The Struggles of Independent Music Shops in Europe
Across Europe, a distressing trend has emerged: many cherished music and vinyl shops are shutting down for good. Despite a notable resurgence in vinyl sales—largely fueled by a desire for physical media and nostalgic experiences in an increasingly digital landscape—independent record stores are grappling with numerous challenges. Rising rent prices and the gentrification of local communities, often exacerbated by tourism, are making it increasingly difficult for these shops to survive.
Take Tattoo Records, for instance, nestled in the picturesque Piazzetta Nilo in Naples, Italy. After an impressive 41 years of serving music lovers, owner Enzo Pone recently announced the shop’s closure. He lamented, “Piazzetta Nilo has become a place that is not easy to navigate professionally for those who sell products other than pizza or a smelly cuoppo of poorly defrosted fish.” In a heartfelt statement shared on social media, he added, “You make less money with jazz than with pizza.”
Elsewhere, Dust Dealers, a cornerstone of the revitalized Brussels vinyl scene, closed its doors last month. In Spain, the historic Casa Beethoven, which opened its doors on Barcelona’s iconic Las Ramblas in 1880, now faces an uncertain future, despite housing a remarkable catalog of over 70,000 music scores.
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Casa Beethoven, a 140-year-old music store, boasts a vast archive of music scores spanning a multitude of genres. Co-owner Jaume Doncos reflects on the store’s precarious situation: “These types of shops are like the Titanic, slowly sinking. Our decline isn’t rapid; we remain open most hours and benefit from our location on Las Ramblas, where foot traffic allows us to survive. Ultimately, it will depend on when we decide to retire. We are aware of the changing landscape, and we know the end is inevitable.”
The Paradox of Rising Vinyl Sales
Ironically, while numerous independent music shops face potential closure, the global vinyl market is experiencing a remarkable upswing. In the United States, vinyl sales have surged by 6.2% this year. Meanwhile, in the UK, the Official Charts Company and the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) report a 3.2% increase in physical music sales in the first half of 2024, with a staggering 8,044,760 units sold. This marks the first increase in figures since the onset of the streaming boom in 2004.
In France, physical media accounts for a small yet significant portion of recorded music sales. The SNEP (Syndicat national de l’Ă©dition phonographique) revealed in its 2023 annual report that 24% of the €815 million generated last year originated from CDs and vinyl, with almost equal shares: €97 million for CDs and €94 million for vinyl—a remarkable +5.5% increase compared to 2022.
This data presents a paradox, raising critical questions: Can the rise in vinyl sales offset the economic pressures faced by independent record stores? Are consumers increasingly opting for online shopping or larger retailers, thus bypassing local shops in favor of convenience? Despite the challenges, Jeffrey Smith, the vice president of marketing at Discogs—one of the largest online vinyl retailers—remains optimistic: “Independent record stores are the backbone of vinyl culture. We want to set the record straight: Vinyl is still in demand, indie stores are thriving, and the market is expanding.”