The Great Vinyl Record Buying Swindle (Unexpurgated Version)

The Great Vinyl Record Buying Swindle (Unexpurgated Version)

A Line Has Been Crossed

Let’s get straight to the point—this isn’t going to be the usual affectionate appraisal of vinyl collecting. A tipping point has been reached over the past five years, and it’s time to address the elephant in the room: the state of the modern vinyl market is riddled with issues. With Record Store Day looming on April 12th, now is the perfect moment to take a hard look at the realities of the current vinyl obsession—its ever-increasing prices, inconsistent quality, and the monopolization of pressing plants by major labels.

The Rise, Fall, and Rebirth of Vinyl

Most collectors are aware of vinyl’s dramatic resurgence. After being nearly abandoned in the 1990s when CDs dominated, vinyl records began making a comeback in the mid-2000s, specifically from 2006 onward. Prior to this, major music retailers like HMV, Tower Records, and Virgin Megastores had significantly reduced or entirely eliminated vinyl stock in favor of compact discs.

As vinyl regained popularity, however, an unexpected challenge emerged: the pressing infrastructure had been decimated. Many pressing plants had shut down due to the format’s declining demand in the 1990s. This meant that by the time vinyl was back in vogue, the industry lacked the capacity to meet the growing demand. The few remaining pressing plants—most of which were now in mainland Europe—had to ramp up production, but logistical challenges, import/export tariffs, and rising transportation costs contributed to price inflation.

Even more concerning, the ownership of pressing plants had shifted. Unlike in vinyl’s golden era, where major record companies owned their own facilities, today’s pressing plants are largely independent operations. The major labels, with their financial muscle, have exploited this to their advantage, effectively monopolizing production queues at the expense of smaller, independent labels.

The Major Labels’ Monopoly on Pressing Plants

The problem boils down to demand exceeding supply. With limited pressing plants available, major record companies have the financial clout to prioritize their own artists’ releases, pushing independent labels to the back of the queue. Independent artists and reissue specialists, such as Preston-based Optic Nerve Recordings (ONR), have been particularly hard-hit. ONR, renowned for its high-quality reissues of 1980s and 1990s indie and alternative classics, has seen multiple releases delayed for months—sometimes over a year—due to the major labels hogging production slots.

If you’ve ever found yourself eagerly awaiting an indie band’s vinyl release only to see it postponed repeatedly while mass-market albums from the likes of Adele, Ed Sheeran, or Taylor Swift roll out seamlessly, you’ve witnessed this inequity firsthand. This isn’t a coincidence—it’s a direct result of the major labels’ ability to throw their financial weight around and dictate pressing plant schedules.

The situation has become intolerable. Fans of independent music are left frustrated as their favorite releases languish in production limbo, while mainstream artists’ records flood the market in endless color variants, box sets, and overpriced “limited editions.” This blatant queue-jumping ensures that major labels maximize their profits while the smaller labels, dedicated to quality reissues and niche artists, are sidelined.

Then vs. Now: A Comparison

To fully grasp how the situation has deteriorated, it’s worth looking back to the 1970s and 1980s, when vinyl was at its peak. Back then, pressing plants were abundant, and turnaround times were far shorter. Major labels still prioritized their best-selling artists, but independent labels had far greater access to pressing facilities, meaning releases could be produced in reasonable timeframes and at fair costs.

Fast-forward to today, and the picture is starkly different. With fewer pressing plants operating, the backlog for independent labels has become insurmountable. Coupled with the introduction of heavyweight vinyl (often unnecessary), colored and picture discs (which frequently have inferior sound quality), and endless reissues of albums already readily available, the situation has become untenable.

The Decline in Quality Control

Another glaring issue is the decline in vinyl quality. Given the demand pressures on pressing plants, the emphasis has shifted from precision and craftsmanship to speed and quantity. This has led to a noticeable dip in quality control, with more records arriving warped, off-center, or riddled with surface noise. The situation is exacerbated by the increasing trend of releasing records in unnecessary colored or picture disc formats, which often suffer from poorer sound fidelity than standard black vinyl.

This deterioration in quality is particularly frustrating given the skyrocketing prices of vinyl records. A decade ago, a standard new album on vinyl would cost around £15-£20. Today, it’s not uncommon to see new releases priced at £30-£40—or even higher for so-called “deluxe” editions. When you’re paying a premium, the least you should expect is a well-pressed, high-quality product, yet this is far from guaranteed.

Conclusion: A Broken System in Need of Fixing

The modern vinyl market has become a victim of its own success. The demand is there, but the infrastructure to support it has been hijacked by the major labels, leading to inflated prices, production bottlenecks, and declining quality. Record Store Day, originally intended as a celebration of independent music culture, has devolved into an exercise in manufactured scarcity and major-label profiteering.

The love of vinyl hasn’t diminished, but our patience certainly has. Until the industry finds a way to balance production capacity, prioritize quality over gimmickry, and ensure fair access to pressing plants, the great vinyl revival risks turning into a hollow shell of its former self—a swindle where fans and independent artists are left out in the cold.