The Vinyl Resurgence: New Weekly Chart Arrives on Week of Record Store Day 2015

To say “Vinyl is coming back” would be slightly incorrect – the resurgence really began about 7 years ago – but now, more than ever, the return is the strongest it’s been for a long, long time.

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Over the past 20 years with the improvements in digital technology, CD’s and then MP3’s became the major way to obtain music, with downloads being recognised by the Official Charts Company in 2004. As a result, sales of vinyls declined – eventually hitting a low in 2007 of just 205,292 LP sales; a 0.1% share of all album sales that year.

Since then though, the sales of vinyls have increased year-on-year: and last year, they almost doubled compared to 2013 to a sales total of 1,288,510 – the first time vinyl sales exceeded one million since 1996! To highlight the resurgence even further, vinyl sales are already up 69% in Q1 this year compared to the same Q1 of last year – predictions are that the 2 million mark could be shattered by the end of 2015.

So what’s contributed to this upturn in love for the 7 and 12 inchers?

All Time Low’s “Future Hearts” has become the first ever UK #1 Album on the brand new Vinyl Charts.

A small thanks can be given to the Indie scene in the mid-00’s, just prior to the 2007 low – with bands like Arctic Monkeys, Kasabian, Razorlight and many more helping to increase the popularity. The majority of thanks can go to the general interest, and events further bringing vinyl back in to the mainstream – such as the upcoming 8th annual Record Store Day this Saturday, 18th April.

Record Store Day, held on the third Saturday of April every year, was kicked off in 2008 by the rock group Metallica, in which they signed autographs for 500 fans. Around 10 Record Store Day specials were released on the first event – this year, it’s 592!

Vinyl still doesn’t make a major impact in the overall sales in the UK Charts – despite over one million vinyl sales in 2014, it still accounted for just 1.5% of all sales last year – it’s made enough of an impact for this week to be a special one.

Not only is Record Store Day happening this weekend, but the Official Charts have now launched a weekly Vinyl chart – the first of its kind in the UK. The group who get the honour of being the first ever #1 in the Vinyl Album Chart? Baltimore Pop-Punk group All Time Low, with “Future Hearts”.

Vinyl isn’t dead. In fact, it’s coming back, better than ever. Blow the dust off the needle, time to enjoy the crackles again, like we’re meant to.

Ashley Redman
Music Junkie