Vinyl LPs outsell CDs, DVDs and Blu-ray discs in UK according to analysis by ERA, the digital entertainment and retailers association. Year-to-date sales figures show that for the first-time vinyl LPs have overtaken all physical entertainment formats bar Nintendo Switch games. It means that UK consumers have spent more money on the 74 year old format than on Playstation 4 and 5 games combined, as well as more than on CDs, DVDs or Blu-ray discs.
UK best selling physical entertainment formats
| Format | 2021 YTD | 2022 YTD | % change | |
| 1 | Nintendo Switch | £101,338,187 | £88,650,439 | -12.5 |
| 2 | Vinyl albums | £72,107,077 | £80,934,220 | 12.2 |
| 3 | Playstation (4 + 5) | £74,730,331 | £79,582,333 | 6.5 |
| 4 | CD albums | £74,920,404 | £68,851,246 | -8.1 |
| 5 | DVD | £83,396,449 | £66,823,596 | -19.9 |
| 6 | Blu-ray | £47,414,578 | £52,148,024 | 10.0 |
| 7 | Xbox (Series + One) | £20,759,828 | £17,784,159 | -14.3 |
| 8 | PC | £837,039 | £579,986 | -30.7 |
| Source: Official Charts Company/GfK. Weeks 1-35 2022 versus 2021 | ||||
The £80.9m spent on vinyl LPs so far this year is 12.2% up on the same period of 2021, and is nearly 20% ahead of expenditure on compact discs. Vinyl sales overtook CD sales for the first time just last year.
ERA CEO Kim Bayley said, ”Vinyl’s rise and rise seems unstoppable. For a 74 year old analogue format to eclipse the digital-age technology of games platforms is quite extraordinary. Ten years into its long climb back to favour, the vinyl revival is most definitely here to stay.”
