CATONSVILLE, Md. — Whether it's vinyl or instruments, on Frederick Road in Catonsville, a music shop is never more than a stone's throw away.
In Music City Maryland, Gary Gebler started Trax on Wax about 17 years ago, catching the wave as vinyl made a comeback.
“Every year has gotten progressively better,” Gebler told WMAR-2 News.
Music City Maryland weighs in as vinyl sales top $1 billion
The Recording Industry Association of America says vinyl has grown 19 years in a row, with shops sharing in $1 billion worth of vinyl sales in 2025.
“I think it’s great. Obviously, I’m in this business, but it’s great that people are taking the time and energy to get in their car, go to the store, and buy records,” Gebler added.
While streaming reigned supreme with over $9 billion in revenue, according to the report, music lovers are still flocking to brick-and-mortar shops to turn back the clock.
Folks we spoke with shared several reasons for choosing physical media, citing the way a vinyl sounds, the album art you can keep, and supporting brick-and-mortar businesses over streaming, which infamously pays artists very little. Major pop artists like Taylor Swift and Sabrina Carpenter tend to be big drivers as well.
MaNya Davis-Green bought a Winnie the Pooh vinyl for her niece.
“People are kind of fed up with streaming costs, and find it more fun and aesthetically pleasing to buy a record and be able to have it, physically, nobody can take it off your phone or anything, and also to show the artwork that’s on the vinyl,” Davis-Green said.
Sharon Upchurch visited the shop to pick up some Friday gets, including .38 Special and Robert Plant.
“My oldest daughter is very much into the new generational technology, she’s the one that got me started back collecting vinyls I didn’t get when I went to CD,” Upchurch said.
As Gebler puts it, there is also just something to be said for putting on your favorite record.
“[With streaming] you don’t get the highs, you don’t get the lows. You get the song, when you’re in your car it’s great. But when you’re at home and you want to put on Sgt. Pepper’s, sit down and put that on there. The sound is just the main thing,” Gebler said.
Vinyl shops expect another boost with Record Store Day next month, on April 18; a chance at more growth for a listening experience proving to be timeless.
