US | Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, K-Pop Acts See a Huge Boost in 2024 Sales With ‘Variants’: The Same Album in Different Packages: Exclusive bonus tracks… Five different shades of vinyl… Tour booklet with exclusive photos… “Fans First” exclusive picture disc… Boxed set with candle, hoodie and CD… Target exclusive, Amazon exclusive, Urban Outfitters exclusive… exclusive exclusive exclusive… “Variants”—multiple different vinyl, CD or cassette versions of an already-released album or EP — have become a booming business in the music industry, helping to drive sales and chart numbers for artists ranging from superstars to cult favorites. According to Luminate Data’s 2024 mid-year report released Tuesday morning, the top 10 U.S. physical albums of 2024 carried an average of seven different vinyl variants, two cassettes and 13 CDs (the latter mostly for K-pop acts). Unquestionably in Taylor Swift’s case, they’ve helped her latest album, “The Tortured Poets Department” to hold the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 for 12 weeks, three months past its April 19 release date.
UK | Physical music sales set for first increase in 20 years: Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish and The Last Dinner Party were among the artists with the most physical sales. Sales of physical music are on track to see their first increase in two decades, following years of being overshadowed by streaming. The renewed interest in physical music collections has reached new heights, with the Official Charts Company and BPI reporting that physical album sales have experienced a 3.2% increase in the first six months of 2024, with 8,044,760 units sold. This marks the first time the sector has seen an increase since 2004 when a shift to digital music consumption and streaming began. Taylor Swift‘s ‘The Tortured Poets Department‘ has been the biggest contributor to the increase in sales, shifting 254,241 copies in the first six months of 2024.
Chicago, IL | Best Spot for Hunting Eclectic Vinyl: Chicago is rich in record stores. But not all of them give you that satisfying passport-stamped feeling that 606 Records in Pilsen does. You won’t find the umpteenth reissue of your favorite classic rock or Blue Note jazz record (no shade on either). Instead, you’ll discover a shop dedicated to turning people onto many of the world’s most eclectic artists and boundary-pushing independent labels. Jazz-funk from Tokyo, house music from South Africa, underground rap from Chicago, electronica from all corners of the globe, and everything else you can imagine—it’s somehow all impeccably curated just across the way from Thalia Hall.
Klang Valley, MY | Where To Find Rare Vinyl Records In Klang Valley: Time to delve into these treasure troves! 1. NewLeafz Records at PJ: Amcorp Mall is a treasure trove for vinyl enthusiasts and collectors, featuring a variety of stores, including this gem. This vinyl haven offers a wide selection of both new and used records across various genres, from classic rock and pop to jazz, hip-hop, and indie. 2. The Groove Room Record Store at PJ: What started out as a collector’s dream is now a paradise for vinyl lovers. The Groove Room, a record store founded in 2020 by Mohan, a Malaysian who wanted to share his love for vinyl, boasts a selection of over 4,000 records. Visitors can enjoy listening to these records in a cosy, ‘hidden’ room behind the store, and some of the vinyls are also available for purchase. 3. Tandang Record Store at KL: Located within The Zhongshan Building are several little artsy shops, including a tattoo parlour, stationery shop, café, and this record store. Tandang Record Store, previously in Subang Jaya, offers a diverse mix of musical genres on vinyl, ranging from classics to punk and metal…
London, UK | Ben Kelly’s Record Room embodies the spirit of vinyl: Part of The Vinyl Factory: Reverb, the brutalist space honours the pressing process. The Vinyl Factory: Reverb exhibition runs until 18 September 2024 and comprises 18 installations, including a specially conceived record room at its centre by legendary Haçienda nightclub designer Ben Kelly. Some 100 vinyl records are on show in the black box space, drawing from The Vinyl Factory’s eclectic archive of artists and musicians from the last 15 years, including Marina Abramovic, Arthur Jafa, Nan Goldin, Grace Jones, Pipilotti Rist, Yussef Dayes, Es Devlin, Thom Yorke, Massive Attack, Pet Shop Boys, Daft Punk, and The XX. Each cover is unique, a riot of colours and imagery as disparate as the sounds they encase. Kelly’s spatial intervention has wrangled the collection into a harmonious order, allowing each artwork to sing. Kelly frequently collaborates with The Vinyl Factory, and his ‘Columns’ installation of hazard-striped sculptures holds an iconic place in the history of 180 The Strand’s art shows.
Bad World’s Craig Evans, the man behind the viral ‘Saltburn’ vinyl: “I watched people recoil in horror.” The CEO, whose company caused a splash with their cloudy bathwater-filled record, talks to NME about going viral, how many copies they’ve sold and what the future holds. Blood Records CEO Craig Evans has spoken to NME about the company’s infamous vinyl release of the film soundtrack to Saltburn. Revealed last month, the record is filled with cloudy bathwater in reference to the movie’s most notorious scene, which sees Oliver (Barry Keoghan) spy on Felix (Jacob Elordi) as the latter masturbates in the bath. Oliver later licks the bathwater from the plug hole. Released via Bad World, a Blood Records subsidiary dedicated to liquid-filled vinyl, the announcement immediately went viral. A typical response on Twitter/X concluded: “This is mega nasty on so many levels”, while comments on the Bad World Instagram account were more enthusiastic.
Atlanta, GA | The Atlanta Record & CD Show – July 21 – Sunday 2024: One of the largest and longest running record conventions in the Southeast so please come and check it out! More LPs, 45s, CDs, DVDs, posters, t-shirts, and other collectibles than you can imagine under one musical roof! Vinyl has been making a big comeback the last few years and the hobby of collecting music continues to grow. “Vendors and vinyl collectors from across the South will all be attending the next Atlanta Record & CD show on July 21 (Sunday) 2024 at the IAMAW Union Hall – 1032 S. Marietta Pkwy, Marietta, Ga. A local institution for over 35 years, this event is the largest of its kind in the Southeast with (over 100 tables) loaded with records, CDs, DVDs and lots more for the music lover. All types of music can be found here in the Atlanta area’s largest one day record store! Admission is only ($4). *Early Entry begins at 8:30am = $10
Dayton, OH | Punk music and a punk flea market: Blind Rage Weekend has 20 bands on the lineup: Dayton record shop Blind Rage Records will celebrate its fourth anniversary with a two-day festival lineup of punk and hardcore bands on July 19-20 at Yellow Cab Tavern. More than 20 national and regional bands will be playing Blind Rage Weekend, with headlining performances by The Crosses (Milwaukee), Negative Approach (Detroit) and Zero Boys (Indianapolis) — featuring staples in the hardcore and punk scenes. Negative Approach just toured with heavy metal barbarians GWAR last fall, and “is arguably the greatest hardcore band ever,” according to Gwen Downing-Groth, owner of Blind Rage Records. Zero Boys aren’t often playing smaller-cap rooms either, so experiencing these bands in an intimate setting is not normal behavior, despite the innate underground feel of punk music. Washington, D.C. band Bed Maker, fronted by Amanda MacKaye (sister of Ian MacKaye from Minor Threat and Fugazi), will play before Negative Approach on Friday night.
