news

Vinyl Records Outsell CDs for the First Time Since 1987

Vinyl Records Outsell CDs for the First Time Since 1987

Published Fri, March 10, 2023 at 5:00 PM EST

According to the Recording Industry Association of America's year-end report released Thursday, vinyl records outsold CDs for the first time since 1987.

Although streaming is still a giant in the music industry and makes up a whopping 84% of recorded music revenue, this marked the 16th consecutive year of growth for vinyl — 41 million were albums sold compared to 33 million CDs.

Specifically, vinyl revenue grew 17% and topped $1.2 billion last year, making up nearly three-quarters of the revenue brought in by physical music. CD revenue fell 18% to $483 million, per the RIAA. If you guessed the pandemic-era wave of nostalgia was responsible for the spike in vinyl sales, you'd be correct. Younger buyers are driving the surge, and many artists are using vinyl as part of their marketing campaigns.

For the full report, check here.

Related posts

DJ Premier Shares Stories From M.O.P.'s '"Rugged Neva Smoove" and "Downtown Swinga"

Jan 03, 2023

What's new