Irony 101: Record companies elbow out the vinyl LP in order to maximize profits through the sale of cheap-to-manufacture CDs, which ends up paving the way for a digital music revolution that, in effect, obliterates the music industry’s consumer stranglehold. And the icing on the cake? The resulting destabilization creates the perfect environment for the rebirth of the vinyl record, which in turn empowers the independent artist.

How Did All This Happen?

In 1988, after surviving the reel-to-reel, the 8-track, and cassette tape, the vinyl record was finally toppled and all but eradicated by the CD. Although there was no shortage of enthusiasm for the easy-to-play compact disc, the disappearance of vinyl was largely orchestrated by major label distributors, who stopped allowing retailers to return and swap unsold records (a practice common in everything from magazine and book to music and movie sales).

Left with little choice in the matter, retailers began to stock CDs, and labels stopped offering most titles on vinyl. It was a good move for corporate shareholders, as CDs were a fraction of the cost to manufacture, while still justifying the higher price tag of a new techy product.

And so the matter was settled, at least for the 90s.

Enter the Mp3

After not much more than a decade on top, the CD had its ass royally kicked by the digital audio file. Not only was it too expensive, but the CD scratched just as easily as vinyl, and the casings didn’t hold up to wear nearly as well as the record sleeve. For most music lovers, the switch to computer-based audio storage has been a no-brainer, and the resulting impact on the music industry has been nothing short of the dawn of a new era for the vinyl record.

As if to rebel against its polycarbonate parent, the mp3 has actually played a role in bringing vinyl back into the mainstream. With all our music tucked away in computer files, a lot of the art, texture, and interactivity of the music listening experience disappeared, leading a whole new generation of music lovers to yearn for a tangible way to engage.

The Vinyl Revolution – Again

As a result of the desire for music you can actually hug, vinyl sales and production have been growing. 2008 was a watershed year, with almost 3 million vinyl records sold – the most since the nineties. And if predictions hold, those number should continue to grow over the next several year.

While sales have been propelled by a few big names, like Radiohead, Bob Dylan, and Elvis Costello, the vinyl revolution is truly led by independent artists and labels rolling out small pressings. The combined influence of vinyl reissues like Neutral Milk Hotel’s Aeroplane Over the Sea, and the DIY efforts of wax-loving punk labels have made collecting indie vinyl into the new best way to love music. And independent artists are benefiting big time.

How to Use Vinyl

More and more, indie bands are releasing albums online, then issuing a small, complementary pressing of vinyl LPs, complete with codes for a one-time download of the online release. These babies are expensive to produce – about $4.00 per album including covers – but they also have amazing sales appeal.

There may not be a better piece of tour merch that a vinyl record encased in a glossy, colorful sleeve. It’s all the best things about rock and roll combined into one – music, badass artwork, detailed lyrics, and a gorgeous way for fans to represent their participation.

For a first-hand account of how cool this stuff is, check out Vinyl Vlog. They recently conducted a great interview with Cory Manning from The Riot Before on the amazing-ness of album cover art, and some of the challenges facing bands that want to put their record on vinyl.

Better than MySpace

A piece of indie vinyl has awesome powers to reach out across the globe. In a recent interview, Andy Buehler of When’s Lunch Records, – a label that produces limited pressed vinyl with mp3 download cards included – points out that a record pressing gets ordered by fans all over the planet Earth.

And yes, sure, a MySpace page can also be viewed the world over, but imagine a record making its way across the ocean to Spain or Japan or New Zealand. That one record has more potential to create meaningful, individual points of contact with new fans than a hundred “Thanks for the follow, check out my music” shout-outs.

Admittedly, the vinyl revolution isn’t ubiquitous. Not everybody is going out and buying record players again, and most pressings sell between 2,000 and 10,000 copies max. But for an indie band looking to cater to fans and earn a few new ears, the record can be a fantastic promotional tool. Many vinyl pressing plants (1, 2, 3) will do runs as small as 300 or 100 units, making vinyl a viable medium for bands at all levels.