FOR THE LOVE OF VINYL

What makes a Christmas record timeless? Why do holiday albums outsell almost everything else on vinyl every December? And which Christmas records are actually worth owning?

In this festive episode of For the Love of Vinyl, host Scott Orr is joined by Terry Cole of Colemine Records and Plaid Room Records (Loveland, Ohio) for a deep dive into the world of Christmas records. From Vince Guaraldi and Bing Crosby to Michael Bublé, Phil Spector, and soul Christmas classics, Scott and Terry unpack why holiday records remain one of the most powerful rituals in vinyl culture.

They explore:

Why Christmas records sell at a completely different scale than regular vinyl

The best-selling Christmas albums of all time (and the surprises)

Underrated holiday records every collector should know

Original vs. traditional Christmas songs—and why originals are so hard to pull off

Whether Christmas albums are a smart investment for indie artists and labels

How record stores prepare all year for a few short weeks of holiday madness

Along the way, you’ll hear personal favorites, controversial takes (yes, Wonderful Christmastime comes up), behind-the-scenes retail data, and why Christmas music might be the most “evergreen” genre of them all.

Presented by A to Z Media — your go-to partner for custom vinyl pressing and physical media manufacturing.

Learn more at atozmedia.com

Order the new Cher Xmas Album here: plaidroomrecords.com

How to Promote a Release Without Losing Your Mind

PRESENTED BY LANDR - landr.com/otherrecordlabels

Promotion doesn’t have to mean gimmicks, burnout, or spending money you don’t have. In this episode, you’ll learn how to pitch your release to press and playlists, create real marketing opportunities, find your unique angle, and make release day count. We’ll also dig into what a smart post-release campaign looks like so your music keeps moving long after launch day.

This episode is taken from the masterclass, New Release Blueprint, available exclusively in The Record Label Academy. Get lifetime access today: http://otherrecordlabels.com/academy

The Release Prep Checklist: Dates, Goals, Lead Time, and Distribution

PRESENTED BY LANDR - landr.com/otherrecordlabels

This episode is taken from the masterclass, New Release Blueprint, available exclusively in The Record Label Academy. Get lifetime access today: http://otherrecordlabels.com/academy

Why Great Music Gets Ignored (And How to Fix It)

PRESENTED BY LANDR - landr.com/otherrecordlabels

This episode is taken from the masterclass, New Release Blueprint, available exclusively in The Record Label Academy. Get lifetime access today: http://otherrecordlabels.com/academy

Sign up to my mailing list here: http://otherrecordlabels.com/list

Use the code BLACKFRIDAY50 for our Biggest Discount Ever! http://otherrecordlabels.com/academy

Presented by LANDR - http://landr.com/otherrecordlabels

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Learn more about The Record Label Academy: http://otherrecordlabels.com/academy

In this episode, Scott talks with Silas, founder of Chalkpit Cassette Club and creator of The Next Wave, the monthly cassette-and-magazine discovery series that has quietly become one of the most innovative physical music platforms in the indie world.

***Get 20% OFF your LANDR Subscription! - http://landr.com/otherrecordlabels 

Silas shares the origin story of Chalkpit — from inheriting his grandfather’s cassette collection during lockdown to building a modern music discovery club rooted in physical media, community, and long-term cataloging. He breaks down how The Next Wave evolved from one-off artist releases to a tastemaker-driven monthly compilation featuring over 400 artists so far.

They discuss the DIY beginnings of cassette manufacturing, the philosophy behind physical formats in a streaming-dominated world, and the surprising resurgence of tapes within major labels and indie communities. Silas also talks about curation, design, finding new artists online, and why variety—not algorithmic sameness—is at the heart of the cassette club experience.

This is a deep, inspiring conversation about music culture, physical formats, and building a community in an era where most people consume music through screens.

Switching digital distributors can feel terrifying — what if you lose your Spotify streams, your playlists, or your hard-earned momentum? In this episode, I walk you through exactly how I safely transferred one of my own tracks (with over 200,000 streams and dozens of playlist placements) from CD Baby to LANDR… without losing a single play.

I’ll share the simple 4-step process to move your release to a new distributor while keeping your existing ISRCs, metadata, and playlists intact. It’s easier than you think — and yes, I tested it myself so you don’t have to.

🎧 In this episode:

Why artists and labels might switch digital distributors

What actually happens to your stream counts and playlists when you do

The exact step-by-step transfer process (CD Baby → LANDR)

How to know it worked (and when to delete your old release)

Common mistakes to avoid during the switch

🔗 Resources & Links:

Watch the video walkthrough + download the checklist: otherrecordlabels.com/transfer

Get 20% off LANDR: landr.com/otherrecordlabels

If you’ve been thinking about switching distributors but you’re scared of losing your stats, this episode will show you how to do it confidently — and keep your streams safe.

“If you put your artists first and try to think about what would be the best thing for them, eventually your needs will get met.”

What if a record label ignored the “industry rules,” bundled three unknown bands into a cassette box—and sold out?

Presented by LANDR - http://landr.com/otherrecordlabels

We cover:

The cassette bundle strategy that built early community

Why Bandcamp is more valuable than chasing Spotify streams

How to sign artists by putting their needs first

The $150,000 Kickstarter success story and what made it work

Why creative, imperfect marketing beats polished “content”

This episode is packed with label-building breakthroughs, mindset shifts, and real tactics you can steal today.

Vinyl records are often celebrated for their warmth, their permanence, and their beauty — but what’s the real environmental cost of keeping this format alive?

Presented by ⁠A to Z Media⁠ - http://atozmedia.com

In this episode, Scott sits down with sustainability experts Ryan Weitzel and Vladimír Víšek to explore the environmental impact of vinyl records — from raw materials and manufacturing to packaging, shipping, and the small but powerful changes that can make the industry more sustainable.

It’s a nuanced conversation about responsibility, data, and the quiet revolution already underway inside pressing plants around the world.

Because sustainability in vinyl isn’t about one big decision — it’s about hundreds of small, deliberate ones that add up to real change.