Current:Home > reviewsVinyl records outsell CDs for the first time since 1987 -TrueNorth Capital Hub
Vinyl records outsell CDs for the first time since 1987
PredictIQ View
Date:2025-04-07 03:50:29
Vinyl albums outsold CDs last year for the first time since 1987, according to the Recording Industry Association of America's year-end report released Thursday.
It marked the 16th consecutive year of growth in vinyl, with 41 million albums sold — compared to 33 million CDs.
Streaming is still the biggest driver of the music industry's growth, making up 84% of recorded-music revenue, but physical music formats saw a remarkable resurgence in the past couple of years.
Vinyl revenue grew 17% and topped $1.2 billion last year, making up nearly three-quarters of the revenue brought in by physical music. At the same time, CD revenue fell 18% to $483 million, the RIAA said.
The pandemic led to a spike in demand for vinyl records, driven largely by younger buyers. Vinyl has become a major part of artists' marketing campaigns.
Artists including Adele and Taylor Swift made pop a fast-growing genre on vinyl, and many independent manufacturers struggled to ramp up and meet demand after years of decline. That's forced some bands to push back album releases and stopped small artists from being able to press records.
The recorded-music industry's fortunes started to improve in 2016 as streaming services grew, overcoming the decline in CD sales and online music piracy. Paid subscription services including Spotify and Apple Music brought in $10.2 billion from 92 million paid subscribers in 2022, topping $10 billion for the first time, according to RIAA.
Ad-supported streaming, like YouTube, brought in $1.8 billion and made up 11% of recorded-music revenue. Revenue from digital downloads, including both albums and single tracks, dropped 20% to $495 million.
veryGood! (224)
Related
- Senate begins final push to expand Social Security benefits for millions of people
- Shop the Top-Rated Under $100 Air Purifiers That Are a Breath of Fresh Air
- How Khloe Kardashian Is Setting Boundaries With Ex Tristan Thompson After Cheating Scandal
- Wendy Williams Receiving Treatment at Wellness Facility
- Realtor group picks top 10 housing hot spots for 2025: Did your city make the list?
- Chemours Says it Will Dramatically Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Aiming for Net Zero by 2050
- High-Stakes Fight Over Rooftop Solar Spreads to Michigan
- Trump EPA Targets More Coal Ash Rules for Rollback. Water Pollution Rules, Too.
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Hi Hi!
- Game-Winning Father's Day Gift Ideas for the Sports Fan Dad
Ranking
- Federal appeals court upholds $14.25 million fine against Exxon for pollution in Texas
- What the BLM Shake-Up Could Mean for Public Lands and Their Climate Impact
- Vanderpump Rules: Raquel Leviss Wanted to Be in a Throuple With Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix
- Puerto Rico Considers 100% Renewable Energy, But Natural Gas May Come First
- Louvre will undergo expansion and restoration project, Macron says
- RHOC's Tamra Judge Reveals Where She and Shannon Beador Stand After Huge Reconciliation Fight
- How Trump’s New Trade Deal Could Prolong His Pollution Legacy
- Woman hit and killed by stolen forklift
Recommendation
Biden administration makes final diplomatic push for stability across a turbulent Mideast
Shop the Top-Rated Under $100 Air Purifiers That Are a Breath of Fresh Air
Chief Environmental Justice Official at EPA Resigns, With Plea to Pruitt to Protect Vulnerable Communities
Warming Trends: Battling Beetles, Climate Change Blues and a Tool That Helps You Take Action
The FBI should have done more to collect intelligence before the Capitol riot, watchdog finds
After Dozens of Gas Explosions, a Community Looks for Alternatives to Natural Gas
How Much Damage are Trump’s Solar Tariffs Doing to the U.S. Industry?
What's closed and what's open on the Fourth of July?