Vinyl record sales set records

Due to nostalgia marketing, aesthetics and technical interest, vinyl record sales are setting records. In 2016, sales of vinyl records exceeded 3 million units. As impressive as this sounds, it's actually paltry compared to overall sales of recorded music.

David Bowie topped the list of vinyl best-sellers and UK music best-selling artists. And not just Bowie's final recording, but other perennial favourites sold well in vinyl and digital formats. 

Why are vinyl sales soaring? 'It’s twofold in that older people are going back to vinyl but I also think the younger generation are discovering it in a way they weren’t before', says the CEO of Regent Street and Gold Bar Records. 

Record Store Day in April is helping introduce vinyl to new fans and give loyal customers new reasons to buy. Established performers and newcomers alike use this April 'holiday' to launch new products with heightened marketing awareness.

Now vinyl sales are strong enough that Sony has decided to get back into that business. How will the addition of this major player affect the fortunes of GZ Vinyl and the few other vinyl manufacturers competing in the industry? Will other big labels reintroduce vinyl as well?

Everything old is new again at GZ Vinyl

You have to travel to the Czech Republic, and beyond Prague, to visit the home of the world's largest supplier of vinyl LPs. It's GZ Vinyl, part of GZ Media.

With the dramatic increase in vinyl LP sales, more performers are insisting that their music be released on LP--and more fans are seeking out LPs for the acoustic and aesthetic benefits. Some performers prefer colour vinyl or marbled vinyl to make a visual impact.

Luckily, GZ never did away with its LP production equipment, even while the music world moved through tape and CD and even digital formats. The firm put its vinyl pressing machinery into storage--and then retrieved it when LPs regained popularity as consumer behaviour evolved. This YouTube video shows vinyl LPs being made.

Today, GZ is even installing next-generation vinyl production machinery for speedier, state-of-the-art LP manufacturing and finishing. This will shorten the time between orders and shipment of LPs and satisfy customers throughout the supply chain.