Last updated on December 8th, 2022 at 02:43 pm
Vinyl isn’t the only returning retro format
Record sales in the UK grow for 13 consecutive years
In 2020, 4.8 million records were sold. This is almost 10% more than in 2019, and, say, in 2016 a little over 3 million records were sold. According to the association, sales were not as big as they are now, “from the very beginning of the nineties.” Records account for 18% of music album sales. This segment generates twice as much revenue for the industry as music video streaming platforms such as YouTube.
We add that in the USA, the records are experiencing a similar revival. In September, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) reported that their sales exceeded CD sales for the first time since the 1980s.
Interestingly, vinyl isn’t the only returning retro format. 157,000 compact cassettes have been sold in the UK this year. This is double the number in 2019.
It’s worth noting that the vast majority of listeners prefer streaming, including services such as Spotify and Apple Music. At the same time, they collect their favourite records on vinyl, cassettes and CDs.
