WILLIAMSVILLE, N.Y. (WKBW) — For the first time since 1986, vinyl has become the most popular physical form of music, according to the Recording Industry Association of America. That includes CD's, and other physical forms of music.
About 19.2 million vinyl albums were sold in the first six months of 2021, an increase of 108% from 2020.
“I think a lot of the reason why people are going back to records and why its in a resurgence is that we were home so long during COVID stuck in our house, and its easy to buy things you can enjoy at home and have physically," said Phil Machemer, the owner and operator of Revolver Records.
According to data from Ebay, its site reporter nearly a 500% increase in vinyl sales in the last ten years, increasing average prices from $4.80 in 2007, and in 2017 it had gone up to $28.40.
“In the face of having everything be digital, owning something physical like records, people want to stay grounded in some way,” Machemer added.
While the supply shortage is more commonly affecting vintage and lesser-producer records, the most popular and most purchased records are in fact, newer music not originally produced on vinyl.
The most sold records in the first half of 2021 are:
- Evermore - Taylor Swift
- Fine Line - Harry Styles
- Good Kid M.A.A.D. City - Kendrick Lamar
- When We Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? - Billie Eilish
