The resurgence of vinyl records

[Amsterdam Russ]

An article on the resurgence of vinyl records:

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In the first half of 2021 alone, 17 million albums were sold - an 86% jump from 2020. Last year, for the first time since 1986, vinyl records outranked CDs in annual sales. This year, they’re on pace to more than double CD revenue.

Full story here: https://thehustle.co/the-insane-resurgence-of-vinyl-records/

 

[Bunderthollox]

There is a downside/darkside victim of owm success?  

Adele. Who has scuppered many artists and producers opportunities by monopolising the pressing plants until end 2022 for the release of her latest gas. It's. A bit naughty that. I can't work out why anybody would want to listen to that on a two bob Crosley turntable. So my guess is sales will be generally down this next year. 

[Amsterdam Russ]

Interesting article courtesy of NME on the surge in demand for vinyl

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"Everyone has large requirements for vinyl. Adele’s is probably the biggest order of the year, but there are plenty of big orders. The demand is everywhere, across every label, every artist.

“Even without Adele, the problem would still be there. As the demand becomes bigger, people order more so everybody’s initial order will be bigger than it would have been 12 months ago.”

https://www.nme.com/news/music/whats-causing-the-vinyl-delay-adele-is-not-the-problem-say-music-industry-insiders-3094213

 

[Frankie Crocker]

Finally the real music lovers come to their senses and realise vinyl is a better format for listening to.

The apparent vinyl shortage does not seem to have impacted upon the new issue businesses judging from the proliferation of re-packaged oldies.

The growth of vinyl records could stimulate production of record players so that's a positive development.

[Bunderthollox]

14 hours ago, Amsterdam Russ said:

 

https://www.nme.com/news/music/whats-causing-the-vinyl-delay-adele-is-not-the-problem-say-music-industry-insiders-3094213

 

Having read the article, I suppose the answer now has to be more processing plants unless this vinyl resurgence is a passing fad-I think not because quote

Meanwhile, ''the number of CD sales in the UK fell by almost a third to 16 million in 2020'' in same quote as 4,800.000 vinyl sales. 

 

the demise of top of the pops, the rise of the cd and MP3, streaming created new markets, but word has maybe spread about future invetsments or the wake up call for the need of real music, going out, seeing bands ...I still maintain that booking out all pressing plants is down to Adeles management company, not her personally. 

 Ed Sheeran in the same article. 

 “So you have to do it like really upfront — and Adele had basically booked out all the vinyl factories, so we had to get a slot and get our album in there. It was like me, Coldplay, Adele, Taylor [Swift], ABBA, Elton [John]: all of us were trying to get our vinyl printed at the same time.” 5

500,000 pressings of the album have been ordered, admittedly the pressing plants hardly going to turn down that sort of cash. Just have to be patient, but I really truly hope this doesnt mena small labels, unable to produce, going to the wall, after so much hard work, and whose work I and many othrs support and appreciate, some of those sold on these pages MD, LRK Izipho Hit&Run etc

 

Incidentally saw a Taylor Swift album at £90 in a record store last week, so the new ltd releaee (I suppose thats what it mustr be) market is vibrant.

[Soulfusion]

37 minutes ago, Bunderthollox said:

Incidentally saw a Taylor Swift album at £90 in a record store last week, so the new ltd releaee (I suppose thats what it mustr be) market is vibrant.

Presume the store was offering you £90 to take the album from them!

Seriously though, this issue does seem to be the reduction in number and capacity of pressing plants following vinyl's demise from the 90's onwards. Presume the start up cost must be huge and finding (experienced) labour a difficulty.  

[Amsterdam Russ]

54 minutes ago, Bunderthollox said:

streaming created new markets, but word has maybe spread about future invetsments or the wake up call for the need of real music, going out, seeing bands

At the heart of the matter is the fact that artists can earn more money from vinyl album sales than they can from streaming. The streaming market needs a damned good shake-up if it is to be financially viable sustainable for artists, which at present it isn't.

Earlier on this year, Gary Numan stated that from 1 million streaming plays of his music, he earned just £37, which is ridiculous. 

Story here: https://www.nme.com/news/music/gary-numan-says-he-was-paid-37-from-a-million-streams-2860258

Going back a few years - when streaming was just starting to take hold - music 'royalty' - Madonna, for example - stated that because royalty payments were so low, the only way they could make real money was to do more live shows. Hence we saw the rise in mega concerts where paying three figures for a ticket became the norm. 

The rise in vinyl sales is directly related to artists seeking to 'take back control' (my words) of their royalties in a digital age where streaming primarily benefits record companies and the platforms through which music is streamed. Good luck to them, I say.

[Fish Fingers]

I know it's different for NS record collectors, but I recall something a number of years ago at the start of the boom in mainstream vinyl sales. 

Apparently, vinyl was also heavily pushed by the record companies as they (as well as the artists) were making nothing in the heyday of the ipod (remember those ) when everyone was just sharing music files and nobody was buying any music. 

They have now got a lot of people paying far more to own a vinyl record than download an MP3 and it also can't be copied/shared. 

Good business for the record companies. 

[Bunderthollox]

8 hours ago, Soulfusion said:

Presume the store was offering you £90 to take the album from them!

.  

I was hoping for compensation for the whiplash injury I got when I saw the price! 

[Amsterdam Russ]

A story on the BBC News website today...

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New vinyl pressing plant opens in Middlesbrough

One in four albums sold in the UK last year were on vinyl, the highest sales for more than 30 years...

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-tees-60310464