Vinyl Records: A Passion for Music Shared in Metz

Pushing through the glass doors of La Face Cachée in Metz, a whole universe awaits you. From Johnny Hallyday to Bob Marley, and from Taylor Swift to PNL, tens of thousands of vinyl records from all eras and genres can be found in the bins of this downtown store. Since 2004, Mélodéric Kéblé has been running this shop. “There was an extraordinary revival of vinyl in the 2010-2015 years, peaking in 2020,” the record store owner points out. “Since then, it has plateaued, and even declined slightly every year.”

This period coincided with the expansion of his store. Mélodéric Kéblé carried the label of publisher-producer for ten years, managing several different labels. Around fifteen records were released each year, featuring artists like Pascal Comelade, the band Atoll, Magma, and especially “three-quarters of the local records.” “Today, there is a decline in local production,” laments the record store owner. “In the past, we would release a local record and sell 50 in the first week. Now, if we release 15 or 20, it’s a big deal.” Since then, the record store has significantly reduced the production side, even though it still exists, and has focused more on online sales. This aspect represents 30% of its business, with sales worldwide, especially in the United States, the second-largest customer country after France.

Three Major Companies Dominate the Market

Since October 2025, there has been a new role for Mélodéric Kéblé, who has become a regional representative of the Association of New Independent Record Dealers (Adin). “We’re here to defend our interests against various issues,” says the Moselle native. “We try to make a difference even though, facing companies like Amazon, we have very little weight.”

In twenty-two years of practice, the music enthusiast has witnessed changes in his profession. Changes in consumption habits, as well as the dominance of the three majors (record labels owned by multinational companies) that share about 70% of the market: Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group, and Universal Music Group. “Fnac has discounts from these majors that we can’t have,” notes the independent record store owner. “We can’t compete with them. So, we need to differentiate ourselves by seeking out smaller foreign labels that they don’t have.” To achieve this, Mélodéric Kéblé and his team travel across Europe for events related to records. Over the weekend of April 12, the La Face Cachée team went to ‘s-Hertogenbosch, in the Netherlands, for the Mega Record & CD Fair, one of the world’s largest record fairs, where professionals sell and exchange products. “Every six months, we sort through our stock, look at the records that are not selling, and offer them to our colleagues. What doesn’t move from us can sell in Germany or Italy.”

“Digital is Empty Air”

Despite enthusiasm, a boundless passion, and a spark in his eyes when talking about Ethiopian or Brazilian music groups, the professional remains clear-eyed about the situation in his profession, especially regarding streaming. “I’m not crazy, we will lose ground every year,” he regrets. “There are now several generations who have listened to music all their lives on platforms. Our goal is to rekindle their passion. When you love something, you want to have something physical at home. A poster, a book, literature… The same goes for records. Digital is empty air. We buy a subscription that is worth nothing, and we can’t even resell it.”