No Products in the Cart
Free 1-3 business day shipping on orders $50+ Shop turntables >
Vinyl record sales in 2021 set the highest record in three decades. According to MRC DATA & Billboard's year-end report of American music market released at the end of 2021, last year, total album sales reached a whopping 893.1 million units, which is an 11.3% jump from 820.5 million units in 2020, and it continues to sit atop the world's biggest music market! Of which, in the physical record market, vinyl sold a whopping 41.7 million copies, a 50.4% increase, in 2021! It surpassed the 40.6 million total CD sales and was the first time ever that vinyl sales exceeded CD sales. Furthermore, the vinyl sales reached 2.11 million copies at Christmas week, which is the first time in history that the sales exceeded 2 million records in 7 days. In the vinyl album sales chart, Adele's album "30" came in first with 318,000 sales, followed by Olivia Rodrigo's album "Sour" with 268,000 sales. In third place is Taylor Swift's "Red", with 260,000 sales, just 4,000 copies more than the fourth place "Fine Line".
Besides, from BPI’s latest figures, more than 5 million vinyl records have been sold in the UK’s record market at the year of 2021. This is an 8% increase over 2020. The year of 2021 is the 14th consecutive year of vinyl sales growth, and the sales of vinyl records in 2021 accounts for a whopping 23% of total album sales. In reviewing these statistics, Geoff Taylor, chief executive of the BPI, Brit Awards & Mercury Prize, said: ‘It's a great time to be a music fan, with wider choice on offer than ever before supported by great value.’
Generally, vinyl records are believed that it is not as advanced as digital music and that the community of people who still love vinyl is shrinking, however, the truth is quite the opposite. In 2017, the global sales of vinyl record reached 4.5 million, up from 2.9 million in 2015, achieving a growth rate of 35%. As a continued, in 2021, the total sales of vinyl record achieved 41.7 million, and this figure is only in US！According to a survey by MRC DATA, 4,041 people aged 13 and over, with 15% of Gen Z respondents, were surveyed about their musical influences, inspirations and buying behavior over a 2-week period. Approximately 85% of the people had purchased vinyl records in the past 12 months. The results show that more and more young people have begun to love vinyl records because of the great sound quality and immersive playback experience, despite they are exposed to well-developed technologies and modern digital media. Moreover, it is predictable that vinyl records will maintain rapid development in the next five years and obtain a large proportion in the global music industry.
Nowadays, the global epidemic is rampant, and the relatively closed social life prompt people to pursue a more diversified life experience. Under this situation, Vinyl record players provide a fantastic method for people to enjoy music at home. This helps vinyl album integrate with people's life. Meanwhile, vinyl record has an irreplaceable charm. 
Playing music on vinyl both preserves the original sound quality as well as providing listeners with a more vivid musical experience. After weighing the pros and cons, vinyl will most likely replace digital media as the mainstream music playback method in the foreseeable future. Our living world needs this form, because it could help us slow down and relax the life. Occasionally enjoy a truly delicious meal with a good bourbon or cocktail, then sit back, turn on the top of the record player, carefully place the vinyl, set the stylus, and turn the switch on, wait for that warm crackle to preface this rare experience.
Reference List:
Houson. (2022, January 7). 2021 American Music Year-End Report Announced! Vinyl record sales surpass CD for the first time! Sina Microblog. Retrieved January 10, 2022, from
http://k.sina.com.cn/ article_1258256457_4aff784904001gdul.html
John, S. (2022, January 4). Why Vinyl Records Are Making a Comeback in 2022. The Manual. Retrieved from
https://www.themanual.com/culture/why-vinyl-is-coming-back/
Richards, W. (2021, December 29). Vinyl record sales in 2021 at highest level for 30 years. NME. Retrieved January 10, 2022, from
https://www.nme.com/news/music/vinyl-record- sales-in-2021-at-highest-level-for-30-years-3127074
Sky. (2021, December 29). Vinyl record sales in 2021 were the highest in 30 years - with more than five million shifted. Sky News. Retrieved January 10, 2022, from
https://news.sky.com/story/vinyl-record-sales-in-2021-were-the-highest-in-30-years-with-more-than-five-million-shifted-12505513
