Vinyl Resurgence

It is already well known amongst many music aficionados that vinyl records have been enjoying a resurgence in recent years with huge store-chains like HMV selling them in high street stores. Which is certainly the case in my nearest branch. This chart shows how in the world of declining internet sales because of piracy, other formats have been enjoying significant sales surpluses.

(chart via Digital Music News)

The origins of this resurgence lie in the increasing number of contemporary artists who are choosing to release on vinyl along with the mainstream digital formats as well. Their prevalence is being felt in independent record stores with a recent statisitc showing that the majority of vinyl sales are done in independent record shops. As this statisitc shows:

The newly pressed vinyl that is being sold in these stores mainly consits of re-releases of classic albums, such as The Beatles’ Abbey Road as well as many contemporary artists choosing to release on Vinyl. With world-class bands like Coldplay releasing their album, Mylo Xyloto, in vinyl. The most commercially successful album of 2011, Adele’s 21, was also released in vinyl and it is evidence of vinyl moving from being the domain of nostalgic hipsters to a widely accepted mainstream format. Other artists that still release on vinyl include the long established groups like U2 and Status Quo who both have released their latest material on vinyl. Most recently Bruce Springsteen’s Wrecking Ball was also released on vinyl and is a good example of well established artists still using vinyl as a format for their new material.