On Feb. 24 at 2pm EST, Making Vinyl will announce the results of 2020's 4th annual 'Making Vinyl Packaging Awards'. This year's awards garnered more than 219 entries in 16-categories that were then reviewed by more than 20 judges from across the world, to recognize the best in physical media packaging. The submission and judging processes were entirely online.
Categories are listed as follows:
RECORD STORE DAY (VINYL) - Recognizes the best-designed album that was exclusively released for Record Store Day 2020 (all three drops) or RSD Black Friday 2019.
THEY SAID IT COULDN’T BE DONE (VINYL) - Recognizes innovation in structural design that takes into account the use of new machinery or materials or folds or printing processes that stretches the boundaries of album packaging that previously existed.
SAVE THE EARTH AND HUMANITY (VINYL) - Recognizes innovations in sustainability and social justice with packages utilizing environmentally sound (e.g., recyclable paper, special links) materials and practices that reduce the carbon footprint, as well as projects that aim to improve society.
BEST VINYL DELUXE SET - Recognizes the quality of the packaging, as well as booklets, posters, inner sleeves, etc., and how all the elements fit together aesthetically that goes far beyond a standard, single LP release (e.g., multi-record boxed set).
BEST VINYL GATEFOLD - Judging aesthetics of a spread’s two or more panels, taking into account the inside graphic design, quality of photography, and/or illustration.
BEST 45-RPM (SINGLE) COVER - Recognizing stellar 7-inch packaging that takes into the cover, the single’s inner label, coating of the outer package’s paper, etc.
BEST VINYL REISSUE PACKAGE - Recognizing stellar packaging of a “classic” album that improves on the original, and record must have been re-released on vinyl in the past during the eligibility period.
BEST VINYL ALBUM LP COVER (ILLUSTRATION) - Recognizing covers adorned by an original painting, illustration, or graphic design either newly created or repurposed (i.e., vintage).
BEST JAZZ, CLASSICAL or SPOKEN-WORD VINYL (NON-DELUXE) LP PACKAGE - Recognizing that the aesthetics of vinyl categories that don’t get as much attention as rock, hip-hop, and pop music, this category aims to shine a light on the best packaging in these three genres.
BEST RECORD ART - Recognizing what’s on the actual vinyl record itself (e.g., colors, designs and/or patterns, etchings on fourth sides, or novel techniques such as silk-screening, and can also include unusually shaped records, for example.
BEST PROMOTIONAL RECORD PACKAGE - Recognizing that records needn’t be used to distribute recorded music, this category takes into account vinyl packaging that was manufactured to promote a product, brand or service. It is not meant for the promo music vinyl releases for the press or trade samples.
BEST BOOK + MEDIA PACKAGE - Recognizing that record labels and book publishers both are getting increasingly creative in coupling printed material with mixed media (e.g., books, records, CDs, and cassettes).
BEST CASSETTE PACKAGE - Tapes like vinyl have made a return in the commercial marketplace. This category shows off the prerecorded cassette format’s best packaging.
THEY SAID IT COULDN’T BE DONE – CD - Recognizes innovation in structural design that takes into account the use of new machinery or materials or folds or printing processes that stretches the boundaries of album packaging that previously existed.
BEST CD DELUXE SET - Recognizes the quality of the box itself, as well as booklets, posters, inner sleeves, etc., and how all the elements fit together aesthetically in a multi-disc boxed set.
