Spinning History: Indiana, Chicago, and the Vinyl Record Renaissance

In the heartland of America, Indiana and Chicago boast a rich history in vinyl record pressing, contributing significantly to the music industry's evolution. Dating back to the mid-20th century, these regions played pivotal roles in the production and distribution of vinyl records, helping shape the way music was consumed and enjoyed.

Indiana's connection to vinyl pressing can be traced back to the 1950s when major record labels like RCA Victor and Columbia Records established pressing plants in Indianapolis and Terre Haute. These plants churned out iconic records from legendary artists such as Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, and The Beatles, fueling the vinyl craze that swept the nation.

Chicago, known for its vibrant music scene, also became a hub for vinyl record manufacturing. The city's pressing plants, including Chess Records and Brunswick Records, were instrumental in popularizing genres like blues, jazz, and rock 'n' roll. Iconic albums by artists like Muddy Waters, Chuck Berry, and Buddy Guy rolled off the presses, leaving an indelible mark on music history.

Despite the digital revolution's rise, vinyl records have experienced a renaissance in recent years, with enthusiasts and collectors craving the tactile experience and warm sound that vinyl offers. There is nothing quite like holding a record in your hands, dropping the needle, and then hearing the first few notes bring the room to life while you read the inserts and check out the album’s artwork. This experience cannot be streamed, and this resurgence has led to a growing demand for an increase in vinyl pressing capacity.

So, where are the pressing plants?

Well, the short answer is: there's not much in the Midwest, but opening more record pressing plants here could help bolster and revitalize the music industry in several ways. Creating job opportunities is always good. Pressing plants need skilled technicians to operate the presses, as well as entry level workers to fulfill packaging and distribution roles. Improving the local economy and helping to foster a sense of community around music production is a big win for everyone.

Moreover, increased pressing capacity would support independent artists and labels. Smaller indie acts are currently facing outrageously long wait times to receive their records from the few pressing plants that exist. It’s a supply and demand problem. Big name artists with large pressing amount orders are catered to first, putting small bands with smaller pressing runs on the back burner. With vinyl's resurgence, having more pressing plants in strategic locations could help meet this demand more efficiently, reducing wait times and costs for artists and labels.

Not so fast, we need to address some cold hard facts.
Buzzkill in 3,2,1…

• Acquiring specialized vinyl pressing machinery is costly, and there might be limited availability due to increased demand during the vinyl resurgence.

• Operating vinyl pressing machines requires skilled technicians who understand the nuances of vinyl production, including temperature control, mastering, and quality assurance. We’ll need to pay someone to come train our staff, but ultimately there is nothing better than experience, and that experience is going to take time.

• What about the cost of physical space? We’ll need significant space for machinery, storage of raw materials and finished products, as well as the infrastructure for our power supply, ventilation, and waste disposal.

• Where will we source raw materials like vinyl pellets, labels, sleeves, and packaging materials? Suppliers are out there, but you’ll need to consider and anticipate material price fluctuations based on demand.

• What about regulatory requirements related to environmental standards, waste management, noise control, and occupational safety? If we’re going to do it, we must do it safely, legally, and correctly.

So clearly starting a pressing plant requires a significant initial investment in equipment, infrastructure, labor, marketing, and ongoing operational costs before seeing returns. Ouch.

So nothing good is out there? (Sure there is - keep reading!)

The above facts can sometime take the fun out of dreaming, but don’t let that happen – otherwise nothing cool would exist. Some of us love a good challenge and there are people out there with the ability and drive to increase the amount of new pressing operations in our own backyard. We just need more of them.

One business that has taken up the mantle to help ensure new records are being pressed right here in the Midwest is Smashed Plastic Record Pressing in Chicago. This place is cool and is a great example of what happens when passion fuels a dream. Their team has been around since 2018 and is the only pressing plant in Illinois. Here's a great article on their history from the Chicago Reader: “Chicago gets its first vinyl-pressing plant in decades”.

They offer everything you need to get a vinyl release pressed, packaged and into the hands of your adoring fans as expeditiously as possible. Check out their website and socials to understand their process and see examples of their work:

• Website: smashedplastic.com
• IG: @smashedplastic
• Facebook: @smashedplastic

Into the future...

Indiana and Chicago’s history of pressing vinyl records is not just a chronicle of manufacturing processes, but it’s part of a wider cultural narrative intertwined with the evolution of music. We helped distribute our own flavors of rock, jazz, and blues from our own backyard to the entire world.

Our people were here to run pressing plants for the initial boom in the 1950s and we are still here today. Expanding this legacy through new pressing plants could help usher in a new era of creativity, sustainability, and prosperity for the music industry.