First it was vinyl, then cassette tapes and next CDs. With the decline of cassette tapes and physical cds being sold it’s strange to hear that [newly pressed] records are on the raise.
In 2014, almost eight million (new) records were sold. From 2013 to 2014, the data shows that sales went up 49%. A lot of the younger music consumers like myself are not only downloading music on phones and iPod, but are intrigued with vinyl — It brings a sense of “old school” aesthetic. In fact, for the first time in 18 years – new data shows LP sales have reached a 20-year high in the UK, with album purchasing up 69% year-on-year
“They’re trying to bring the industry back, but the era has gone by…”
— Robert Roczynski, president of Record Products of America Inc.
There are only about 15 or so factories around that actually still press vinyl. It’s hard for them because any day something can happen to the machines because of how old they are. I did find a chart that showed that even though vinyl went up 49%, it still isn’t doing as great as it was during the late 1970’s.
Vinyls won’t make a real comeback unless artists are promoting/selling them; however, artists struggle now with physical CDs – so imagine the struggle with vinyl. “They’re trying to bring the industry back, but the era has gone by,” said Robert Roczynski, president of Record Products of America Inc. His company is one of the country’s few suppliers for the industry.
Mr. Roczynski said that his factory is small, and his dozen employees already work overtime. He’s one of the last pillars trying to hold the load of what’s left of the vinyl industry. To hear that vinyl is making a comeback is only half true. By the time they make a real comeback the machines might not be around to make them.
