By McKenzie Parish
You might have noticed lately a rise in vinyl albums at many different stores. Vinyl album sales in the United States have been on the rise for the 17th consecutive year. The vinyl comeback in the U.S. began in 2006 and since then has grown massively. In 2022, sales of vinyl LPs amounted to 43.5 million in the United States, which is more than 48 times the number sold in 2006. In that same year, vinyl album sales accounted for 43% of all LP sales. These numbers make it undeniable that vinyl is on the rise.
So, what is behind the comeback? It seems that many vinyl purchasers are simply collectors of physical albums, especially as an increasing number of artists release limited edition and uniquely designed vinyl albums. However, many people also purchase and listen to vinyl albums. Some people like the way that a record player will add a little white noise to the songs, some like that listening on vinyl is more intentional, and some like the atmosphere it creates. Regardless of the reason, it does not seem like vinyl will be going away any time soon, especially considering that vinyl has the longest life expectancy of any physical media storage, sitting at around 100 years.
If you need a reason to get into vinyl, consider that it is becoming increasingly accessible, and many artists have started offering it as a means of listening to their works.
