Pressing Vinyl

The saying goes "what's old is new again" and that really applies to vinyl records. The music format went from the only game in town to a decline with cassettes and CDs to death's door in less than two decades. The late 90s to early aughts were a time when getting an album on vinyl was near-impossible. Funny enough, it's also the time when records produced during those days are highly collectible due to the low production runs.

The resurgence of records crept in slowly, aided by Record Store Day and a growing interest in the format from people who wanted a physical music experience once more. Now, records are pressed all the time and new releases come out all the time. Even records are not immune from shortages and supply chain issues these days.

One cool part of records is their pressing and how they are made in a pressing plant. It's one part of the process I always wondered about and Wired has this great look at Third Man Records. This label founded by Jack White and others presses its own records and lets Wired in on the entire operation.

As someone who has bought records during those dark days and continues to now, it is a fantastic nostalgia trip. This was fun to watch and I think you'll enjoy these seven minutes of music magic.