Taylor Swift, the reigning queen of pop and vinyl records, has spun her way into music history, helping push vinyl sales to soar to dizzying heights not seen since 1990. In a retro resurgence, nearly six million vinyl records were sold in the past year, an uptick of almost 12%, showcasing the format’s biggest year in over three decades, according to the British Phonographic Industry (BPI).
The surge in sales is largely credited to Swift’s rerecorded album “1989 (Taylor’s Version)”, which became the best-selling vinyl LP of the year. The record’s success is significant not only because it tops the charts. This album, first released in 2014 and reissued as “Taylor’s Version” in October 2023, has clearly resonated with fans, both old and new, in its vinyl form.
The rise in vinyl sales has been consistent since 2007, but 2023 stands out with an 11.7% increase, the highest in a decade. This is punctuated by a staggering 250,000 vinyl units sold in the week leading up to Christmas alone, marking the biggest week for vinyl since the turn of the century.
BPI chief executive Jo Twist said: “Led by vinyl, the resurgence of physical product underlines the resilience of the UK music market at a time when streaming consumption continues to hit record levels.”
Swift’s version of 1989 was the highest-selling album of the year alongside new releases from Ed Sheeran, Lana Del Rey, Lewis Capaldi, and the Rolling Stones. Speak Now sits at No. 4, and Midnights is at No. 8. It’s a clear indication of the star’s impact on the format, as her fans flock to the tactile and nostalgic experience of vinyl over streaming.
In the United States, vinyl records grew 1% to $632 million and accounted for 72% of physical format revenues, according to the Recording Industry Association of America.
The vinyl trend, bolstered by Taylor Swift’s influential “Taylor’s Version” albums, is a testament to the enduring appeal of physical music formats in an age of digital consumption. It is a harmonious blend of nostalgia and modernity, where the crackle and pop of a needle on vinyl records is as much a part of the music experience as the tunes themselves.
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