Artists such as the duo Damon & Naomi decided not to release a pressing for their LP A Sky Record due to the excessive turnaround time. Many smaller label companies mentioned their clientele pushed away in favor of Adele. The 4xLP vinyl for Red (Taylor’s Version) was released simultaneously, but fans speculated that it was rushed since black was the only color available-a missed opportunity for an artist known for her meticulous attention to detail.īut these challenges pale in comparison to smaller artists. But for the first two, the vinyl was released months later than the albums themselves. She holds the records for selling the most vinyl in a week for evermore and Fearless (Taylor’s Version) before breaking it again with Red (Taylor’s Version). Swift faced similar issues for her re–recordings. Now only one factory producing lacquer discs remains. In a radio interview, Sheeran lamented that there are only “three vinyl factories in the world” and that “Adele had basically booked out all the vinyl factories.” Even though there are multiple vinyl factories in the United States alone, Sheeran is talking about the plants producing the lacquer disc, which serves as the foundation for the vinyl.Ī fire in 2020 before the pandemic destroyed Apollo Masters Corp. Still, the artist complained of the delays. For his release date of = in October, Sheeran was able to turn in his album just three months earlier in July-advancing past the set deadline because of his stronger presence in the industry. When rumors of Adele’s comeback first surfaced, Sheeran rushed to complete his album. Smaller artists have constantly faced delays for their vinyl pressing due to big artists releasing music and a demand for legacy acts such as Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours.Įven Adele’s peers have found trouble with record pressing. This waiting period can be as long as eight to nine months for everyone no matter their stardom, but Adele’s fame is too much for factories to handle. In order to line up the digital and physical releases of the album, Adele had to complete and turn in her finished album six months prior, which is much longer than usual.

Add in Adele’s album, which follows one of the best–selling albums in history, and you have the perfect recipe for disaster.

The fourth quarter of 2021 has been headlined by major musicians such as Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, ABBA, and Coldplay, who have all previously excelled outside of just streaming. As a result, major artists have a monopoly on vinyl supplies, resulting in limited opportunities for smaller artists.Īdele’s release of her fourth album 30, another blockbuster record for the artist, depicts the current chaotic state of physical sales. The combination of renewed interest and supply chain issues resulting from the pandemic has led to demand far exceeding supply. Resurgence in this music format seems at odds with the simultaneous explosion in streaming service popularity, but vinyl holds a special place in the hearts of music enthusiasts and represents a nostalgic artifact from the twentieth century. CDs and cassettes are quickly going out of style, but vinyl sales have skyrocketed.

Adele vinyl