In an age of digital music, the newest songs are only a click away. However, Madison’s local record stores are still finding a way to compete.

Local stores such as Strictly Discs, located on Monroe Street, and Ear Wax Punk, on West Gilman and State Street, have been doing well in recent years, according to their owners, even in the face of easily-available free music.

“The business and the whole industry have definitely been changing,” Rob Cleveland, owner of Ear Wax Punk, said. “At first it was pretty rough on the business. Music stores were closing everywhere, but I think it’s starting to level out. I think some people might be getting sick of the whole digital download process. They want the actual physical product again.”

Ryan Henke from Strictly Discs said he believes the availability of digital music does not necessarily negatively affect sales.

On the contrary, Henke said that business has actually been stronger than ever in the past decade. He said he thinks CD sales could have been impacted, but in order to compensate, the store made a good business to move more heavily in the vinyl direction.

Similarly, Cleveland said that vinyl sales have attracted new customers that appreciate all of the extra material vinyl records usually come with.

“People like having the physical product if they want the album and the lyrics and the artwork. It just depends on the importance of the music to you,” Cleveland said. “Not to mention people like the collectability aspect of records.” 

Cleveland said the potential to collect vinyl records is very appealing to many customers that think in the long-term.

When inquiring further about how exactly Strictly Discs managed to keep the availability of free music from harming their record sales, Henke said that the location has been incredibly helpful in keeping their business successful.

Strictly Discs is located in a neighborhood with disposable income and situated in between two college campuses, which makes for an extremely good marketing location.

“Madison has definitely been able to support independent music sales,” Henke said.

Strictly Discs has been selling vinyl and CDs on Monroe Street since 1992, and Ear Wax Punk is situated on the corner of West Gilman and State Street, specializing in heavy metal and punk rock records.

Henke said, even though business has not decreased since digital music became easily available, the store is seeing older customers because most of the younger potential customers are used to getting entertainment for free.

People in today’s world can go one of two ways when approaching music, Henke said.

“If people care about convenience and a lack of a footprint, they will favor digital or free music. However, there are some people that will go the other way and get back to tangible music,” Henke said.

The music industry is changing, and local record stores are adapting along with it, he said.