Vinyl record sales worldwide 1997-2015
The timeline shows data on vinyl record sales worldwide from 1997 to 2015. In 2005, vinyl records generated 35 million U.S. dollars in sales, a figure which increased more than tenfold to 416 million U.S. dollars in 2015. Data for vinyl album sales in the United States can be found here. Vinyls have experienced a resurgence in recent years and a total of over 13 million units were sold in the United States in 2016, up from just 2.8 million in 2010.
Vinyl record sales worldwide – additional information
Introduced to the consumer market in 1948, vinyl records, also known as LP (Long Play), are an analog medium to store and play music. The vinyl record dominated the music industry from the 1950s until 1990s, when sales started to consistently drop. After being nearly extinguished thanks to the popularity of digital music services, vinyl records have made a comeback in the music industry. LP sales have seen an unprecedented growth in the last few years, as global revenue of vinyl sales increased from 34 million U.S. dollars in 2006 to 416 million U.S. dollars in 2015, the highest figure to-date. The United States is, by far, the leading vinyl record selling market. Germany, United Kingdom, Japan and France are also important markets for this particular segment. Despite sales growth, the LP market is still a niche market, accounting for a small share of the multi-billion-dollar music industry.
In line with the global trend, over 13 million vinyl albums were sold in the U.S. in 2016, a significant increase from one million units sold in 2007. Amazon is the most popular place to purchase a vinyl record in the U.S., accounting for nearly 40 percent of the market share. Best Buy is the second most popular retailer for vinyl records. Independent record stores, eBay and swap meet or flea markets are also common places American purchase LP records.
In 2016, Twenty One Pilots's “Blurryface” was the top-selling vinyl album in the United States, with 68 thousand units sold that year. David Bowie, who passed away in January 2016, claimed second spot with his "Blackstar" vinyl, followed by Adele's "25", which was the bestselling vinyl of 2015.
Vinyl record sales worldwide – additional information
Introduced to the consumer market in 1948, vinyl records, also known as LP (Long Play), are an analog medium to store and play music. The vinyl record dominated the music industry from the 1950s until 1990s, when sales started to consistently drop. After being nearly extinguished thanks to the popularity of digital music services, vinyl records have made a comeback in the music industry. LP sales have seen an unprecedented growth in the last few years, as global revenue of vinyl sales increased from 34 million U.S. dollars in 2006 to 416 million U.S. dollars in 2015, the highest figure to-date. The United States is, by far, the leading vinyl record selling market. Germany, United Kingdom, Japan and France are also important markets for this particular segment. Despite sales growth, the LP market is still a niche market, accounting for a small share of the multi-billion-dollar music industry.
In line with the global trend, over 13 million vinyl albums were sold in the U.S. in 2016, a significant increase from one million units sold in 2007. Amazon is the most popular place to purchase a vinyl record in the U.S., accounting for nearly 40 percent of the market share. Best Buy is the second most popular retailer for vinyl records. Independent record stores, eBay and swap meet or flea markets are also common places American purchase LP records.
In 2016, Twenty One Pilots's “Blurryface” was the top-selling vinyl album in the United States, with 68 thousand units sold that year. David Bowie, who passed away in January 2016, claimed second spot with his "Blackstar" vinyl, followed by Adele's "25", which was the bestselling vinyl of 2015.
