Vinyl Albums Show 37% Increase In 2015 Prior To Record Store Day
Last year, vinyl unit sales totaled 9.2 million, a 6.1 million increase in 2013. With 2015's vinyl sales up 37% in the first three months of the year, and the growing popularity of Record Store Day (which is tomorrow – go buy something) it looks as though digital music is going to have to work a little harder to kill off the legend that is vinyl records.
Music aficionados unrelenting demand for vinyl albums was reflected by a Nielson study showing sales between January and March of this year have experienced an uptick of 37% from the same time period last year. According to Nielsen, vinyl album sales in the U.S. have grown a whopping 260% since 2009 and show no sign of waning.
Worth respectably noting, last year, vinyl unit sales totaled 9.2 million. With such significant growth in sales already reported for 2015 before Record Store Day, there could arguably be vinyl renaissance of sorts on the horizon. Want to see it happen? Find an independent record store tomorrow and go buy some music.
Not sure what to buy? Billboard has a list of the most popular selections:
Source: Nielson.com
In the words of Tim McGraw in his song “Back When” he sang
“I love my records, Black, shiny vinyl, Clicks and pops, And white noise, Man they sounded fine”
I love my vinyl records, some that date back to the late 50’s. I still treasure my colored LPs that emerged during the dico era of the 70’s course my collection of 45’s and a few later releases.
What is it that is the catalyst of the increase in vinyl record popularity. For me it is not so much the sound but the feeling that playing music from a vinyl record is more personal. The lifting of the stylus arm and fine tuning the speed adds to the feeling that I have more control over what I am listening to and watching the record spinning.