Something remarkable happened in 2020. For the first time since the 1980s, vinyl record sales overtook CD sales in the United States. Since then, the gap has only grown. In 2023, nearly 50 million vinyl records were sold in the US alone.

It’s Not Just Nostalgia

The average vinyl buyer today is 35 years old or younger. Many of them have never owned a record player before. This is not people reconnecting with their youth — this is a new generation actively choosing a format older than their parents.

The Warmth Argument

Audiophiles will tell you vinyl sounds better — warmer, richer, more alive. The science is debatable, but the perception is real and widespread. There is something about analogue audio that digital has never quite replicated.

The Object as Statement

A vinyl record is a beautiful physical object. In an age where music is invisible — an invisible file on an invisible server — there is something deeply satisfying about holding an album, reading the liner notes, and placing the needle on the groove.

What Artists Get Right

Savvy artists have leaned into this. Taylor Swift’s various coloured vinyl variants. Radiohead’s elaborate packaging. Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter pressed on coloured vinyl. The record as a collectible has become a real revenue stream.