The music industry and the consumer audio equipment landscape have become very different places since High Street hi-fi shop Richer Sounds was launched in 1978.

The internet has given consumers greater choice over where they make their purchases and how they listen to their music, as well as giving artists a platform to reach more people.

“At that time, bands had to almost exclusively rely on labels for distribution and exposure,” says founder and MD Julian Richer, speaking to Music ...