Vinyls are coming back

Sales of vinyl LP records have doubled in the last 12 months to their highest level for a decade.

Around 550,000 have been bought so far and the record industry body BPI is predicting that more than 700,000 will be sold by Christmas.

An online poll of 1,700 vinyl buyers found that 86 per cent of them said it was their favorite music format. A third of today’s LP fans are aged under 35.

Record sales: The number of sold vinyls have doubled in 12 months, with 550,000 sold in 2013 alone

Recent releases on vinyl from artists such as Arctic Monkeys and David Bowie have helped, said BPI chief Geoff Taylor.

‘The LP is back in the groove. We’re witnessing a renaissance for records - they’re no longer retromania and are becoming the format of choice for more and more music fans. 

'This year has been a treat for vinyl aficionados with releases from Daft Punk, David Bowie, Arctic Monkeys and Black Sabbath,’ he said.

 

‘While sales only account for a small percentage of the overall market, vinyl sales are growing fast as a new generation discovers the magic of 12 inch artwork, liner notes and the unique sound of analogue records, often accompanied by a download code for mp3s.

‘As we look forward to new LPs from Arcade Fire, Paul McCartney, Pearl Jam, and Jake Bugg in the run up to Christmas, the vinyl revival looks set to continue.’

While Daft Punk currently leads the charts for the biggest-selling LP of the year with Random Access Memories, it is Manchester’s Brit-pop pioneers, Oasis, who hold the title for the top two best-selling LPs since Official Charts records began.

Oasis’s album (What’s the Story) Morning Glory has sold more vinyl records than any other release since 1994, narrowly edging ahead of the band’s debut Definitely Maybe which takes the number two spot.

Kim Bayley, director general of the Entertainment Retailers Association, said: ‘Record Store Day has been incredibly important as a catalyst for the resurgence of vinyl. 

'The fact that indie record shops managed to sell a huge £2m worth of vinyl in one day puts paid to the idea that either vinyl or record stores themselves are on the way out.’

The news coincides with new information published by the BPI which provides insight into vinyl consumers, their purchasing habits, and why the format is enjoying such a comeback.

While the poll shows 35 to 44 year olds to be the largest consumer group, but younger buyers are also seeing the appeal of vinyl recordings, with over a third aged under 35.

Just under half of respondents were married, but women have some catching up to do as men made up more than 87 per cent of buyers.

The research also revealed that the primary factors considered by vinyl buffs when deciding whether to purchase LPs relate to the quality of the pressing, the price and the packaging. 

When quizzed further on why the format is considered superior to CD or digital music, respondents praised the enjoyment of the process of playing a record, the quality of sound and the cover art as the main reasons.

Of all the iconic cover art to be produced, Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon was voted the public’s favourite album cover with The Clash’s London Calling and The Beatles’ Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band also being cited as favourite vinyl sleeves.

-Daily Mail