Amazon today announced they have extended their AutoRip service to include vinyl records. The product, first introduced in January of this year, gives customers access to digital copies of music they have purchased on CD with the retailer dating back to 1988 when Amazon first opened their Music Store.
Vinyl buyers will now find MP3 versions have been automatically added to their Cloud Player libraries, effectively eliminating the challenge of making a digital copy of your vinyl records. These free MP3s do not count against Cloud Player storage limits. The digital tunes are available for playback or download in 256kbps quality, Amazon said in a press release on the matter.
The online retailer said thousands of records from every major record label are available for AutoRip. What's more, additional titles are being added all the time. Simply look for the AutoRip logo alongside your purchase. As of writing, there are some 50,000 tracks eligible for AutoRip.
Vinyl was a popular format in the 1970s before eventually giving way to other formats like the cassette and eventually, the compact disc. The format has been making a comeback as of late, however, due to the fact that many audiophiles believe records offer better sound quality when compared with traditional CDs and MP3s.
In fact, a number of current bands like Mumford & Sons, The Lumineers, Bruno Mars and Kelly Clarkson still release albums in vinyl format.