News

Most of us are convinced that the media regularly underreports record sales. It seems that Nielsen/Soundscan's numbers can't possible be correct, nor does it seem likely they have the ability to dig deeply into the sales portals where much of the vinyl activity occurs.

In a "vinyl summit" meeting I attended last winter, with representatives of record labels and pressing plants, I volunteered to try to ascertain the real numbers. Unfortunately, most privately held turntable manufacturers are under no obligation to divulge their sales figures, nor are they eager to do so for reasons that should be obvious.

I suggested that perhaps I could get cooperation by promising to keep the numbers confidential, releasing only aggregate numbers (total worldwide vinyl LPs produced, total turntable and cartridge sales).

I'm not sure we can ever get accurate sales numbers but at the meeting we reasoned that pressing plants were not pressing records for their amusement and that if they were pressing, people were buying. So if we could get pressing plant numbers, after allowing for a certain percentage of inventory, we could get a pretty good idea of how many records were sold in 2012 and so far in 2013. Ditto, turntable and phono cartridge sales.

To that end, I recently sent this email to dozens of contacts worldwide:

Dear industry colleague:

As you know, both turntable and vinyl sales are hideously underreported by the media, even as it occasionally produces stories about the "vinyl resurgence."

In a meeting I had last winter with executives of pressing plants and record labels, I volunteered to attempt to get some real aggregate numbers that can be used in an industry-wide press release to tell the actual story.

My experience has been that individual companies are hesitant to divulge sales numbers for various reasons, most of which are obvious.

So I offered to try to persuade turntable manufacturers and record pressing plants to divulge their numbers to me, which I promised would never be made public on an individual basis.

Instead, aggregate numbers would be provided to the media that would more accurately reflect the tremendous growth this business has seen over the past few years.

I recently put out feelers to a few major turntable manufacturers as a test and I'm happy to say I got numbers that were well beyond my most optimistic expectations.

I am hoping their willingness to cooperate will encourage you to do likewise!

So I'm emailing you to find out if you would be willing to tell me (depending upon your business):

1) How many full length LP records (and separately, 12" singles) your plant pressed in 2012 and so far in 2013.

2) How many turntables your company manufactured and sold in 2012 and so far in 2013.

3) How many phono cartridges your company manufactured and sold in 2012 and so far in 2013.

This email is being sent to manufacturers, as well as to importers and online retailers who have direct connections to manufacturers to help get the information as well from companies to which I lack a direct connection.

Thank you for your support in this project!

-Michael Fremer

editor, Analogplanet.com

senior contributing editor, Stereophile

P.S.: I understand your hesitancy to divulge to me your numbers. Please trust that they are safe with me. I am convinced that the aggregate numbers will produce an enormous amount of world wide press that will benefit everyone, large and small. Thank you.

The email list includes 29 pressing plants. Within minutes of sending the email I received an automated response from a French pressing plant informing me that they are over-ordered and understaffed and to please try again in August. That's a good sign I'd say!

I have already received responses from two of the largest turntable manufacturers and the numbers were impressive!