Could the vinyl record industry be a victim of its success? Or, rather, Taylor Swift’s success?
Vinyl records have ridden an upward trajectory in recent years, and it’s indisputable that the mighty selling power of Swift is a part of this success. But the vinyl record industry is too small for purpose and only retains a less than five percent market share (the highest since its heyday). There’s little competition for the digital consumption of music, and while the industry consistently shows growth, it’s clear there is a precariousness in its standing.
As vinyl faded as a major format through the 1990s, most pressing plants closed or turned their focus to pressing CD or tape formats. There was little prediction that vinyl would become a desirable format again, and the infrastructure that once pressed millions of records around the world with ease would need to be rebuilt from the ashes.
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As much as that infrastructure could possibly be rebuilt after the format’s golden age, the industry is now stuck in a quandary of demand overtaking capacity. Many major artists now issue on vinyl, and the production of records by Swift, Adele, Ed Sheeran, and others have caused massive schedule conflicts and long, gruelling delays for any musician without the whip crack of major label backing.
Damon Krukowski, musician for Damon & Naomi and cult alternative act Galaxie 500, was one of the independent musicians who spoke up about the unfairness of large acts jumping the queue and monopolising the production line. He pointed to Swift’s Midnights vinyl, which came in four distinct coloured pressings, with all four versions also being sold together as a giant clock. “Our distributor has given up on even estimating delivery dates - we're looking at a year, year and a half, no one really knows,” he told Newsweek.
Did you know none of the rest of us can get any vinyl pressed pic.twitter.com/I4yoIiXeOg
— Damon K 🎤 (@dada_drummer) October 21, 2022
It is not surprising that major label releases are on sale in line with their general release dates, while independent musicians are left scratching their heads at when they’ll be holding the vinyl edition of a quickly aging new release in their hands. As much as the vinyl record industry is comparatively niche, it still plays by the rules of the mainstream record industry, with the rules written in favour of its major players.
Swift has kickstarted this discussion all over again with her new album The Tortured Poets Department. This time her record is available in six different variants, with four versions each with its own vinyl colour, artwork, and bonus tracks. It’s a surefire way to produce multiple sales from every diehard, but the added complications of this production process quickly outstrip the industry’s capacity. Musicians promised a date for distribution are thrown on the back burner as soon as a star on the level of Swift enters the in-tray.
Is this the direct fault of Swift? Not quite, the upward trend of vinyl record sales has been happening for some time now and the industry has failed to adapt to the rising interest. This situation was bound to develop as major labels entered the vinyl fray without necessary increase in production capacities. The struggle is seeded by a lack of foresight in a growing industry, not Taylor Swift’s distribution strategy.
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The burning question, however: what is the purpose of having a vinyl record industry in the modern day? The format has lost its function as a main portal of access to music, instead relishing in the background as a minor novelty for the digital streaming majority.
The appeal is the item itself, a blatant case of object fetishism. There is an allure to a vinyl record, a full aesthetic representation that has been gradually lost to time as more stripped-back formats came into favour. Its purpose is not for listening but to provide ‘authentic’ ownership of an album. For the major label side of the industry, a vinyl record has as much meaning as a t-shirt or tote bag sale. Last year, 50% of people who purchased a vinyl record didn’t even own a record player. The simple act of ownership is more than enough.
That’s not to say this is a universal mindset for labels and record collectors alike. Independent labels and distributors have managed to stay afloat in a shifting landscape due to the vinyl resurgence, with the pennies earned from streaming royalties being a negligible factor in their business. Vinyl enthusiasts and collectors are still rabid, with a dedicated few rejecting modern listening methods for complete immersion in the format. In a time when music releases don’t have a need to exist physically, vinyl is the best and most complete option for those who want an alternative to the impersonal streaming giants.
It may not be the fault of Swift and her contemporaries, but the attitude and intent of their labels have accelerated a conundrum that the vinyl record industry is struggling to get out of. Physical media is now a novelty, unconsidered in the grand scheme of the modern record industry, and there will be few moves to improve the production infrastructure for the format. That is, as long as the music industry’s major players continue to get what they want.
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