https://mobile.twitter.com/imprec/status/1400830466685554692?s=20 From one of my favorite record labels. @imprec “Vinyl is dead. Unless you're trying to press records right now you might not fully comprehend how completely sunk the manufacturing world is. It'll be a year before we see jobs submitted 4 months ago and now we're being told we'll have to pay more to get what we ordered.”
Vinyl isn't dead it just got more expensive, and there seems to be a glut/bottleneck of jobs to do and not enough capacity to do those jobs. So, opportunity for expansion...not dead.
I believe they're making new presses now, so it's just a matter of more pressing plants opening up really. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if some labels opened their own plants again.
A new vinyl pressing plant in Middlesbrough is aiming to create 30 jobs A new vinyl pressing plant in Middlesbrough is aiming to create 30 new jobs "Not many towns or cities across the world have access to their own local vinyl pressing plant, so it’s a real win for the area"
NEW VINYL PRESSING PLANT TO OPEN IN FINLAND Helsinki Record Press aims to meet the growing demand for LPs. https://scandinaviansoul.com/new-vinyl-pressing-plant-to-open-in-finland/
The links I just posted seem to suggest you're right. Not dead -- stopped up due to limited production capacity.
So...too much demand, not enough supply. Doesn't this kind of...no, wait...completely contradict the "Vinyl is dead" statement?
As someone with several projects I have a hand in waiting in the queues I can tell you that for the health of a functioning, rolling, all year round industry - Record Store Day(s) are a complete nightmare. The majors crash/jump the queues, always leaving things late and interesting new projects / bands with contemporary careers are being gazumped by the glut of colour vinyl re-reissues.
I'm looking to get a job at this plant. I've spoken to the guy running it. Seems a good guy. This should be a success.
"gazumped" is really strong language. there's kids here, man. take it easy. All jokes aside, the fact demand is outstripping supply (by a lot!) means there's opportunity for new business/jobs to come online. All good news. Just sucks a little while we wait for the capitalist markets to do their thing.
Cheers, we got along well and he asked me to send my CV, but I did and I haven't heard anything since. They haven't officially started recruiting outside the people who are starting up the plant yet though. It'll be great, I can press records, then read people complaining about them here!
Agreed. This low-on-supplies PR extravaganza over the past week is a big scam to raise prices and artificially control markets.
"vinyl is dead" lol ok. Having a demand so high that production can't keep up is the opposite of being dead. Preorders for new albums and reissues for artists like MF DOOM are selling out as fast as they can print them. Hyperbole headline
I’m not aware of anything outside of this tweet this week, but it’s also not something I pay attention to. Important Records is a great, honest and very small record label. They’re certainly not pulling any market strings. It’s one guys thoughts on the status for small labels… …and his tweet is probably more aimed at like-minded small labels, not the big labels printing 50 dollar re-issues of Steely Dan.
Maybe things are easier in the States? I don't know - but a combination of - as I've said - Record Store day blocking, Covid meaning that the plants in the Czech Repuplic (where virtually all Europe's pressing is sent whoever is your broker) are having to re-jig workstations and lines... and probably - for us in the UK - another knock -on of the appallingly stupid Brexit. Planning for bands and labels around delivery dates has become almost impossible right now. It doesn't mean that 'Vinyl is dead' - but I could see certain labels / acts killing a vinyl version of an upcoming release and building their planning and promo schedule around digital / maybe CD.
If a mod wanted to add “(for small labels)” to the title, that would be great. I wasn’t trying to post anything click-baity
Yeah, whatever happened to the “physical media is dead” crowd on this Forum. They’ve gotten awfully quiet.