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Vinyl album sales in the U.S. hit their 13th consecutive year of growth for 2018

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4-2-7

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Vinyl album sales continue to be a bright spot among an otherwise bleak album sales picture. 16.8 million vinyl albums were sold in 2018, according to Nielsen Music (up 14.6 percent) — marking the 13th consecutive year of growth for the format. 16.8 million is also a new yearly high for vinyl album sales since Nielsen Music began tracking sales in 1991.

Comparatively, overall album sales (vinyl LP, CD, digital, cassette, etc.) in 2018 fell 17.7 percent to 141 million.

Vinyl LP sales accounted for 11.9 percent of all album sales in 2018 (16.8 million of 141 million). In 2017, the format comprised 6.5 percent of album sales.

Nielsen Music’s 2018 tracking year ran from Dec. 29, 2017 through Jan. 3, 2019. Due to a quirk in the calendar, there were 53 weeks in 2018, instead of the usual 52. So, for 2018 volume comparisons to 2017, a corresponding 53-week period is used by Nielsen Music for 2017: Dec. 30, 2016 through Jan. 4, 2018. Numbers in this story are rounded.

Perhaps not surprisingly, vinyl LPs were 19.1 percent of all physical album sales (CDs, LPs, cassettes, etc.) in 2018. That’s a new Nielsen-era record share for the once-dormant format, up from 14 percent in 2017.

TOP 10 SELLING VINYL ALBUMS OF 2018 IN U.S.
Rank Artist, Title Sales
1 Soundtrack, Guardians of the Galaxy: Awesome Mix Vol. 1 84,000
2 Michael Jackson, Thriller 84,000
3 Fleetwood Mac, Rumours 77,000
4 The Beatles, Abbey Road 76,000
5 Prince and The Revolution,Purple Rain (Soundtrack) 71,000
6 Pink Floyd, The Dark Side of the Moon 67,000
7 Bob Marley and The Wailers,Legend: The Best Of… 61,000
8 Queen, Greatest Hits 60,000
9 Amy Winehouse, Back to Black 59,000
10 Panic! at the Disco, Pray for the Wicked 59,000
Source: Nielsen Music, for the tracking period Dec. 29, 2017 through Jan. 3, 2019. (Titles listed with the same sales total are not tied, as their exact sales are rounded to the nearest thousand.)
 
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I wonder if the record companies who re-released those albums on CD ever thought that 30 years later, they'd be re-releasing them on vinyl again!

Or that the #1 selling album would be an imitation homemade cassette mixtape...

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Expect it to continue.

Interesting many of the big sellers are nice vintage tunes, folks needing new or new listeners wanting the favs. No like there was an Adele album out new to drive sales like a few years ago.
 
It appears that these statistics pertain to New albums and Re-releases. The article does not reference the USED market: Flea Markets, Antique stores, Re-sellers (such as yourself), etc. Of which, I believe the majority of album sales occur. If that is true, then their numbers are probably pretty conservative. Kind of a Double-Edged sword. More new releases and re-releases are being produced. While prices continue to rise for used. Either way, I think it is good for keeping the medium alive and, apparently, thriving. How long will this last? Who can say? Especially with the giant leaps that are being made in technology every day, it seems.
 
I've certainly done my part. Built a new shelf last Fall, running out of space again.
And that Guardians soundtrack looks just like the kind of mixtape I'd have put together circa 1984.
I might have to sally forth to the local record store today and see if I can score a copy.
 
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cafe latte said:
Never stopped buying, when everyone else did it was cheap..
Chris
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I sold my small (500 LP) collection in the mid-80s because I was flat broke with two kids and a mortgage. Started buying again around 2001, mostly used and they still have the price stickers on them. It's surprising how many records I paid $3-$5 for that now sell for $75-$100 and up.
 
peerson said:
It appears that these statistics pertain to New albums and Re-releases. The article does not reference the USED market:
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Yes this is always for new records.
peerson said:
Flea Markets, Antique stores, Re-sellers (such as yourself), etc. Of which, I believe the majority of album sales occur. If that is true, then their numbers are probably pretty conservative.
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There is no way to track numbers and sales of used goods. I buy a lot of records new and used. I know I'm a quite different buyer than most people but my split is around 75% used 25% new. A lot of the used records I buy get moved onto others because of dups, but many stay in my collection.

However if we look at dollars spent, my collection of new records cost a lot more than the used collection.
 
My son in law recently shared his Music Direct catalog with me. It must be at least an inch thick. Probably the first 50 pages or so are devoted to new turntables and accessories. The last section of the catalog was filled with “vinyl” records. My, how things have come full circle!
 
olddude55 said:
It's surprising how many records I paid $3-$5 for that now sell for $75-$100 and up.
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Aerobat said:
I have a GnR record that goes for $200-300.
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This all happens with new records also but faster. A lot of new records are produced in lower numbers, they go out of print fast. When they are a in demand title, know for being one of the best pressing we get a huge jump in price.
 
4-2-7 said:
This all happens with new records also but faster. A lot of new records are produced in lower numbers, they go out of print fast. When they are a in demand title, know for being one of the best pressing we get a huge jump in price.
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On Discogs the majority of my "valuable" records are new pressings.
 
Aerobat said:
On Discogs the majority of my "valuable" records are new pressings.
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Yep, I have many that where $25-$30 new five years ago, today they are $100-$300. But I do find it's easier buying than selling so I doubt I'll ever profit off selling anything really, a few here and there thou.
 
Some of those "out of print" new vinyl prices are really getting :crazy:. One newly pressed MFSL record I bought from Acoustic Sounds ($35 plus S&H years ago) is listed for $495 on Amazon(as of today). Same copy sold on eBay recently for $200 sealed. Anytime I've had OOP CD's that got to price points 2x or 3x orignal .. I sold them (never regretted that) .. Vinyl I tend to look at as a collectable .. never see it again if I sell it. :(
 
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Thrift stores around me have seemed to be completely farmed out for several years now. But before that, I spent years purchasing hundreds of records for a buck each (or 50 cents on half price days). Those days are long gone... Even used LP stores seem like they're at least 50% new records now, and prices on used stuff are definitely on the rise.

I was in a used store a couple of weeks ago and there were at least 15 people there each carrying a stack of records to the front counter.
 
...And there is never a reasonable accounting for what collectors want. I have several records, original pressings, sealed in original plastic that aren't worth much more than $20. Yet I have several records, some that aren't even terribly special (by my tastes) that go for much more.

Buy what you want. Enjoy what you buy. Let collectors set the prices.
 
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