Could the vinyl record industry be a victim of its success? Or, rather, Taylor Swift’s success?

Vinyl records have ridden an upward trajectory in recent years, and it’s indisputable that the mighty selling power of Swift is a part of this success. But the vinyl record industry is too small for purpose and only retains a less than five percent market share (the highest since its heyday). There’s little competition for the digital consumption of music, and while the industry consistently shows growth, it’s clear there is a precariousness in its standing.

As vinyl faded as a major format through the 1990s, most pressing plants closed or turned their focus to pressing CD or tape formats. There was little prediction that vinyl would become a desirable format again, and the infrastructure that once pressed millions of records around the world with ease would need to be rebuilt from the ashes.

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As much as that infrastructure could possibly be rebuilt after the format’s golden age, the industry is now stuck in a quandary of demand overtaking capacity. Many major artists now issue on vinyl, and the production of records by Swift, Adele, Ed Sheeran, and others have caused massive schedule conflicts and long, gruelling delays for any........

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