Published
Wed, Jan 4, 2017, 11:29
- More than three million records were sold in 2016, new statistics say.
UK vinyl sales were at a 25-year high in 2016, according to new figures.
More than 3.2 million records were sold in 2016, according to statistics published by the BPI (British Phonographic Industry). This represents a rise of 53% on 2015 and the highest vinyl sales figure since 1991. The top-selling LP was David Bowie's Blackstar. Most of the remaining top 10 were older albums, including Prince's Purple Rain.
Despite the increase, vinyl sales still represent a small portion—2.6%—of the UK's total music market, with streaming continuing to dominate. The BPI says there were 45 billion audio streams in 2016, a figure that doesn't include YouTube. CD sales fell by 11.7%, while download sales dropped 29.6%. The statistics also show that the music market as a whole grew by 1.5% in 2016, with a retail value of roughly £1bn.
Photo credit: Sophia Spring