I’m going to say something that might upset some people in the music industry: the vinyl revival is over. Not because vinyl is dying — it’s healthier than it’s been in decades. It’s over because the word “revival” implies something temporary, something novelty, something that might go away. And vinyl isn’t going anywhere.

The Numbers Tell a Stable Story

Australian vinyl sales have plateaued, and I think that’s actually good news. After years of double-digit growth that had every business journalist writing breathless “vinyl is back!” articles, we’ve settled into a sustainable market. ARIA figures from 2025 showed modest growth of about 3% year-on-year, down from the 20-30% spikes we saw in the late 2010s.

That plateau means vinyl has found its audience. It’s not a fad anymore. The people buying records in 2025 are buying them because they want to own physical music, not because it’s trendy. And that’s a much more solid foundation for shops like mine.

Who’s Actually Buying

The demographics have shifted in interesting ways. When the revival kicked off around 2012-2013, the narrative was all about hipsters and nostalgia. These days my customer base is genuinely diverse.

The strongest growth segment I see in my shop is 25-35 year olds who grew up on streaming and are discovering physical media for the first time. They’re not nostalgic — they never had records. They’re drawn to the intentionality of it. You choose an album. You put it on. You listen to the whole thing. In an age of infinite playlists and algorithmic recommendations, that’s a radical act.

I’ve also got a solid base of over-50s who kept their collections through the CD years and are thrilled to see turntables in shops again. And increasingly, I’m seeing teenagers come in with their parents. The format is genuinely cross-generational.

The Challenges Are Real

Let’s not pretend everything’s perfect. Pressing plant capacity in Australia remains limited, with Zenith in Melbourne being the primary domestic option. International plants have backlogs that push release dates out by months. Supply chain costs have pushed retail prices up across the board.

The quality control issue hasn’t gone away either. I still get batches of new records with warps, off-centre pressings, and surface noise that shouldn’t be there. When you’re charging $40-50 for an LP, the product needs to be right. Too many labels are still treating quality as an afterthought.

And then there’s the environmental question, which the industry has been slow to address. Vinyl is PVC. The manufacturing process involves chemicals. The shipping logistics for a heavy physical product aren’t great. The industry needs to get serious about sustainability, from recycled vinyl programs to more efficient packaging.

What Post-Revival Vinyl Looks Like

Now that we’re past the hype cycle, I think the market will reward quality over quantity. Labels that put out well-mastered, well-pressed records with thoughtful packaging will keep their customers. Labels that crank out sloppy pressings and rely on coloured vinyl gimmicks to justify inflated prices will see declining sales.

Independent shops are evolving too. The stores that are thriving aren’t just selling records — they’re building communities. In-store performances, listening sessions, record clubs, and curated events are becoming as important as the stock on the shelves. My shop runs a monthly new release listening night, and it’s consistently our best community event.

Where Australia Fits

Australia has always punched above its weight in music, and the vinyl scene is no different. Our independent label ecosystem is world-class. Our pressing quality from Zenith is excellent. Our record store culture, from shops like Northside in Melbourne to Egg Records in Sydney to Rocking Horse in Brisbane, is vibrant and distinctive.

The challenge for Australia is distance. Importing vinyl from Europe and the US is expensive, and that cost gets passed to consumers. I’d love to see more investment in domestic pressing capacity and more Australian labels committing to local manufacturing. It would bring prices down and reduce turnaround times.

Some retailers are exploring how Team 400 can help with logistics and supply chain optimisation for physical media distribution. Anything that reduces the cost of getting records from pressing plant to shelf is worth investigating.

The Path Forward

Vinyl doesn’t need reviving anymore. It needs sustaining. That means fair pricing, quality products, strong independent retail, and a genuine commitment to the music rather than the format as a status symbol.

I’ve been selling records for twenty years, through the worst of the decline and the best of the recovery. What I know is this: people want to own music they love in a form that feels meaningful. Vinyl does that better than anything else.

The revival is over. The real work starts now.