For the first time ever, the recording industry made more money from vinyl album sales than downloaded albums in the UK last week. According to figures published by the Entertainment Retailers Association, vinyl accounted for sales of £2.4m ($3m USD), while downloads took in £2.1m ($2.6M).
The ERA suggested that vinyl sales were up as they make an appealing holiday gift for music aficionados, but the change also reflects the increasing move away from digital downloads to streaming.
As well, the price for vinyl records, which are often sold as limited runs and in special collectors editions is unusually high. For example, last week’s top selling vinyl recording was Kate Bush’s triple-disc live album Before The Dawn, which retails at £52 ($65.50) vs. the downloadable version which will set you back just £12 ($15.12). according to the BBC.
This disparity is reflected in the actual sales figures, which saw 120,000 vinyl albums last week, vs. 295,000 digital download units, according to ERA.
via Celebrity Access