Vinyl sales witnessed a historic spike in the past month, achieving their highest weekly sales in 30 years, propelled by both Record Store Day and Taylor Swift. As per a report by digital entertainment and retail association ERA, one week in April witnessed astounding figures marking the highest sales in recent years. With around 269,134 vinyl albums and 37,656 vinyl singles sold, the retail witnessed a total of 306,791 units sold. The album ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ by Taylor Swift alone accounted for nearly a quarter of the week’s total vinyl album sales, giving a much-needed boost to physical sales.
The vinyl market took off with the unprecedented growth of streaming, and indie record stores have been a significant factor in vinyl’s success since 2008. As the vinyl market exploded, Record Store Day has gained a vital place in celebrating the culture of indie records’ shop. According to Music Week, approximately 37.2% of vinyl albums market made up of Record Store Day’s exclusive releases of vinyl albums available in independent record shops.
CEO of ERA, Kim Bayley, credited both Record Store Day and Taylor Swift, with responsibility for driving the sales. Taylor Swift has constantly associated herself with indie record stores and also was the global ambassador of Record Store Day 2022. She indeed helped in bringing more young fans to indie record shops, which sustains these stores that are a vibrant element of the music industry.
The reports of a new record number of sales came after it was confirmed that 2023 marked the 16th consecutive year of growth for the vinyl format. The traditional album sales accounted for just over 1.9 million of the sale. It also confirms the thriving market for music on the high street, reflecting ever-rising demand for music releases on a physical format. The success of Record Store Day and Taylor Swift marks an excellent moment for both the vinyl and indie industry
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