Disc Makers

10/10/2026

AI can make more content than you ever will.

That doesn’t mean you need to try to keep up.

Disc Makers Sales Manager Jeff Favalo works with independent artists every day, and in this Indie Music Minute, he looks at why being unmistakably human may become one of an artist’s biggest advantages as AI-generated songs, artwork, and videos flood the internet.

Your story, your taste, and your connection with your fans still matter.

Maybe now more than ever.

10/08/2026

Streaming gets your music out there. But how do you actually build a sustainable career around it?

Disc Makers CEO Tony van Veen sat down with longtime music industry executive Bryan Calhoun for a really good conversation about the business of being an independent artist today.

They get into physical media, merch, release strategy, budgeting, superfans, and some of the mistakes artists make when they focus on making the music but not enough on the business behind it.

If you missed it live, the replay is worth your time 👇

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10/06/2026

What album(s) do you know front to back, ZERO skips? 🤔💿

10/01/2026

🔧 Meet the Makers: Dan Hueber

There’s a LOT that goes into keeping a manufacturing plant running, and for the past 28 years, Dan has helped make sure ours keeps moving.

As Disc Makers’ Facilities Manager, Dan handles everything from electrical work, repairs, and contractors; to inspections and permits; to supporting the equipment our production teams rely on.

If something goes down, Dan helps figure out why and gets the right people involved to get things moving again. Because when our plant stays on schedule, our artists have a better chance of getting their CDs and vinyl on time for that release, tour or merch table. 💿

Ask Dan to describe his job in one word?

“Active!” 😂

And after 28 years, his favorite part of working here is still the people.

Thanks for everything you do behind the scenes, Dan! 🙌

09/29/2026

That moment when you realize you're down to the last box 👀💿

Josh from The Empty Pockets needed more copies of their Billboard-charting album Gotta Find the Moon, so he hopped into his Disc Makers account and showed us just how easy it is to reorder.

A few clicks and... boom. Done.

Thanks for taking us inside the warehouse, Josh!

09/28/2026

This is really special to see ❤️

The New York Times has published an obituary recognizing Morris Ballen and the role he played in helping generations of independent artists get their music out into the world.

Morris never chased the spotlight. He just believed indie artists deserved the same quality and opportunities as signed artists.

We’re incredibly proud to see his story, and his impact on independent music, recognized this way.

Rest in peace, Morris 💿

Countless independent acts in every genre — punk, hip-hop, church choir — relied on him to create small runs of high-quality records and CDs.

09/26/2026

Who’s paying for your next album?

For most independent artists, the answer is probably... you 😬

But what if the people who already support you could help cover some of the cost of your next CD or vinyl project without you having to launch a whole crowdfunding campaign?

That’s the idea behind the new Disc Makers gift cards.

Birthday coming up? Holiday gift? A fan asking how they can support you? Maybe skip the sweater and ask for a little help making your next record instead 💿

Tony explains how it works in the latest Indie Music Minute.

09/24/2026

It means a lot to see Hypebot recognize Morris and share Tony’s tribute with the wider music community ❤️

Morris never sought the spotlight, but his belief in independent artists helped shape Disc Makers and touched countless musicians over the years.

Thank you, Hypebot, for helping tell his story.

Morris Ballen, long time owner and CEO of Disc Makers, passed away Monday. Here, he is remembered by Tony Van Veen in a touching tribute.

09/24/2026

to where it all started 🎶

Long before CDs, streaming, or even the Disc Makers name, our founder Ivin Ballen was making records in Philadelphia.

These photos take us back to the early 1950s, Ballen/Gotham Records era. Ballen acquired Gotham Records in 1948, and it became part of the Ballen Record Company operation that was already recording artists and pressing records in Philadelphia.

As the manufacturing side of the business grew, record pressing eventually became the focus. That operation would go on to become the Disc Makers we know today.

Pretty wild to think that 80 years later, we’re still making physical music for artists right here in the Philadelphia area 💿



Archival images from Bruce Bastin, “The Gotham Gallery,” Juke Blues #11, Winter 1987/88, via Stefan Wirz’s American Music archive.

09/23/2026

Taylor Swift just chose CDs as the only physical format for her brand-new single.

But yeah...CDs are dead, right? 😏💿