Vinyl’s Back! And So Are The Pressing Plants That Make Them (But They’re Getting Stressed Out)

“Despite the increased public demand for vinyl records, spanning mass reissue campaigns of premium-quality vinyl by classic bands such as Pink Floyd to small seven-inch runs by local bands to sell at gigs, press operators say that profit margins are narrowing because of the increased costs involved in locating, refurbishing, installing, operating, and ultimately repairing machines that are no longer made but are pushed harder and faster than they were in their heyday.”

Report: Music Sales Dropped Precipitously In First Half Of 2014

“According the Recording Industry Association of America, which collects sales numbers from the major record companies, just under $3.2 billion in music sales was recorded in the first half of 2014. That is down 4.9 percent from the same period in 2013, the association reported on Thursday. But a closer look at the numbers shows how much music consumption patterns are changing.”