For the first time since 1987, more records than CDs were sold on the US music market last year. The compact disc, which once dominated the music business, has been pushed back by downloads and now streaming for years. The vinyl record meanwhile secured a niche in the hi-fi business and is growing.
Vinyl sales in the US increased by 3.2 percent to 41.3 million records in 2022, according to the industry association RIAA in its annual report. CDs, on the other hand, slumped by a good 28 percent to 33.4 million silver discs. In terms of sales, records overtook CDs some time ago.
Meanwhile, the number of streaming subscriptions in the US increased by 9.6 percent to 92 million. Along with advertising revenue from free versions of the services, among other things, streaming brought in $13.26 billion in revenue. The US music market, the largest in the world, grew 6.1 percent.