Apr 24, 2020
CD and vinyl sales slide in lockdown — but are still core to chart success
Sales of vinyl records and CDs in the UK have halved during the coronavirus pandemic but retain their "Kingmaker" status in getting albums to the top of the charts. Vinyl sales have boomed but overall music sold in a tangible format now accounts for less than a quarter of total global music industry revenue. Drew Hill, managing director of Proper, said sales had picked up sharply in recent days as Amazon and supermarkets - which had been prioritising sales of hygiene equipment and other essential household goods - had started to return to normal trading patterns. Seven of the 14 number one albums in the UK this year - including those by Green Day and Blossoms - generated more in sales through CD and vinyl than via streaming, according to Official Charts Company data. Chart data are calculated by blending unit sales and consumption on streaming services, with 1,000 streams the equivalent of one CD or record sale.
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