Stop taking this hobby so damn seriously.
Buy your records. Listen to your favorite music. Don’t worry about what others buy and listen to.
It isn’t that difficult. Yet, some record collectors seem destined to be miserable while doing something they should love.
Thankfully, there are those in the vinyl collecting scene who are here to entertain others enjoying their favorite albums.
Here are five Instagram accounts to help you remember that collecting vinyl shouldn’t just be about condition ratings on Discogs or whether something is an original pressing.
@thebandwashere
Photographer Steve Birnbaum visits the scenes of famous album covers and band photos to give a side-by-side update of what the location looks like today.
@newman_holding_ur_fav_album
Newman! This account takes a still image of Jerry Seinfeld’s nemesis and adds a different album cover to his hands each day. Pointless? Maybe, but it also was a show about nothing.
@teeny_tiny_vinyl
While your record collection is sagging shelves in your spare bedroom, Laurie Cinotto is thinking small. The Tacoma, Washington native creates miniature versions of popular albums. From the cover to the liner notes to the actual album, Cinotto’s attention to detail is remarkable when you consider the size of the canvas.
@dumbrecs
The reasons to follow the Instagram account for Dumb Records are plentiful. Among them is Pepperoni the cat. Whether it’s standing atop one of the Springfield, Illinois store’s many pinball machines or lounging among the bins of records, Pepperoni is a fixture at Dumb Records.
@terriblyawesomecovers
Some album covers are works of art you’re happy to display for house guests. Others are the ones you buy from the bargain bin for $1 just because they made you laugh. TerriblyAwesomeCovers celebrates hilarious album art. From wrestlers to meat to puppets, these covers are truly terrible and awesome.
Yeah No Great 