Vinyl outsells CDs for the first time since the 1980s

By Nick Reilly

 

Vinyl records

 

Music fans in the US purchased more vinyl records than CDs in the first half of 2020, marking the first time since the 1980s that CDs were not the top selling physical format.

 

According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), vinyls contributed a staggering $232 million (£181 million) to total physical sales of $376 million in the first half of 2020.

 

While the coronavirus pandemic saw music sales being slightly impacted by the closure of record stores and venues, the music industry still experienced a degree of growth in Q1/Q2.

 

The report also reveals that the revenue generated from digital downloads ($351 million) and physical sales ($376 million) dropped below the revenue created in by ad-supported streaming services such as YouTube ($421 million), for the first time ever.

 

Full Story: https://www.nme.com/news/music/2750644vinyl-outsells-cds-for-the-first-time-since-the-1980s-2750644

Not surprised, must be hardly anyone buying CDs anymore and I haven't bought any vinyl since 2003, sold most of my collection 2 years. I'm 100% digital only, much easier having a whole music collection on your hard drive and phone.

I never stopped buying vinyl and have been at it from 1978 or thereabouts.  I do sell a bit now and then to fund more lol.

 

I also have a considerable collection of music stored digitally and a few boxes of Cd's here as well.

 

If it's well recorded, mastered and pressed etc there is no contest...vinyl every time.  It's expensive though and if you don't have at least a half decent TT it really isn't worth the hassle.

 

One of the things that makes me laugh is the recent upsurge in vinyl interest and comments like 'aah nothing like the old crackle and pop of a record player'. Nope that boils my pish.....No clicks pops or scratches for me.....inky blackness between tracks!

 

 

On 9/11/2020 at 1:13 PM, SVC Porter said:

I never stopped buying vinyl and have been at it from 1978 or thereabouts.  I do sell a bit now and then to fund more lol.

 

I also have a considerable collection of music stored digitally and a few boxes of Cd's here as well.

 

If it's well recorded, mastered and pressed etc there is no contest...vinyl every time.  It's expensive though and if you don't have at least a half decent TT it really isn't worth the hassle.

 

One of the things that makes me laugh is the recent upsurge in vinyl interest and comments like 'aah nothing like the old crackle and pop of a record player'. Nope that boils my pish.....No clicks pops or scratches for me.....inky blackness between tracks!

 

 

 

I find streaming Qobuz Hires files (on high-end hifi kit) to be unbeatable.  Granted, there is a huge vinyl library out there over the decades.

On 9/11/2020 at 11:56 PM, tribalfusion001 said:

Not surprised, must be hardly anyone buying CDs anymore and I haven't bought any vinyl since 2003, sold most of my collection 2 years. I'm 100% digital only, much easier having a whole music collection on your hard drive and phone.

All of which can vanish in a millisecond, and if you lose your phone....................................

I have music on at least 4 different hard drives in different locations as I'm not taking any chances.

 

I do like that I can plug a flash drive into my car's USB and put it on random, unlike when we only had tapes.

 

I've still got my record player, so I'm ready.

On 9/11/2020 at 11:56 PM, tribalfusion001 said:

Not surprised, must be hardly anyone buying CDs anymore and I haven't bought any vinyl since 2003, sold most of my collection 2 years. I'm 100% digital only, much easier having a whole music collection on your hard drive and phone.

You mean people just steal it off the internet?

 

Can't buy CDs in local town as no music store. If no store stands to reason no one is buying.

Edited September 14, 20205 yr by thaibeachlovers