This week, I’m catching up with collector Abby, a lover of physical media who’s been crate digging for nearly half her life. Based in Maryland, Abby pairs her passion for vinyl with studying for a degree in history, and her record collection reflects that through timeless artists from decades past, think Michael Jackson, Bowie, The Beatles and her all-time favourite, Duran Duran.
In our Q&A, Abby shares what first sparked her love for records, the friendships she’s found within the vinyl community, and the record store that keeps her coming back for more.
Tell us a little bit about yourself:
I’m Abby, the face behind @abby.vinyl! I’m a 22 year old collector from Maryland and I’ve been collecting records for a little over 10 years. My music taste is very broad but anything from the 1980s tends to be what I gravitate to the most. Aside from vinyl I love collecting CD’s, cassette & VHS tapes, tour brochures and vintage magazines. I’m also a big history nerd, and I’m studying to get my bachelor’s degree in history with an emphasis in archival research and museum studies.
What sparked your interest in collecting records?
When I was 11, my mom and my grandmother both gave me a handful of their old records and then I got my first record player for Christmas that same year. At that point I was really into artists like The Beatles and Michael Jackson since I was constantly exposed to older music growing up, so the interest in record collecting was inevitable! The first record I ever bought with my own money was a repressing of Please Please Me by The Beatles. I still have it!
What is it about vinyl that you love most?
It’s so much more rewarding to physically own your music rather than streaming it online, and I think that having tangible ownership of it helps you appreciate the artistry more. I love vintage audio equipment as well, and I find it so fun to mess around with different buttons or knobs on amps and tape decks rather than a simple pause/play button on your phone screen when streaming music. Vinyl sounds better, too!
“I have met some of my closest friends through our shared love of music”
When did you start sharing your collection on Instagram, and what inspired you to put it out there?
I started my account in October 2023 originally wanting it to be a place where I could post and talk about my Duran Duran collection since I’m a huge fan, and my collection was growing exponentially. Slowly overtime I decided to make it a place for my entire physical media collection instead, and to also post about recent concerts I’ve been to! My page has been noticed by a few members of my favourite bands (e.g. Gary Kemp from Spandau Ballet) which has been incredibly exciting. I do have a lot of friends that post their collections online and I was inspired to do the same.
What do you enjoy most about being part of the vinyl community?
I have loved meeting so many new people from all different backgrounds and generations through the vinyl community, and I have met some of my closest friends through our shared love of music. In 2024 I attended VinylCon in Philadelphia and I was blown away at how kind people were and how easily I connected with complete strangers right away through a mutual passion for collecting culture.
Do you have a favourite spot for crate digging, or a memorable find from one of those hunts?
My all-time favourite record store is Tom’s Music Trade in Red Lion, PA. Tom is the coolest guy, he’s a Brummie and he grew up down the street from Ozzy Osbourne! I have spent hours in his store digging through endless boxes and crates, and he’d occasionally bring in his dog who will roam around and hang out with you while you browse. He has over 60,000 tapes, records and CD’s and gets the coolest memorabilia sent in from buying people’s collections. It’s almost an hour drive for me but it’s so worth it!
Finally, what’s a record you think everyone should own, or at least hear once in their life, and why?
I would definitely say Rio by Duran Duran. It’s a quintessential 80s new wave album and everything from the Patrick Nagel cover art to the cinematic MTV music videos is just so iconic. There is not one bad song off that album. “Save a Prayer” is easily one of the best songs ever written, I’ve been fortunate enough to hear it live twice!
Check out Abby’s record collection over on Instagram.
