Published 24 June, 2026

For The Record Part 2 Shows the Full Depth of Victoria’s Vinyl Ecosystem

Last year’s For The Record report showed the strength of Victoria’s vinyl retail. Part 2 shows it is only the tip of the iceberg with the majority of vinyl transactions happening directly between labels/ artists and fans.

Last year’s For The Record report revealed the economic value of the vinyl retail industry in Victoria, revealing an ecosystem that has the most number of record stores per head of population in the world, the majority of Australia’s vinyl pressing plants and a number of distributors servicing a vibrant local scene. It did, however, spotlight the precarious financial situation across all independent music retail, with the vast majority existing on a knife edge, despite growing sales.

Further investigation has shown that the iceberg analogy is real. The commerce counted in For The Record is just what we can see, but out of sight, online and in venues, the majority of sales are taking place, forging fandom and community between artists and fans.