Why Trump’s Tariff Policies Will Make Metal Records & CD Unaffordable

Update 9/2/2025: Records, cassttes, and CDs are exepmt from new tariffs.
Read full post here.

Donald Trump was elected primarily on a platform to lower the cost of living, which increased during the Biden years. Instead of doing this, he turned to a bizarre trade war against the entire world. In contrast, some tariffs make sense in sectors where America’s getting the short end of the stick, such as in the auto industry. Blanket tariffs are a criminally stupid level of protectionism.

Not everything needs to be made in the United States, nor should it be. The point of global trade is that some countries do things better/cheaper than others, and in those cases, it makes sense to outsource the manufacturing. There will always be a trade deficit when America is the largest consumer.

How Tariffs Kill Underground Metal

Now, with physical music: Records, cassettes, and CDs. Anyone with even a basic understanding of the music business knows that record sales are no longer what they once were. thanks to streaming platforms like iTunes and Spotify. In the 60s, 70s, and 80s, when albums routinely went platinum, major labels often had regional pressing plants to distribute the records globally. Those days are long gone.

These days, a major label may only press 100,000 copies for even the biggest artist. However, when you delve into underground metal, the runs are much smaller. Many vinyl/CD pressings are initially limited to 1,000-2,500 copies. Some companies, such as Nuclear Blast and Candlelight, have both US pressings and EU pressings because their runs are larger. Every other label, such as Osmose Productions, Listenable Records, and Hammerheart, does not need to manufacture products anywhere except where they are closest.

The End Of The De Minimus Exemption

I buy from both American labels and European labels. For a period, you were able to circumvent the tariffs by ordering goods worth less than $800. Starting August 29th, 2025, the De Minimus exception is going away, and the justifications are ridiculous, see below:

“For decades, bad actors have taken advantage of America’s de minimis process by smuggling in deadly narcotics, harmful products, and other contraband in hidden products,” said Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “This loophole led to the death of thousands of Americans, fueled the opioid crisis, and harmed U.S. consumers. This decision to end de minimis will save American lives, increase revenue, and protect the American consumer and entrepreneur.”

The attempt to claim these tariffs will stop the flow of fentanyl is assinine. Fact is, it’s government greed, nothing less, nothing more. When you see right-wingers post about how Trump is sticking it to [insert country] with these tariffs. This is another place where people get it all wrong. Some faceless company does not pay these excessive tariffs in a foreign land. American business owners (who are the importers) pay them. I don’t care at all how much money the government has. They are just going to waste it pointlessly.

The UPS “Customs Brokers” Scam

Now, let’s examine the next piece of the puzzle. The tariffs are advertised as 15%, but as I am about to show you, they are actually much higher. Firstly, the tariffs are stuffed with a myriad of administrative fees that have nothing to do with the actual 15% you pay.

Next, and possibly more insulting, is the profiteering going on by companies like UPS. Here is an example of a tariff paid on a package valued at slightly over $800. The shipping companies have assumed the role of “customs broker” and charge insane arbitrary additional fees, which brings the actual tariff rate above 25%.

You see Republicans bragging that the tariffs will not contribute to inflation; this is utter nonsense. It’s the same thing as when liberal states like California raised the minimum wage for fast food employees to $20. It drove the price of fast food in California to skyrocket.

There’s no way I can afford to have 25% added to my wholesale cost and not pass it along to the customer, especially with margins that are already razor-thin. The problem with this is that I cannot increase my price is 25% or people will stop buying physical media altogther

Hopefully, Donald Trump will wake up to the vast financial catastrophe he’s causing and return to free trade. If he does not, the Republicans will, and deserve to lose the midterms.