Vinyl listening is back
Social coverage notes a resurgence of physical formats — vinyl in particular — as people seek calmer, less algorithm‑driven listening experiences beyond services like Spotify. (x.com) (x.com)
Vinyl is no longer a nostalgia niche: in the United States, it topped $1 billion in annual sales in 2025 and kept widening its lead over compact discs. (riaa.com) The Recording Industry Association of America said vinyl revenue rose 9.3% in 2025 to $1.04 billion, with 46.8 million records sold. Compact discs brought in less than a third as much revenue, even though 29.5 million CDs still sold. (riaa.com) Globally, the pattern is more mixed. The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry said total physical revenue fell 3.1% in 2024 even as subscription streaming revenue rose 9.5% and passed $20.4 billion. (ifpi.org) That leaves vinyl growing inside a business still dominated by apps. Spotify says it has 751 million users, including 290 million paying subscribers, across 184 markets. (investors.spotify.com) Physical music has also rebuilt a retail culture around independent shops. Record Store Day said the event began in 2008 and now includes nearly 1,400 independently owned stores in the United States, with the 2026 edition set for April 18. (recordstoreday.com) Luminate said independent record stores accounted for 40% of all vinyl album sales after its methodology update in 2024, the largest share of any retail channel it measured. (luminatedata.com) The rebound is not just American. The British Phonographic Industry said United Kingdom physical music revenue rose for a third straight year in 2025, led by a 19.9% jump in vinyl sales. (bpi.co.uk) Vinyl’s place in the market is also different from the compact disc boom of the 1990s. The Recording Industry Association of America now classifies it as both a listening format and a collectible business, with special editions, direct-to-fan sales and store-exclusive releases helping keep prices high. (riaa.com) That helps explain why records can expand while streaming keeps winning on scale. One format sells convenience by the month; the other sells ownership, artwork and a ritual that starts by choosing one album and flipping it halfway through. (investors.spotify.com) (riaa.com)
