Compact discs have been in production since 1982, and for the first time in 33 years, vinyl records will outsell CDs. The Recording Industry Association of America, (RIAA), has released it’s mid-year report as of last week, revealing a 12.9% growth in vinyl record sales for the first half of 2019. Vinyls have brought in $224.1 million in revenue so far, soon to outtake CD sales that stand at $247.9 million. No matter the increase in vinyl sales, streaming services account for 62% of the music industries revenue.
Not only is streaming music quick and easy to do, but it’s also cost-effective. It’s cheaper to pay for a streaming service than purchase artist’s CDs or albums, but that doesn’t mean that fans aren’t willing. Vinyls give out a warm, balanced sound and are just awesome to own and display. It’s more than showing off cool vinyls, but it also shows appreciation for artists and commitment to their music and work.
As the sales in vinyl records grow, so does the attention of some independent reissue labels. With customer’s focus switching from CDs to vinyls they plan to act accordingly. Putting a stronger focus on pressing more releases on vinyl will help, as long as the quality is sound. The owner of the No More Records label, Alan Schneider, voices concerns on vinyl manufacturing.
“Quality control needs to rise at the pressing plants. Too many scratched, warped, non-fill LPs slip out, and for a $30 LP, I want a flat and quiet pressing that sounds good. If the industry wants me to buy the same record for a second, third or fourth time for the price of all the previous versions combined, then they had better put some care into what they’re selling me.”
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