Houston, TX | Physical Music Is More Popular Than Ever in Houston: Even in the digital age, independent record stores like Cactus Music and Vinal Edge are thriving thanks to music fans wanting to support their favorite artists. …Vinyl, as a medium, never actually went away. Even as cassette tapes, CDs, and then digital files all became mainstream distribution options for artists and record labels, the little polymer that could continues chugging along to entertain physical media collectors, serve as an owned archive in an age of licensing, and provide musicians with higher royalty rates than what they’d otherwise receive with an mp3 file. In fact, Billboard revealed that, in 2022, 43 percent of albums sold were vinyl records, representing a 17-year pattern of growth. “It’s just a great format overall. Just the size of it. You get the graphics. There’s the ritual of it. You can put in really cool posters and all kinds of stuff. You can have fun with the packaging, and it’s just vibrant, you know…”
Hobart, AU | Hobart-based Suffragette Records part of movement to amplify female artists in male-dominated industry: When visiting this record store in Hobart you might find Lauren Carter and her three daughters playing hidden gems or well-loved works from a breadth of female artists. In 2020, Lauren was on a mission to listen to more music by women. But whilst sifting through the crates of records at her local record stores, she became frustrated, unable to find her favourite artists on vinyl. After breakfast one morning she posed an idea to her husband Oberon: a record store that just celebrates music by women. Three months later, Suffragette Records was opened at Battery Point. …Passionate about empowering women, Suffragette Records is an extension of the values Lauren instilled within her daughters from a young age. “I’ve always said to girls, ‘Make sure you take up space, because you deserve to be here, and you deserve to do whatever you want to do.'”
Stone, UK | Sad sign of the times as record store shuts today and goes completely online: It has been open for seven years. A town centre record store is shutting today – and going completely online. Fish Records has been in Crown Courtyard, in Stone, for the past seven years. But it closes for good this afternoon. It follows a closing-down sale in recent weeks. In a social media message to customers, the shop stated: “It is with regret that we at Fish Records announce the closure of our Stone shop from 1 March. Unfortunately it is no longer viable to operate a physical record store. We will continue to operate online with an enhanced and expanded offer. “We would like to thank those loyal customers and friends made over the past seven years. Your support has been appreciated. To those who still come in and say I didn’t know Stone had a record shop well it won’t from 1 March.”
Leeds, UK | The Vinyl Whistle: How a Leeds record store once owned by a Premier League referee became a West Brom stronghold: Leeds might be a one club city but one small corner is firmly Albion. To be more precise, it’s the corner of a record shop. Wander into the back room of The Vinyl Whistle in Headingley, a 15-minute drive or so from Elland Road and you can’t help but notice three pictures on the wall behind the counter. …Westwater is an Albion season ticket holder who has lived in Leeds for more than 30 years and bought the shop nearly 18 months ago from its previous owner, former Premier League referee, Jon Moss. It is the latter who was responsible for its witty, football-themed name. “I was never going to change that,” smiles Westwater. “The football connection suits me down to the ground as that and music are my two passions.
Haliburton, ON | Redmans Records ‘hub’ for music scene: While it wasn’t quite what she had in mind when setting the goal to be her own boss after graduating from the Haliburton School of Art + Design (HSAD) several years ago, Kelsey Redman said the chance to become sole owner at Russell Red Records was too good of an opportunity to pass up. The lifelong musician completed a deal to take over the Highland Street business in Haliburton on Feb. 1. She’s taken a month to decorate the space, which is undergoing a slight rebranding. Moving forward, the downtown storefront will be known as Redmans Records. After serving as manager since April, Redman said it was a feeling of “right place, right time” when former owners Dan Manley and Collin Burke decided they wanted out. “I always thought I’d be an artist selling my work, or a musician doing live performances as my income source—getting into retail has been interesting, but I like it. It’s been a really fun job working with music every day…”
Austin, TX | New Waterloo Records co-owner discusses saving iconic business in fast-growing city: Caren Kelleher and Trey Watson have a big job ahead of them: to carry on the legacy of an iconic Austin business. The pair recently acquired Waterloo Records & Video, one of Austin’s most beloved brands, and have big plans for the longtime record shop that’s helped burnish Austin’s reputation as the Live Music Capital of the World. The co-owners are toying with ideas to enhance the store’s experience while preserving the character of the shop that’s captivated music lovers and musicians for decades. One major change ahead: a new location. The pair will move Waterloo Records to 1105 N. Lamar Blvd. this spring, where it will have better parking and more space for events in its approximately 10,000-square-foot store, as well as continued proximity to downtown and nearby music venues. That will allow touring musicians to easily zip over to perform or sign albums, Kelleher said, which is one of the store offerings that has made it so popular.
Cleveland, OH | The Cleveland Record Riot! Vinyl Record Sale! Sun March 16th at Woodside Event Center, Broadview Hgts: The Cleveland Record RIot! It’s a BIG VINYL RECORD POP-UP sale at Woodside Event Center, 5025 Mill Road, Broadview Heights! Over 15,000 vinyl records in ONE ROOM! Great music & family fun. LPs/CDs/45s. The Cleveland Record Riot RETURNS! It’s a MAD VINYL DIGGING PARTY! Sun March 16th at the Woodside Event Center, 5025 Mill Road. Great music and amazing family fun. LPs, CDs and 45s. Dealers from far and wide converge for a giant music sale! All types of music from punk to funk to country to classic rock, hip hop, soul/jazz and more. Dust off that turntable and come on down. DOOR PRIZES TOO! Regular admission starts at 10 AM ($5) with early admission at 9 AM ($15). Don’t miss the BIG VINYL DIG!
HK | From farming to phone-free retreats, analogue wellness a new digital detox trend: Amid a resurgence of retro Polaroids and vinyl records, many are cutting out screen time to pursue hobbies from board games to blacksmithing. Blacksmithing classes. Retro vinyl record players in hotel rooms. Board games at the phone-free dinner table. The movement towards an analogue revolution—or perhaps counter-revolution—is gathering pace. Could this year be the year we say goodbye to our “smart” lives and joyfully embrace a “dumber” one? Beth McGroarty, research director at Florida-based non-profit organisation Global Wellness Institute, believes people are getting more serious about logging off for digital pauses in 2025. She considers the rise of “analogue wellness” to be this year’s most significant wellness trend.
AU | Vinyl fraud: How fake sales are manipulating the music industry. Fraudulent vinyl sales are rigging the charts and giving some players career-defining opportunities. Vinyl is booming but behind the nostalgia lies a scandal in which fraudulent sales are being used to rig charts and give some players career-defining opportunities. …Data released by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) showed vinyl accounted for 70 per cent of total physical sales by dollar value in 2023. However, according to an industry source with inside knowledge of the scam, fraudulent vinyl sales are distorting industry credibility, awards and career trajectories. Much like streaming fraud—where bots generate fake plays to boost an artist’s play counts, likes, followers and streaming numbers—vinyl fraud involves deceptive tactics to register non-existent sales. A source familiar with the scheme, who spoke to 7NEWS.com.au on condition of anonymity, said third-party operators are enlisted by both artists and industry players to artificially inflate vinyl record sales.
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