With vinyl record sales surging at a 28 year high, it’s no surprise that among those celebrating the resurgence of that “warm and fuzzy sound” are the vinyl manufacturers themselves.
In 2015 alone, vinyl sales hit $416 million thanks in part to major retailers including Barnes and Noble and Urban Outfitters adding vinyl to their retail stores. In comparison, streaming music from YouTube, Vevo and Spotify only accounted for $385 million in sales during 2015, according to the RIAA.
But regardless of sales numbers, at the heart of the vinyl industry is a core group of highly-skilled craftsmen who take great pride in pressing those records. Among others, this includes the Cleveland, Ohio-based record manufacturer Gotta Groove Records.
As the first completely vertically integrated vinyl manufacturing and distribution operation in the world, Gotta Groove Records is the only pressing plant that manages every step of the manufacturing process including lacquers, plating, pressing, label/sleeve/jacket printing and fulfillment.
In this recently-released mini-doc from the company, we get a behind the scenes look at what goes into making a finished vinyl product from scratch:
