What if we told you one of the largest independent vinyl record pressing companies in the entire world was just casually hanging out in Alexandria, Virginia?
The factory also happens to be owned by the band Metallica, but we’ll get to that later.
In today’s episode of “Matt About Town,” WTOP’s Matt Kaufax got an all-access backstage pass to explore a little-known area of Fairfax County, and turned up the volume at Furnace Record Pressing.
Founded in 1996, the Furnace factory initially functioned as a DVD and CD maker for independent musical artists.
Then, its management team said about 10-15 years ago, the tables turned — no pun intended — and the vinyl resurgence began. Furnace got in on the ground floor.
In 2024, the vinyl industry is experiencing a 17th consecutive year of continued market growth, as more and more fans choose physical records over streaming to support their favorite artists.
Metallica bought a majority stake in Furnace’s operation about a year ago, and the Northern Virginia team said they’re grateful that the heavy metal giants have allowed them to continue to make records their way.
Today, Furnace is responsible for manufacturing and selling to distributors all across the U.S. It presses records for a wide variety of acts, from small indie artists to major industry stars signed to massive labels.
During his tour of the factory, Matt found that the process of making a record at Furnace is a lot more involved and complex than most might think, and often requires a deft human touch at multiple points before a record hits the shelves.
From stamping to pressing to sealing, it’s a process that shows the making of a record is just as much of an art form as the music itself.
Come along with Matt on his tour, where he found his groove and jammed out with the Furnace team!
Furnace Record Pressing also happens to be the official record pressing plant of Record Store Day Black Friday. Happening next week, the day is geared toward indie record stores across the country. They will open their doors early the day after Thanksgiving, giving customers access to purchase limited batches of exclusive vinyl releases across the country.
Find out more about Record Store Day Black Friday at recordstoreday.com. If you buy a record at your favorite indie bookstore, music shop or novelty business this season and beyond, there’s a good chance what you purchased started as nothing more than a cluster of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) particles at Furnace.
Hear “Matt About Town” first every Tuesday and Thursday on 103.5 FM!
If you have a story idea you’d like Matt to cover, email him, or chat with him on Instagram and TikTok.
Check out all “Matt About Town” episodes here!
Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.
© 2024 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.
