Vinyl Outsells CD for the first time since 1987
Per the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) has reported that sales for vinyl have outperformed its technologically superior sibling, the Compact Disk, for the first time in 30+ years.
2022 analysis of the RIAA shows that while the industry is still growing (up 6.1% during 2022), the biggest standout was vinyl sales. Vinyl has seen a rebirth in the last 10-15 years and now and with sales reaching 41.3 million units (compared to 33.4 million for CDs), we’ve come to a rather unique moment in music history. I don’t want to use the word unprecedented, but seeing an “older” form of physical media outsells a “newer” media can be surprising, especially when you learn that only 50% of those who bought vinyl records in 2022 owned a record player. Artists and their teams have seen this and have utilized vinyl as another level of engagement with that fanbase, especially at a core level. Fans can’t even play the records in their home and yet still, vinyl collecting has sprung up and made a resurgence, giving us a new angle to view music fans from.
I say all that to say, I’m not surprised at all that vinyl is soaring to the levels it’s reaching, and it will keep growing. Artists realize that these are art pieces that their fan base will not only pay for but display in their homes. They love opening up and seeing the full artwork, the listing of the credits, and the feeling of physical vinyl, and people are going to keep collecting. In ten years, who knows what will happen, but for right now (and the foreseeable future), vinyl records are back and will continue to sell, until a new challenger arrives.
SourcesU.S. Music Industry Revenue Neared $16 Billion In 2022: Report (digitalmusicnews.com)
