Italy’s leading music conference Linecheck took place once again in Milan earlier this year, and Vinyl Alliance was on hand to provide expert insight. Under the roof of BASE Milano, the industry event – which forms part of the Milan Music Week – had a range of panel talks, showcases, and workshops, all addressing innovation and progress.
For the panel Vinyl Culture: Collectibles, Communities, and Cutting-Edge Sound, Vinyl Alliance’s Ryan Mitrovich was joined by other welcomed industry guests, Massimo Reali [FUGA], Sean Preston [Ninja Tune], and Richard Zijlma [Haarlem Vinyl Festival], while the panel was moderated by Record Store Day Italy’s Danilo Durante.
From delivering value to the superfan, to connecting directly with audiences, to fostering community through events and social media, we break down the topics covered in this wide-ranging conversation.
Building Community Online
TikToker Soundwavesoffwax recently became a trending sensation after she started posting records from her deceased father’s collection. Based in Canada, the social-media star, who goes by her first name Jula, inherited her father’s 10,000 records after he passed away, and decided to share each one through her TikTok account. Jula now has over 80k followers, and has become a prime example of how a younger generation is connecting with and discussing vinyl.
“A lot of the value vinyl can bring, is the sense of community that younger people get, and that’s happening both in person and online,” explains Vinyl Alliance’s Ryan Mitrovich. “You’re also seeing that in hip-hop, contemporary jazz, with fans sharing their collections on TikTok and engaging with fan communities on Reddit.”
“Vinyl is becoming a sort of medal-of-honor for how much fans like an artist,” Ninja Tune’s Preston explains about the phenomenon.
Within that sense of community is the urge among fans to support one another and help artists prosper and survive. Comments Mitrovich, “Many of those fans are very aware of how much of their money goes towards the artist, and that’s what they want.”
“Vinyl is becoming a sort of medal-of-honor for how much fans like an artist.”
Creating community is just one of the primary factors behind the vinyl resurgence and the growth in demand from younger fans. It’s not the only reason; tangibility and connection also play a key role.
“With vinyl, it’s not just the idea of collectability, but it’s the idea of owning and interacting with music in a physical sense,” explains Preston. “As humans, we like to collect and look at things, and then we try to cultivate that interest in ways that are good for the music community and the wider music industry.”
Putting the Record Store at the centre
At the heart of any good community is a place to gather, and with vinyl that place is the record store. Earlier last year, Vinyl Alliance launched a survey to find out how Gen Z interacted with and consumed vinyl.
“We’ve been doing some research, and one thing we found is that young people actually prefer to buy vinyl in stores,” explains Mitrovich about the report. “It’s about craving that community experience, which is a really healthy sign for the industry.”
“Buying the record at a record store connects you with the artist and connects you to your own identity,” adds Zijlma. “The whole experience tells you who you are, and what you stand for.”
Record stores are also changing to adapt to younger audiences. “That feeling of being judged by record store owners is a thing of the past,” adds Reali.
“I think the culture in record stores is shifting and adapting to being more welcoming and embracing that role of education and learning,” adds Mitrovich. “That’s happening and should continue to happen not only in record stores, but also in hi-fi shops and anywhere else there’s equipment. The point of sale is the point of engagement with fans.”
Direct to Fan
Vinyl is one way for the artist to connect with the artist. It’s part of a growing trend for artists and musicians looking for ways of communicating with their audience.
“I think one of the key things for artists in the next year is owning the conversation, and not just leaving it on social media,” Reali explains about how things are changing. “For instance, we have clients that really use Discord in an effective way, which is a really effective way to communicate to your target audience.”
As well as owning communication channels, artists and companies are using vinyl specifically to connect more meaningfully with fans.
“Subscription services like Vinyl Me, Please are a great example of giving fans something a bit extra. They’re not just selling fans one or two records every month, but they’re doing deluxe editions of these albums. Getting journalists to write unique exclusive liner notes on how this album came to be. And they’re going to find the best cutting and mastering engineers and doing a special cut of this album.”
“I think one of the key things for artists in the next year is owning the conversation.”
Going Green
Earlier last year, the Vinyl Alliance published the first ever industry carbon footprinting report. It highlighted the growing trend of manufacturers using more sustainable materials and practices when it comes to producing vinyl. It’s just one of the ways the vinyl industry is currently innovating, and a way of attracting new users to the format.
“Sustaining the current quality that we have in vinyl is really important. And that’s constantly a thing that we’re looking at in the world of vinyl production,” affirms Preston.
“When you talk about new technology [in the vinyl industry] a lot of it is focused around sustainability,” explains Mitrovich. Using new ‘bio-attributed’ PVC compounds, record manufacturers are implementing more sustainable solutions to make records, and it’s something that’s driving more users to the medium.
“You have to connect that to the the audiophile fans who want to make sure that the quality is still there” adds Mitrovich. “When you talk about some of the new materials being used, for example, like the PVC that’s replacing fossil fuel materials, there is no real difference. There can always be bias or resistance to new technology, but the reality is that the quality is there and everybody involved in the manufacture of vinyl understands that the quality comes first. There is more of an issue of education for the end user.”
Looking to the Future
Vinyl has been around for almost a century, yet while the technology hasn’t changed that much, how we listen to music has. This itself begs a lot of questions, about how varying technologies are connected, and how they will grow together over time.
“I find it really interesting that vinyl has been around for so long, yet younger consumers are discovering vinyl like it’s a brand new technology,” adds Mitrovich. “They are people who grew up in a completely digital age, so for them, hearing music come out of grooves blows their minds. That’s why we don’t see vinyl being in competition with streaming. It’s complimentary. Streaming is how you discover what your favorite music is, and then decide to go buy it on vinyl.”
“Why don’t we start instead to think about campaigns that start with vinyl, and then lead to digital platforms?”
Fans who buy vinyl more often than the average buyer, or listen more than the average streamer, are commonly referred to as superfans. “You have to nurture the superfan to get the most from them,” explains Reali. “But why don’t we start instead to think about campaigns that start with vinyl, and then lead to digital platforms?”
One of the ways of doing this is through exclusive listening parties, meet-the-artist events, or other such parties. It helps build community and creates experience for the fans.
“Besides the record itself, the whole listening experience is really interesting, look at what’s happening with listening bars,” points out Zijlma. “During my festival we have a lot of listening sessions, and I think that’s interesting because then you really connect with the community.”
Plus, another way of helping build and market to the superfan is through exclusive, and premium packaging. “We do more with the vinyl now, such as with the packaging, because we understand that the superfan is really where the industry has to go for,” concludes Preston, about the one the ways Ninja Tune is taking.
Ultimately, vinyl is about respecting the artform. “Vinyl really exists on two separate levels of art; one is the audio, and then what we do is more of a sort of collaborative art form, which is the vinyl cover,” concludes Preston, “and that’s the beauty of why you would stream an album more if you had it on vinyl than if you didn’t. It’s because it’s a reminder that it’s there. It cultivates the superfan to be more involved, look for the tour dates and to be more present.”
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