UK vinyl sales hit one million for the first time since 1996

Over a million vinyl albums have been sold in the UK so far this year – a feat that hasn’t been achieved since 1996.

Pink Floyd’s ambient swansong The Endless River is the fastest-selling vinyl release this century, shifting 6,000 copies in its first week of sales, according to new figures from the BPI. That’s the highest first-week sales of any vinyl album released since 1997, making it the fastest-selling vinyl album this century. The biggest-selling vinyl album of the year remains Arctic Monkeys’ AM (which was in fact released in 2013).

The vinyl industry is now worth around £20 million a year, according to the boss of the Official Chart Company, who has revealed that the body will soon launch a weekly vinyl chart.

“In an era when we’re all talking about digital music, the fact that these beautiful physical artefacts are still as popular as they are is fantastic,” said charts chief Martin Talbot. “Only five years ago this business was worth around £3m a year. This year it’s going to be worth £20m.”

Several vinyl-focused record shops have opened in London this year – last weekend we visited the newest, Do!! You!!! in Peckham, for a snoop around their stock. [via NME; BBC]

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