New music distribution Vinylised has been launched, allowing fans to crowdfund vinyl releases from their favourite artists and labels.

The website, Vinylised.com, allows customers to “pre-order” vinyl releases, pledging to pay for a record should its crowdfunding target be reached. The record will then be “vinylised” (released on vinyl) and delivered to the customer. Unlike some crowdfunding platforms, Vinylised will not take money from supporters until a project reaches its target.

According to Vinylised’s FAQs, the company exists to help lower the level of risk involved in releasing a single or album on vinyl. Vinyl manufacturing plants have minimum order levels that are often quite high, meaning smaller labels or artists may fail to sell every record they press. Vinylised’s crowdfunding system means records will only be pressed once enough copies have already been pre-ordered to cover the whole minimum run.

Several records are currently raising money on the platform, including dubstep DJ Plastican’s Straight Outta Croydon, which has raised 30% of its target total at the time of writing. Other projects being funded on the service include A.M.C’s ‘Southpaw VIP/Stick or Twist’ and GANZ’s Pvrple Cwtch EP.

So far Vinylised is yet to raise the full amount to put any record into production, and since the crowdfunding targets can reach up to the £1 million mark, there is a chance that some projects may never see the light of day. But the service is still new. Time will tell if Vinylised ends up truly revolutionising the record distribution model.

Suggest a release for Vinylised here.

For advice on music distribution, contact MN2S Label Services today.