Natali, known online as @natalivinyl, is part of a new generation of collectors sharing their love of records with the world. After being introduced to collecting by her brother, who kindly gifted her setup, Natali brings fresh energy to the vinyl community, showcasing an enviable collection that spans classic rock and indie, to perfect pop and a tonne of exclusive pressings.
We caught up to talk crate digging, memorable finds, and the timeless appeal of vinyl.
Tell us a little bit about yourself:
I’m Natali, the collector behind natalivinyl! I’m a 25 year old record collector in San Francisco, California. I’ve been collecting vinyl records since I first graduated college and moved to the city but I’ve only been documenting my journey on social media for the last two years. I love to collect albums from my favourite artists, which span several decades of music but tend to be in the genres of pop, indie, and rock.
What sparked your interest in collecting records?
My older brother is a long time vinyl collector and he’s the one who got me started in this hobby. He gifted me my very first vinyl record and also gifted me my entire setup, from turntable to speakers. He’s a big audiophile so he made sure that I had a super quality setup, even though I knew practically nothing about vinyl before.
“Listening to a record is an intentional activity; it demands a more active role of the listener compared to just streaming”
What is it about vinyl that you love most?
The thing that is most exciting about vinyl to me is the experience of playing a record. You get to see the jacket with all of the visuals assembled by the artist, and there are often some absolutely gorgeous vinyl pressings and even extra goodies like posters. Listening to a record is an intentional activity; it demands a more active role of the listener compared to just streaming. It also feels good to be able to support an artist in a substantial and meaningful way.
When did you start sharing your collection on Instagram, and what inspired you to put it out there?
I’ve been posting on TikTok since September of 2023 and more recently joined Instagram, in January of 2025. I was inspired to join because I had been seeing so many videos of other creators posting about their collections and I wanted to experience the same sense of community that the other vinyl creators had curated on social media.
What do you enjoy most about being part of the vinyl community?
The best part of the vinyl community is getting to learn about new music, artists, and releases that I never otherwise would have found! There are so many different people listening to so many different types of music, and I’ve been able to discover so much amazing stuff in the recommendations of other people in the community!
Do you have a favourite spot for crate digging, or a memorable find from one of those hunts?
My favourite spot for crate digging is 100% Amoeba Music. I love visiting both their Berkeley and San Francisco locations because they have the most amazing selection and often have some really great treasures. My most memorable find was when I stumbled across the TV Girl discography boxset at Amoeba SF. I couldn’t believe my eyes! I was genuinely shaking until I finished checking out and was able to take the boxset home. It remains the single greatest find I’ve ever had!
Finally, what’s a record you think everyone should own, or at least hear once in their life, and why?
The record I think everyone needs to own is probably Abbey Road by the Beatles. It’s a super popular album, but it’s well deserved! Every single song on there is amazing, but songs like Something and Golden Slumbers are absolutely timeless and will forever be some of my favourite songs. Even if you’re not a record collector, everyone should at least listen to it once. It some of the best of The Beatles, and The Beatles is probably the greatest band of all time!
Watch Natali’s record collection take shape over on Instagram and TikTok.
