Vinyl sales exceed CD sales for the first time in the United States since the 1980s

The 1980s back in fashion?

In recent years, vinyls have seen their popularity climb while that of CDs continues to collapse.

In the United States, for the first time since 1987, the sale of black discs exceeds that of compact discs.

A report by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) shows that in 2022, 41 million vinyls were sold, compared to 33 million CDs.

The gap between the two media is even more marked in terms of receipts.

Revenues generated by vinyl sales increased by 17%, reaching 1.2 billion dollars (1.1 billion euros), against 483 million dollars (452 ​​million euros) for CDs.

In total, 70% of revenues from physical sales (cassettes, CDs, vinyls) are due to vinyls.

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In Europe too, vinyl is experiencing a resurgence of interest.

In France in 2022, in a physical market down 12% compared to the previous year, black cakes are doing well with an increase of 13%, reports the National Syndicate of Phonographic Publishing (SNEP).

People under 35 represent nearly 60% of buyers.

But if vinyl is back in fashion - and is taking its revenge on the compact disk - current sales are absolutely not comparable to those of its heyday.

42 million records sold in the United States in 2022?

It should be remembered that in 1981, more than a billion were sold worldwide and in 1988, with competition from the CD, another 510 million.