Vinyl Sales Just Hit A 30-Year High

30 December 2021 | 6:47 pm | Staff Writer

For the record...

The popularity of vinyl is stronger than ever, with both the US and UK reporting record sales around the holiday period, marking a 30-year high.

As Digital Music News notes, MRC Data has revealed that vinyl sales in the US in the week leading up to Christmas totalled 2.11 million, marking the format’s highest sale figure since at least 1991 (prior to ‘91 MRC Data did not track such figures).

Adele’s 30 reportedly sold close to 60,000 copies during that period, making it the most-sold vinyl in the US in the lead up to Christmas.

Weekly US vinyl sales have only cracked the one million mark 14 times since 1991 and eight of those have occurred over the past 12 months.

Additionally, the British Phonographic Industry reported more than five million LPs sold in the UK this year, up 8% on 2020, and marking vinyl’s 14th consecutive year of commercial growth.

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Blockbuster releases were key in the format’s growth with big names such as Adele, Fleetwood Mac, Ed Sheeran and more topping the list, while ABBA’s Voyage is expected to be the top-selling album of the year in the UK, reportedly selling close to 30,000 copies.