Vinyl hits $1B milestone
U.S. vinyl sales topped $1 billion for the first time in 40+ years, driven in part by superstar releases — Taylor Swift alone sold ~1.6 million vinyl copies in 2025. (musicradar.com) The wider U.S. recorded‑music industry pulled in a record $11.54 billion in 2025, with streaming and vinyl both contributing. (aceshowbiz.com)
U.S. vinyl unit sales climbed to about 46.8 million in 2025, a year‑over‑year rise of roughly 9.3% and the format’s 19th consecutive year of growth. (riaa.com) The RIAA says vinyl accounted for nearly half of the format’s global value and out‑generated CDs by more than three times, while CD unit sales were around 29.5 million in 2025. (musicweek.com) Luminate’s year‑end data named The Life of a Showgirl the top U.S. album of 2025 and documents that Taylor Swift issued at least eight distinct vinyl variants as part of the release campaign. (billboard.com, rollingstone.com) According to the RIAA, paid streaming in the U.S. now totals about 106.5 million paid accounts, with premium paid‑subscription revenue reported at roughly $5.88 billion in 2025. (riaa.com) The association also restored its U.S. Music Revenue Database and switched its year‑end reporting to wholesale‑terms (back to 1973), enabling direct historical comparisons across eras. (billboard.com, riaa.com) Luminate’s broader measurements show total U.S. audio consumption rose about 4.8% in 2025 while digital album sales fell roughly 15.9% to near 13.6 million units, underscoring rising collector demand even as streaming volumes expand. (billboard.com)
