The next time you play a vinyl album, be sure to thank Thomas Edison. That’s who invented the phonograph, the earliest device used to read records. Of course, vinyl has come a long way since then, but its popularity suffered in a big way thanks to cassette tapes, CDs and eventually digital music. In recent years, however, vinyl has made a serious comeback, and records are now the hippest way to play music.
The Rise in Vinyl: The Numbers
When you hear the phrase “a resurgence in vinyl,” it’s important to understand what exactly that means. No, records are not replacing iPods, and CD sales still outnumber vinyl sales by a huge amount. However, the number of records sold each year has been steadily growing since 2008, and the numbers don’t lie: Vinyl is back. Annual sales numbers for vinyl are listed below by year starting from 2008 and continuing to 2012, a five-year period when vinyls expanded their share of the music market from just .04 percent to 1.8 percent.(1)
– 2008: 1.9 million albums sold
– 2009: 2.5 million albums sold
– 2010: 2.8 million albums sold
– 2011: 3.8 million albums sold
– 2012: 4.5 million albums sold
The Rise in Vinyl: Reasons
Now that you can see the steady rise of record sales, it’s time to dive into why vinyl is gaining popularity. Audiophiles already know that vinyl records can deliver a purer sound and a richness that you won’t get over headphones and an iPod. Are more people finally figuring that out, or are there other factors at play? The following are some of the key reasons that record sales are climbing.
• Record Store Day: If you think that a self-made holiday couldn’t possibly be responsible for one of the biggest trends in the music business, think again. In 2007, vinyl lovers and music store owners got together to start Record Store Day, an annual event that takes place on the third Saturday of April. Supported by bands ranging from Metallica to Bob Dylan, Record Store Day results in the biggest vinyl sales of the year.(2) Many bands choose to release remixes or specialty albums that are only available through independent music stores, further popularizing this annual music celebration.
• Bands are Releasing Vinyl: Once the 2000s hit, only a handful of bands were releasing their albums on vinyl for commercial sales. The only output that really focused on vinyl, in fact, were techno dance albums used by DJs in major clubs. Today, an increasing number of bands are opting to release vinyl albums along with CDs and digital releases, which makes it possible for sales numbers to rise.
• Hipsters: Sure, this might not seem like a valid reason, but vinyl is the kale of the music industry. It’s not a secret that vinyl sounds better, and at some point in the past few years, it become cool to appreciate and acknowledge that fact.
Vinyl may technically be a 19th century invention, but it hasn’t been replaced entirely. If trends continue, you’ll see an increasing number of vinyl record sales in the years ahead.
(1) http://www.billboard.com/articles/1558804/record-store-day-just-how-big-is-the-big-vinyl-resurgence
(2) http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/record-store-day-sales-reach-new-high-20130425
About: The Electrohome line of retro music record players deliver such a rich sound that you’ll have to hear it to believe it.
Enjoying the classic style of our retro vinyl record players doesn’t mean you have to miss out on twenty-first century convenience; play songs on our record players from your smartphone or tablets too. Backed by over 100 years of manufacturing high fidelity audio products, Electrohome has paired the design of vintage record players with the technology of modern music systems. Music enthusiasts and casual listeners alike will enjoy an amazing audio journey with Electrohome.
Kingston Vinyl Record PlayerBacked by over 100 years of manufacturing high fidelity audio products, Electrohome has paired the design of vintage record players with the technology of modern music systems. Learn More |