UK | Oasis vinyl drives record year for UK music sales: Music fans splash out more than £2.4bn as Manchester band prepares for reunion tour. Oasis fans snapping up vinyl records ahead of the band’s reunion helped drive a record year for British music sales. Consumer spending on recorded music hit almost £2.4bn in 2024—an increase of more than 7pc on the previous year—overtaking the previous high of £2.2bn achieved in 2001, new figures have revealed. Music fans bought or streamed the equivalent of more than 201m albums last year, eclipsing the previous record of 172m at the tail end of the CD boom in 2004. The figures from the Entertainment Retailers Association (ERA) underscore how the rise of streaming services such as Spotify has driven a renaissance for the music industry a decade after it was driven close to collapse by rampant piracy. Streaming accounts for the vast majority of UK music industry revenues—more than £2bn—with audiences splashing out even more on subscriptions despite the cost of living crisis.
UK | The UK music industry is reporting record revenues. The reality is much gloomier. If the record business has learned anything during those brutal years between 2000 and 2014 when the CD market wobbled and then went into such sharp decline that it halved, it is to seek out good news stories wherever you can. The Entertainment Retailers Association (ERA), the UK trade body for music, video and games retailers, has just issued its numbers for recorded music revenues in 2024. The sell is that this marks “a 20-year high and an all-time record, exceeding the pinnacle of the CD era”. Let joy be unconfined. Bonuses all round. But trade numbers can only ever capture what the recorded music business is worth in toto. They tell us little of the depth and of the complexities of what has been happening here since the early 2000s.
Fargo, ND | Customers express sadness over local store, Vinyl Giant and Game Giant, closing: After nearly a decade, a downtown Fargo business is shutting its doors. “It’s just really sad with the different businesses that have been leaving Downtown Fargo. This will be another one that’s definitely going to be hard to fill,” said Matthew Winarksi, Game Giant customer. Vinyl Giant and Game Giant will close for good come February. That’s according to a Facebook post from the owner. “It’d be nice to see where the workers go. They’re always so friendly; they’re always so helpful; you know they’re always willing to help and tell us to tell us the new games,” said Winarksi. Closing sales will kick off on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. About 3,000 records will be brought out from the back. Details on the event are expected soon.
Cardiff, UK | Vinyl galore at Kellys Records in Cardiff Central Market, South Wales: It’s been over ten years since we last sung the praises of Kellys Records in Cardiff Central Market, and it’s great to see the place riding the wave of the vinyl resurgence. The store was founded by Eddie and Phyllis Kelly back in 1969, with nephew Allan Parkins taking over in the 1990s. The store found itself perfectly poised to capitalise on the vinyl revival, as their website explains: The 2010s marked a renaissance for vinyl records, much to the delight of Kellys Records. Streaming services like Spotify initially seemed like a threat but ended up complementing the resurgence of vinyl. As music became more accessible online, people began to appreciate the unique experience that vinyl offered. The tactile joy of owning a physical album and the immersive experience of listening to a record from start to finish brought a new generation of music lovers into the store.
MI | Ranking every Michigan record store I’ve visited. Since starting my music collection in 2018, visiting record stores has become one of my favorite activities– whether that be shopping with friends or my dad, who’s also restarted his own collection. I’ve made a habit of stopping at shops while on mini-vacations or driving through new towns. That being said, I’ve taken the time to rank all of the 13 stores in Michigan that have had me flipping through vinyl. A majority of the shops I’ve ranked are located in West Michigan, however there are a couple exceptions. My list is, in-part, determined by both my preferred selection and the type of shopping experience I enjoy most.
Austin, TX | Paste Alum Buys Austin’s Waterloo Records, Announces New Location. When former Paste marketing director Caren Kelleher left to get her MBA from Harvard, we knew she would do good in the world wherever she ended up. She’s continued to prove us right, starting her own management company, heading up Google Music’s focus on independent musicians, and moving to Austin, Texas, to open the second woman-owned vinyl-pressing plant in the world, Gold Rush Vinyl, where she was named Best CEO of 2023 by the Austin Business Journal. Her latest venture, with partner Trey Watson, is to keep the legacy of Austin’s iconic music shop Waterloo Records alive. Kelleher and Watson today have announced the purchase of Waterloo Records from John T. Kunz, who has co-owned the store since 1982. The property Waterloo sits on was sold back in 2019 and the business was facing either a shutdown or a move from its 600 North Lamar location. The new space, 1105 North Lamar, promises 50% more space and better parking.
Moorhead, MN | Mother’s to close: The owner of the Moorhead record store Mother’s announced the store is closing March 1 after 55 years in business. “As one of the oldest record stores in the 8 state region, this was an incredibly difficult decision,” Brady Bredell said on Facebook. Bredell adds the store hasn’t fully recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic saying it’s too much work for too little return for his efforts, shopping habits have changed, the price of vinyl and competition have increased. Bredell adds he’s dealing with health issues. “We truly appreciate your 55 years of support. Literally generations of support. But I hope to revive our name whether it’s here or online or in Santa Fe, which I’m considering relocating to…to be closer to family,” Bredell said. The news comes as Vinyl Giant and Game Giant in Downtown Fargo announced the business will close in February.
Dallas, TX | 4 Must-Visit Neighborhood Gems in East Dallas: A Charming Hardware Store, Wine Library, Record Shop, and Midcentury Bar Await. Two years ago, I fell in love with a house. It could have been in practically any Dallas neighborhood; there are so many that I love (and have lived in). My midcentury dream house took me to Old Lake Highlands. With a sincere desire to be a patron of my neighborhood, I made a list of local restaurants and shops to visit. Slowly, I’ve ticked through many on the list. Below, I offer a few beloved favorites with real Shop-Around-the-Corner vibes. Spend an afternoon in East Dallas, and you just might get the hype. …I surmise that most Dallas east-siders own a record player. (My realtor actually gifted me a turntable the day I closed on my house. “I had to!” he said.) It follows, then, that Dallas’ best vinyl shop is located in East Dallas on Garland Road.
Plainville, CT | The Plainville Record Riot! Sunday February 2nd! Over 10,000 vinyl records in one room! It’s the Plainville Record Riot! 40+ tables of LPs, CDs & 45s. A giant record store under one roof. 10,000 LPs in one room! Join the Record Riot community. Meet you in the bargain bins! Did you just buy a turntable? The Record Riot is a PERFECT event for you. Dealers from New England and beyond will bring all sorts of musical surprises. From punk to funk, classic rock to hip hop and soul/jazz too. Cheap records and expensive vinyl too. CDs as well, plus 45s for your jukebox. $5 admission at 9:30 AM, $10 early at 8 AM. Plenty of free parking! And great music all day! Hope to see you diggin’ in the crates!
