The Record Revival Is Real: ARIA Launch Weekly Vinyl Albums Chart

The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) has launched a new weekly Vinyl Albums Chart.

The news follows the release of last year's wholesale numbers, which saw a surge in the vinyl market for the eighth-straight year, up from $18.8 million to $21.7 million, compared to digital downloads and CD albums which were down from 2017. According to ARIA, the launch of the chart confirms the format’s "enduring power of reinvention and popularity". 

Speaking about this vinyl revival, Chief Executive of ARIA, Dan Rosen, said, “The renewed love affair of Australian music fans with vinyl albums has been a phenomenon over the last few years.

“There is a major sense of nostalgia to the experience of vinyl. The format is tangible and collectable, often with original and numbered artworks.

"Artists are increasingly using physical formats such as vinyl as a way to give their fans a substantial way of showing their fandom, often working hand in hand with the digital and streaming version for the artist.”

The first official ARIA Vinyl Albums Chart will be revealed on this coming Saturday 13 April in line with the annual Record Store Day celebrations.

To coincide with the announce, ARIA has also revealed the 2018 ARIA End of Year Vinyl Albums Chart, with Queen’s Greatest Hits taking out top spot.

Australian artists featured strongly across the chart, with just over 30% of the list taken up by local artists. The highest position achieved by an Australian act was Gang Of Youths with their 2017 ARIA Album Of The Year-winning album Go Farther In Lightness (#6).

Follow the link here to see the full list.