( The Frisky ) -- About a year ago , a group of my closest friends got together in a basement apartment in Queens . It was a Saturday night in the dead of winter , and most of us were broke ( the economy was crashing ) and lazy ( we did n't feel like trekking to a bar in the city ) . As we cracked open a bottle of wine and ate fresh-baked zucchini muffins , one of my friends decided to play us some records on the record player he had recently inherited from his parents . It turned out to be one of the best nights of our lives . In sharing great music , great food and great fun , a tradition was born : Record Party . The New York Times is finally catching on to something my friends and I discovered that night ; vinyl is back in a major way . The stats say that CDs are becoming just about as obsolete as cassettes and 8-tracks . Sure , iPods are fun if you 're on the go , but really the only way to devour your favorite music ( other than to hear it live ) is to listen to it on vinyl . It 's like hearing the music again for the first time -- rich and layered . Mike Jbara , a bigwig at Warner Music Group , said , `` It is absolutely easy to say vinyl does n't make sense when you look at convenience , portability , all those things . But all the really great stuff in our lives comes from a root of passion or love . '' [ New York Times ] . That 's what Record Party is really all about . But do n't take my word for it . Here are five tips for throwing your own rocking Record Party . • Yes , you need a record player . I know you 're thinking , `` Where on earth do I get a record player ? The antique shop ? '' Try eBay or Craigslist . There are so many used record players that need a good home . From bottom of the line models to high-end turntables , you would n't believe how many people have record players . If you 're an electronics idiot like me , you may want to consult a knowledgeable person . I always ask my super-geeky musician friends about makes , models and features . If you do n't have a music nerd in your life , do a little research online or find a specialty store in your area . Also , do n't forget to get some great speakers so you can hear all the natural flava of your records . • Starting a record collection is n't as hard or as expensive as you think . It 's always fun to go to a local record store and pick out some delicious vinyl . Many record stores have used records , which can save you some money . Take the record out and make sure that it 's the right record -- one time I got `` A Chorus Line '' record in a `` Stevie Nicks '' jacket . Also , make sure that the record is not terribly scratched . If you 're a bargain hunter like me , go to your local thrift store and pick through . You may have to search for a while , but it 's not uncommon to find some $ 1 gems . Also , flea markets are a great place to find some hot , cheap vinyl . • Keep the guest list small . The best thing about Record Party is reveling in your favorite music and breaking out your finest dance moves . This is always most fun with close friends who have similar tastes in music . But part of the fun is also learning about new music , so you may want to require guests to bring some records of their own . • Food and drinks are a must . It 's hard to throw a great record party without food and beverage . Have everyone contribute . Snacks and drinks will be much appreciated when guests step off the makeshift dance floor . • Establish some rules and traditions . At our Record Party , we 've established a couple of rules in order to keep the good times rolling : 1 . Everyone must write all requests down on our request list . 2 . No more than two songs played at one time per person . After everyone has put in a request , the cycle starts over . 3 . Everyone gets one `` Yoinx '' per night . A `` Yoinx '' is when you have a great song that you feel like you need to push to the top of the list . Develop your own rules and traditions to ensure that everyone is able to share in the music . Enjoy . TM & © 2009 TMV , Inc. | All Rights Reserved .
Record Parties are a great way to get together with friends . Instead of an iPod , get better sound with a record player , available on eBay or Craigslist . Records can be inexpensive : $ 1 gems are n't too rare to stumble upon . Bring snacks and a playlist .