Vinyl. The best proof is the counterfeiter.
A bloke in West London ran a fake Beatles record factory through the night for seven years. He made 2.7 million quid and got three and a half years. It may be the best evidence that vinyl is back.
THE GIST ON VINYL: "Fake Vinyl Records"
What did the vinyl counterfeiter do?
For seven years, a bloke in West London ran a record factory through the night, knocking out fake Beatles records on machines older than the Beatles themselves. He made £2.7 million, and last week he was banged up for three and a half years.
He started nine years ago and was immediately given a cease and desist order, which he ignored. He sold on eBay, Discogs and even in record shops, until industry investigators bought one and went to the police.
How big was the raid?
They raided him in 2024 and took 18 tons of evidence, the largest seizure of counterfeit vinyl ever in the UK.
Why fake a record when you can stream it free?
Streaming made music so cheap that copying it became moot. So the value moved back to the physical, and he followed it there.
The records he faked were current pop: Adele, Taylor Swift, Drake, Beyonce. And he's one of many. In the past two years the industry has helped with 43 police raids and seized around 600,000 counterfeit vinyls and CDs.
Is vinyl really coming back?
There's been a huge argument over whether vinyl is coming back. You can't really trust the record labels' numbers. But a counterfeiter has no reason to exaggerate. He's just meeting market demand.
That puts records on the list of handbags, watches, trainers and concert tickets: valuable enough for someone to fake.
Is vinyl better than streaming, or just nostalgia?
Your take. One tap, then see how everyone else voted.
Quick answers
How much did the vinyl counterfeiter make?
£2.7 million over seven years, and he was jailed for three and a half years.
How much was seized?
18 tons of evidence in 2024, the largest seizure of counterfeit vinyl ever in the UK.
Why does counterfeiting prove vinyl is back?
Labels' sales numbers can't be fully trusted, but a counterfeiter has no reason to exaggerate. He only makes what the market demands.
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