Spinning around: Sony to re-start vinyl production 30 years after ditching format

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Japanese entertainment giant Sony has said it will re-start production of vinyl records, 30 years after abandoning the format.

A factory southwest of Tokyo will start pressing records again from next March to meet a growing demand for the retro format.

Sony ceased production of records in 1989 after music fans switched their attention to CDs and other emerging formats.

Major music market Japan produced around 200 million records per year in the 1970s, according to the country’s recording industry association.

Vinyl is finding new fans among the generation, old and young. /VCG Photo

The format was superseded by the CD, which in turn was replaced by streaming services and other digital formats.

But vinyl has witnessed a resurgence in popularity in recent years among older fans and younger music lovers who place a greater emphasis on audio quality.

“The decision didn’t surprise me because vinyl sales have been climbing for the last five years. A friend of mine in Berlin told me he has to wait half a year for the pressing plant to press his record because it’s overbooked,” Ni Bing, founder of the Chinese record label Drum Rider, told CGTN.

“The biggest digital platforms like iTunes, Spotify are stuck because not so many people are paying to subscribe to music now,” he said.

Workers packing The Beatles' album Rubber Soul at the EMI factory in 1965. /VCG Photo

But while he welcomes the vinyl revival, he doesn’t think it’s likely to hit China in a big way.

“A lot of friends have started collecting records and buying record players. It’s a small, niche market. There’s only one pressing plant in China, in Shenzhen, pressing old, legendary records,” he said.

“I don’t think it will develop that fast here compared to the international market. People listening to music now are getting younger and younger. They are born in the digital world. How can they go back to the vinyl world? The sound quality for them does not really matter.”

Consultancy firm Deloitte says global vinyl sales this year are expected to peak at around 1 billion US dollars, far in excess of the revenue generated from CDs and digital downloads.

CGTN’s Pan Deng on the top five albums that sound better on vinyl

CGTN's music buff Pan Deng hosting The World Today. /CGTN Screenshot

He’s a familiar face to viewers of CGTN as one of the anchors of The World Today, but one thing you might not know about Pan Deng is that he is an avid vinyl collector.

Since 2005, he has amassed a collection of around 2,000 records and while he is interested in all genres, his recent purchases have been mostly jazz-funk, field recordings of world music and singers from the Middle East.

Pink Floyd, King Crimson and Roxy Music are among his favorite bands although recently he’s been listening to Wilco, Lambchop and M83.

Here he presents his list of the five albums best listened to the old-fashioned way – on vinyl.

Pink Floyd – the Dark Side of the Moon (1973)

This album takes rock into a philosophical cosmos. It's all about vision, musicality and originality. Some may argue the MFSL 24K gold CD is the "ultimate" version, but for a landmark album like this, the original vinyl pressing is a must to understand the unlimited depth of it.

Steely Dan – the Royal Scam (1976)

Believe it or not, this album is still being sampled by DJs all around the world. It pushes grooves, riffs, solos, singing, melody, lyrics and musical craftsmanship to perfection. It’s jazz, rock, funk, fusion, white, black, soft, hard… It’s every quality thing you can ask for in pop music. You really need a turntable to witness the magic.

Stevie Wonder – Songs in the Key of Life (1976)

Wonder is a genius who sees everything musical. His magic wand turns music elements into gold. This album is like a rollercoaster ride. When “Pastime Paradise” blows your mind away on the first note, “Summer Soft” melts you right away in your chair. Vinyl is made for voices like Wonder’s. The double-vinyl gatefold jacket is beautiful too.

Donald Byrd – Ethiopian Knights (1971)

This is jazz-funk in a warm yet mildly ambitious way. No matter whether it’s a solo project or he’s playing for other big names, Byrd never disappoints. I’ve also got the 3 CD version of this album but the original warmth of vinyl can only be slightly sensed on a Japanese SHM-CD [an improved CD format].

Koku Nishimura – Fuke Shu Honkyoku; Kyotaku (1964)

The shakuhachi legend’s extremely hard-to-find album. I’ve got the test pressing of the first edition on virgin red vinyl. The sound quality shows the shakuhachi [a Japanese flute] in its most authentic and rawest form. It forms an unstoppable power of analogue and Zen.

Some vinyl pressing plants are struggling to keep up with demand. /VCG Photo