Vinyl Records Top CD's For The First Time Since 1987

[FreddieFerric]

What a comeback!

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/vinyl-r...me-since-1987/

And the strangest this is, this past year I bought way more CD's than vinyl. Counter culture at work I suppose.

[Maks]

I'm not too surprised by this, but what did surprise me was that digital downloads are down. I assume most casual music listeners do streaming these days where you can bring up any song at any time, so no need for a download. I haven't bought too many CDs lately, but if there's an artist I'm not super into I'll grab a digipak CD instead of dropping $20+ on an LP.

[Antonmb]

Here's a great interactive chart of sales by format since 1973, from the RIAA website. It's pretty clear that album downloads never really caught on in a meaningful way, and were doomed once streaming started becoming a reality. Also if you look at vinyl sales adjusted for inflation, they're still a mere fraction of what they were in the 70s. Vinyl records have surpassed cd sales, but in the new streaming world it's about as meaningful as chariot sales catching up with buggy sales when most of the world is driving cars (and I'm a huge vinyl fan.)
https://www.riaa.com/u-s-sales-database/

[Formerly YB-2]

Do wonder how used vinyl sales compare? I probably purchase as many used as I do new.

[Antonmb]

Originally Posted by Formerly YB-2

Do wonder how used vinyl sales compare? I probably purchase as many used as I do new.

Here's a Forbes article on used vinyl sales. According to their calculations, used sales volume may be slightly higher than new.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/billros...h=6167fae41c9c

[Ravens52]

Interesting. I contributed to the figures though.

[Formerly YB-2]

Tony - thanks. Interesting read.

[tima]

Originally Posted by Antonmb

Here's a great interactive chart of sales by format since 1973, from the RIAA website. It's pretty clear that album downloads never really caught on in a meaningful way, and were doomed once streaming started becoming a reality. Also if you look at vinyl sales adjusted for inflation, they're still a mere fraction of what they were in the 70s. Vinyl records have surpassed cd sales, but in the new streaming world it's about as meaningful as chariot sales catching up with buggy sales when most of the world is driving cars (and I'm a huge vinyl fan.)
https://www.riaa.com/u-s-sales-database/

Thanks.

Vinyl abides.

[clpetersen]

Thanks Antonmb (Tony) those are great RIAA charts.

Our Gen Z kids are lining up for the remaining manual transmission cars, asking to use my film camera (which luckily I saved), and buying vinyl. There is hope.

[Fbgbill]

I may have said this in another post but when I decided to get back into vinyl after 30 years I decided I would buy maybe 75 to 100 albums that I really enjoyed in the past. That was over 300 albums ago so....! It was like eating peanuts. Once you start it's hard to quit.