Vinyl revival: Sony to start spinning records again after 30-year hiatus

Three decades after it abandoned vinyl production, Sony says it will start making records again on the back of surging demand for the retro music format.

A factory southwest of Tokyo will be churning out freshly pressed records by March next year, Sony Music Entertainment said on Thursday.

The Japanese giant stopped making vinyl records in 1989, a company spokesman said, as consumers flocked to compact discs and other emerging music technology.

Major music market Japan produced nearly 200 million records a year in the mid-seventies, according to the country’s recording industry association.

Sony was a major global player in the development of CDs, which have since taken a back seat to downloads and music streaming. Vinyl has been making a global comeback as it attracts not only nostalgic older consumers but also younger generations.