Vinyl Sales To Hit A High Note In 2014

17 October 2014 - Press release

Arctic Monkeys’ AM remains the biggest-selling LP of 2014 so far

Annual sales of vinyl are on track to cross the one million mark for the first time since the Brit-pop era of the 90s, new Official Charts Company data released by BPI revealed today. 

The tables have turned for this once “near-extinct” format with sales in the first nine months of this year approaching 800,000 (according to the Official Charts Company survey) – exceeding the number of records (780,674) snapped up by music fans in 2013.  The last time the market passed the one million threshold was 1996 when 1,083,206 units were sold and Fugees’ The Score claimed the best-selling LP that year. 

Commenting on the revival of vinyl, BPI’s Lynne McDowell said:

“Vinyl may once have been considered a by-product of a bygone era but it is now well and truly a flourishing format making a come-back in a digital age. In an increasingly-digitised world, it appears that music fans still crave a tangible product that gives them original artwork, high audio quality, and purity of sound.

“Vinyl enthusiasts are now able to enjoy the renaissance of the format with a string of releases being made available on the format from emerging and established acts.  From Record Store Day and Amazon Autorip to Listening Parties and initiatives like Secret 7”, there have never been more opportunities explore the magic that vinyl can offer.”

A strong combination of releases from new and established artists has helped to pave the way for record-breaking sales in the first nine months of this year. 

Arctic Monkeys’ AM has held on tightly to the top spot for the biggest-selling LP of 2014 so far, following on from its reign as the 2013 annual best-seller.  Records from Jack White, Oasis, Led Zeppelin, and newcomers Royal Blood complete the Top 5 line-up of year-to-date biggest-sellers.

Despite a hugely successful Record Store Day in April, figures show that September has been the busiest month of the year for vinyl shoppers with almost 112,000 LPs shifted during that time. 

Fans are clearly embracing a new-found love for vinyl with 112 titles having sold more than 1,000 copies each on the format this year.  This is more than double (50) the number of titles selling more than 1,000 copies in the first nine months of 2013 - based on the Official Charts Company data.