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I just got back from a trip to the Making Vinyl conference. There, I was joined by 450 professionals representing the whole vinyl record supply chain, starting from PVC manufacturers and going all the way to mastering studios, pressing plants, equipment manufacturers, printers, record labels, distributors, and retailers.
I left with some great takeaways to share with independent artists. Here are 10 of the most interesting, important things I learned about vinyl that artists don’t know about.
10: The state of vinyl sales in the U.S.
By now, you’ve probably heard that vinyl sales revenues in the U.S. surpassed $1 billion last year.
Here’s a slide from an RIAA presentation that shows 19 straight years of vinyl growth, culminating in $1 billion dollars last year:
Also worth noting is that the U.S. market represents about half of all vinyl purchases worldwide, but other territories — especially smaller, emerging markets — are growing faster.
All in all, it’s pretty impressive, and we have a lot of momentum going forward in physical media.
9: The vinyl market is doing better than before
The vinyl industry has achieved a level of healthy equilibrium after more than a decade of capacity challenges.
First, there was not enough capacity, leading to order lead times as long as a year, which led to labels over-ordering new releases, which exacerbated the problem.
Then big plants rushed to add capacity, and dozens of new pressing plants cropped up. So, for a brief period, there was more capacity than there was demand.
I was concerned that there would be carnage, especially among smaller plants, and indeed four or five small plants did close. But today, the market has rebalanced itself and is quite healthy. It’s a good sign for the vinyl ecosystem.
8: The problems with vinyl counterfeiting
Vinyl counterfeiting is becoming a real problem — and it’s global.
Last month, there was a huge counterfeit record seizure in London, and the RIAA worked globally on intercepting counterfeit vinyl records. I see it as a sign of vinyl’s popularity that counterfeiting has become an issue.
What’s fascinating is that nobody seems to know where many of these counterfeit records are actually being pressed, nor do we know how big the problem really is.
7: The demand for custom vinyl packaging
There is a lot of pressure on record labels nowadays to create fancy custom packages because fans increasingly expect physical music to feel more special than just a black record in a jacket.
For major labels, that means multiple variants, elaborate packaging, and collectible limited editions.
Independent artists don’t usually need to go that far, but the lesson is the same: presentation does matter.
Of course, labels have much bigger budgets for these kinds of special packages with custom jackets and inserts than you — the independent artist — do.
The good news is that fans have proven to be willing to pay extra for fancy packages.
6: Social media is good for physical media
Social media loves physical media in the form of bold custom vinyl records and CDs. This is evident in the rise of VinylTok and CDTok.
We at Disc Makers notice that we get the highest engagement on social media when we show how the product is manufactured.
Physical media gives fans something visual and special to engage with, which is much more special than streaming. And, social platforms reward visual content.
What does this mean for artists? When you get that new shipment of records or CDs from Disc Makers, show it off on social media with an unboxing video and other videos and images showing you interacting with your records and CDs (and tag us, of course, so we can share it).
5: The effort to make vinyl eco-friendly
The industry is working hard at making vinyl more eco-friendly.
For example, there’s a push to use more regrind from the edge trimmings and overruns or defects when pressing records, reducing waste. Also, there are efforts to make records with PET plastics, which are greener and cleaner than PVC.
Many pressing plants are putting in new high-efficiency gas boilers or switching to electric heating, which can run off alternative energy. Additionally, many plants are putting solar on their roof (we did that a few years ago at our Pennsauken, New Jersey facility).
In short, the industry knows that vinyl has a carbon footprint and the industry is investing heavily in reducing it.
4: The rise in CD sales helps vinyl sales, too
While at a conference all about vinyl, many of the panelists kept mentioning that CD sales are up strongly in Q4 of last year and Q1 of this year. Manufacturers, labels, distributors, retailers… they’re all seeing it.
Maybe it’s because Gen Z is discovering CDs through their parents’ collections and finding them to be an affordable way to own music on physical media. After all, CDs represent a great bang for the buck for you, too, as an artist.
It’s a reminder that artists should consider selling multiple forms of physical media. If you’re looking for a convenient, affordable option, check out our Vinyl + CD Combo.
3: The cost of vinyl manufacturing
Manufacturing costs are going up fast.
PVC (the raw material that’s melted to make vinyl records) is 100% made outside the U.S., in Taiwan and in Europe mostly, and is highly dependent on oil prices. As a result, PVC prices have spiked by 50% since the conflict with Iran began.
On top of that, container shipping costs 50% more than what it cost before the conflict. And, the cost of electricity to run presses and gas to fire up the boilers to melt the PVC are up big, too.
So far, many plants have absorbed these increases, hoping they’re short-lived. For now, we’re not raising our vinyl prices, but we’re watching this very, very closely.
2: The impact of Gen Z on physical media sales
Gen Z is taking to physical media in a big way, driving continued growth in the format.
And not only are the fans getting younger, but our sales team has been talking to younger artists who are looking to get product made.
1: The rise of colored vinyl
The most interesting data point I learned at the conference was that between 60–70% of all records pressed are colored vinyl. We’re seeing that black vinyl is the minority.
The industry is really leaning into making every release special, and colored vinyl is an affordable way to do so. In response, the PVC suppliers have been making more colors available, which is super exciting!
In conclusion
My big takeaway from the Making Vinyl conference is that physical media isn’t just surviving. It’s evolving, maturing, and thriving.
Fans are getting younger, which is great for the longevity of the format. Packaging is getting more creative. Vinyl continues to grow, and CDs are growing again.
The best part? Artists who understand how to create products fans want to own are benefiting from all of it. This is good news for independent artists.
When you’re ready to put your next album on vinyl or CD, you know where to find us.
You can watch the original version of this blog as part of our Indie Music Minute series on the Disc Makers YouTube Channel.
Tony van Veen
Tony van Veen is the CEO of DIY Media Group, the parent company of Disc Makers and BookBaby. As a college student, he played in indie bands, created his own LPs, cassettes, and t-shirts, and sold them at shows. Today, he collects CDs, vinyl LPs, and concert t-shirts to support the artists he loves.
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