Skip to content
Disc Makers Blog
  • Music Business
    • Disc Manufacturing & Design
    • Free Guides
    • Music Business & Music Management
    • Music Industry News
  • Music Marketing & Promotion
    • Crowdfunding for Musicians
    • Social Media for Musicians
    • YouTube & Music Videos
  • Performance & Rehearsal
    • Booking Shows & Touring
    • Live Performance
    • Musical Equipment & Gear Reviews
    • Singing Tips
  • Recording & Mastering
    • Audio Recording
    • Film and Authoring
    • Home Studio
    • Audio Mastering
    • Studio Gear
  • Songwriting
    • Music Licensing, Copyrights & Publishing
    • Songwriting tips
  • DISCMAKERS.COM

LP record

headphones in the foreground in front of CDs

Streaming vs. CDs — Who wins?

January 6, 2023January 27, 2023 Tony van Veen

We live in a streaming world — yet revenues from physical media (i.e., CDs and vinyl LPs) continue to grow every year. Read the post.

record release plan — band in the studio

Your 90-day record-release plan

July 8, 2022July 12, 2022 Disc Makers

This post is excerpted from The 90-Day Album Release guide, which helps you plan and organize all the events and decisions that go into making an album — from day one in the studio to your continuing sales and promotion efforts. Read the post.

graphic of CDs with Bandcamp logo insert

Sell your CDs online: Stake a tent at Bandcamp

March 31, 2022December 23, 2022 Andre Calilhanna

Ready to start selling CDs and merch online? Bandcamp offers a customizable solution with the independent musician in mind. Read the post.

woman shopping for CDs — there's a CD revival

There’s a CD revival in the making

February 24, 2022August 2, 2022 Tony van Veen

CD sales are up for the first time in over a decade, and we take a dive into the DIY market to explore the details of what’s being hailed as a CD revival. Read the post.

music industry predictions

Tony’s 2021 recap and 2022 predictions for the music industry

December 20, 2021February 24, 2022 Tony van Veen

Let’s take a look back at the year in review and go out on a limb for what could happen in 2022. We’re in unpredictable territory, but there are encouraging trends in the music industry. Read the post

physical music sales

The data is in: Physical music sales are UP in 2021!

September 2, 2021September 2, 2021 Tony van Veen

It may be hard for skeptics to believe, but physical albums were up a robust 37.5 percent compared to this time last year, from almost 28 million units to over 38 million units. Read the post.

vinyl records

The art and science of vinyl records

April 20, 2021April 20, 2021 Andre Calilhanna

Excerpted from “The Musician’s Guide To Vinyl,” we review a brief history of vinyl records and share some basics when it comes to mixing for your vinyl release. Read the post.

vinyl manufacturing process

The vinyl manufacturing process at work (watch the video!)

February 6, 2020March 26, 2020 Tony van Veen

Whatever your relationship to music is, the manufacturing process for CDs and vinyl is just plain cool to see in action. Let’s take a look! Read the post.

CDs sound better

CDs just sound better

June 4, 2019September 20, 2022 Tony van Veen

I listen to a lot of music and listen to a lot of streaming when I drive or while I travel — and I also listen to vinyl. And while I love all of it, when I want the best audio quality, nothing sounds as good as a CD. Read the post.

shopping recording studios

Seven things to consider when shopping recording studios

October 16, 2017October 17, 2017 Johnny Dwinell

This post will help you with the task of shopping recording studios and avoiding the “studio car wash” syndrome where artists get the same artistic whitewash. Read More.

make CDs

Why indie musicians make CDs [Infographic]

March 17, 2017May 15, 2018 Disc Makers

Independent artists rely on the tangible media that is the music CD. As a physical representation of their hard work, a means of increasing revenue, and to establish their brand, independent musicians use CDs in ways major label artists don’t. Read More.

Disc Makers 70th Anniversary

Disc Makers is celebrating its 70th anniversary

March 1, 2016February 6, 2018 Andre Calilhanna

When I tell people I’ve been at Disc Makers for 20 years, they often assume that’s when the company was founded. When I say, “No, no, no – Disc Makers has been around for 70 years,” it’s usually followed by a strange silence. I put them out of their misery and follow that up with, “Disc Makers predates the CD by many years. Read more.

Music news: Happy Birthday’s disputed rights, vinyl vs. streaming, and the last CD-R for Taiyo Yuden

October 27, 2015February 6, 2018 Andre Calilhanna

music news happy birthday“Happy Birthday To Me:” a complicated history – and future – for the world’s simplest song; vinyl sales continue to make headlines, with sales generating more revenue than free Spotify, YouTube, and VEVO combined; JVC and Taiyo Yuden to stop producing optical media – FalconMedia remains a reliable option. Read more.

Global album release days: New Music Fridays and Vinyl Tuesdays

June 12, 2015February 6, 2018 Andre Calilhanna

vinyl Tuesday record releaseMany retailers have expressed concerns over the choice of Friday as the global record release date. The inability to re-stock a popular title over the weekend, as well as limiting the reporting of first-week sales to a mere three days (reports track through Sunday in a given week) are cited among the chief objections. Read more.

Record Store Day 2015 Releases: The Spotify Playlist

April 16, 2015April 20, 2015 Lucy Briggs

RSD_Spotify_bannerRecord Store Day is almost upon us! The full list of releases has been published, and there are three categories: Record Store Day Exclusive Release, Record Store Day Limited Run, and “Record Store Day First” Release. We’ve created a Spotify playlist to get you in the mood for some crate digging. Read more.

  Older posts

Newsletter Signup

Recent Posts

  • young women buying CDs

    Want to double your merch and CD sales? Here’s how to do it.

  • home recording studio mic in red wash

    Acoustics and your home recording studio

  • four takes on big yellow taxi

    Anatomy of a cover song: Four takes on “Big Yellow Taxi”

  • vocalist in the studio

    Choosing the right microphone to elevate your productions

  • teacher telling student about borrowed chords

    Use borrowed chords to add drama, depth, and variety to your music

Disc Makers Resources

The Disc Makers Audio Catalog
Making a Great Master
The Home Studio Handbook
How To Make More Money With Music - The Complete Guide

Resources

Disc Packages & Vinyl
Services
Help
Pricing
Free Resources
1-800-468-9353

Connect on Social

  • Join us on Facebook
  • Follow us on Twitter
  • Join us on YouTube
  • Follow us on Instagram
© Disc Makers Blog. All Rights Reserved.