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Brian Coney
29 December 2022, 12:58

Vinyl outsells CDs in the UK for first time in 35 years

UK record sales hit £116.8 million over the last 12 months

vinyl

Vinyl sales in 2022 topped CDs in the UK for the first time in 35 years.

A year on from hitting a 30-year high, UK record sales hit £116.8 million in 2022, next to to CD sales of £98.3 million – almost 16% more. It's the first time record sales have exceeded those of CD sales in the UK since 1988. 

According to a report by Sky News, the majority of the best-selling albums in 2022 – by major label artists such as Taylor Swift and Harry Styles – were released in the last 12 months.

The new figures mark a global trend, coming a year on from the news that vinyl sales topped CDs in the United States for the first time in 30 years in 2021. Last year, vinyl sales in the UK increased 23% to £135.6 million, while CD sales continued to decrease by 3.9% to £150 million. 

Geoff Taylor, the chief executive of music industry trade body the BPI said, "As the LP marks its 75th anniversary in 2023, it’s as relevant as ever. In an age of streaming, physical music purchases remain an essential and healthy part of the music market."

Kim Bayley, the chief executive of the Entertainment Retailers Association (ERA) said, "It’s a watershed moment for the entire music industry. After the CD came along and pretty much wiped out the vinyl business, few of us would have believed a renaissance like this was possible."

Revisit DJ Mag's long form feature on some of the issues that have threatened the vinyl revival.

The world’s first festival designed purely for vinyl enthusiasts is set to launch next year