Vinyl sales are being driven by midlifers - not hipsters

AT the peak of online music streaming and internet radio, vinyl has managed to have a resurgence in recent years that annual sales may even surpass the three million mark in the UK for the first time in decades.
By The Newsroom
Published 10th Aug 2016, 15:28 GMT
Updated 25th Aug 2016, 18:09 GMT
Annual sales of vinyls may surpass the three million mark in the UK for the first time in decadesAnnual sales of vinyls may surpass the three million mark in the UK for the first time in decades
Annual sales of vinyls may surpass the three million mark in the UK for the first time in decades

Despite the increase of new music streaming devices, vinyl sales have also gone up, to which many would credit the hipster market.

Yet, a recent report by YouGov showed that older buyers are behind the increase of sales rather than hip milennials.

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According to the report, people between the ages of 45 and 53 are most likely to have brought a vinyl record recently while those aged 18-24 are least likely.

Vinyl buyers were also reported to live lifestyles in which music played a more central role, compared to those who do not buy vinyl.

Two-thirds of vinyl buyers said they couldn’t get through the day without music compared to almost half of UK adults in general.

The study also found the majority of vinyl buyers are more likely to go to gigs than 47 per cent of the general population.

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Between 2009 and 2014, vinyl sales have seen a a five-fold increase and doubling again the year after.

Record sales in 2015 hit a 21-year of 2.1 million units.

Three months into 2015, demand for LPs had doubled year on year compared to the first three months of 2015, jumping from 2 per cent to 4 per cent of UK music sales.

Geoff Taylor, chief executive of the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), said: “While digital platforms provide fans instant and unlimited access to an ever-expanding cosmos of music, they can’t quite match the unique experience vinyl gives you - browsing for rare gems in your favourite record store, pouring over the cover art and sleeve notes and enjoying the ritual of carefully dropping the stylus onto an LP and savouring its analogue sound.”

The resurgence of vinyl has been embraced by the industry as Univeral Music UK has started offering independent music retailers special promotions on vinyl releases for Christmas.

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Some labels are also throwing their support behind annual events such as Record Store Day.

Major supermarkets and high street chains have even jumped on the bandwagon and Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Urban Outfitters all stock a selection of vinyl records.

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