listens, not unlike Spotify and other streaming platforms.
“I’ve been collecting every chance I get,” Mountjoy said. “When the pandemic started, I feared the record store I frequent (Mellow Matt’s Music in Bowling Green) would close. I started going there, and they would recommend a new record for me to listen to each week.”
As Mountjoy nears the end of each month, he reviews his spins on the Discog app and posts photos of all his listens on Facebook. That’s where the fun comes in.
“I started posting the first and second of every month,” he said. “It creates great discussions in the comments section and leads to many recommendations from my friends and family.”
Mountjoy shares his passion for music with his family, often exchanging records with his brothers. He said his parents introduced them to music at a very young age.
However, he’s not the only one on the 45s kick. There’s a vinyl revival sweeping the globe. Many say the records create a warmer sound and offer a more pleasant listening experience, as the modern compressed version often misses many of a song’s finer details.
“I’m not sure what’s in the sauce,” said Mountjoy about the recent resurgence. “I think it’s the nostalgia, and with everything so digital and in the cloud, it’s always nice to have something in your hand.”
Mountjoy was born and raised in Daviess County, grew up in Utica, and graduated from Apollo High School. He now serves as the Vice President of Physician Services at Medical Center Health in Bowling Green.
While most large box stores have begun carrying vinyl records, Owensboro boasts several local options for long-time vinyl collectors or those simply looking to get into the hobby.
The Owensboro Times compiled a list: 2nd and Charles, Vintage Vibes and Vinyle in the Whitesville Mercantile, the Owensboro Antique Mall, TD’s Tuff Decisions, the Book and Music Exchange, Cracker Barrel, the Consumer Mall.
To suggest another vendor for the list, contact the Owensboro Times using this form.
