Vinyl records are still popular.

Despite the growth of the online market, vinyl records still hold a significant share of the global music industry. Not only has consumption remained stable, but it is currently showing a resurgence.

Taylor Swift's "Life of a Showgirl" is set to be the best-selling vinyl record of 2025.

The global vinyl record market is estimated to be worth approximately $2.4 billion in 2025, with projected annual growth of 7-11% until 2032. Accordingly, vinyl records are selling well in the US, UK, Canada, and other markets.

According to data from Luminate, vinyl record sales in the US in 2025 reached 47.9 million copies, an 8.6% increase from the previous year. This marks the 19th consecutive year of growth for this format. Total physical album sales also increased by 6.5%, while digital album sales continued to decline sharply by 15.9%. The strongest consumer group is young people, driven by the growing trend of collecting and owning vinyl records. It is predicted that in 2026, the vinyl market share will continue to grow, driven not only by the desire to own artists' products but also by other reasons.

The Audio Tech Lifestyles report by Futuresource Consulting indicates that approximately 60% of Gen Z choose to buy vinyl records. Of these, 56% prefer vinyl for its aesthetics, and 37% use it as a decorative item. This means the demand for vinyl records is very diverse, with a strong emphasis on collecting and owning exclusive records. Expert Jared Watson calls this phenomenon "symbolic consumption." Some of the best-selling vinyl records in 2025 include: Taylor Swift's "Life of a Showgirl," Sabrina Carpenter's "Man's Best Friend and Short n'Sweet," and Kendrick Lamar's "GNX."

The resurgence of vinyl records largely stems from Taylor Swift – the singer who strategically promotes her music as collectible works of art. Jeffrey Smith, Vice President of Marketing at Discogs.com, said: “Each version of Taylor Swift’s work is a unique piece of the story, and this has raised the bar for album and record releases across the entire market.” For example, “Midnights” has four versions, and when the backs of these four versions are combined, they form a clock face, stimulating consumption and collecting among fans. Erin Davila (28 years old), a Taylor Swift fan, has been collecting albums and records since high school. To date, she and her husband own a collection of nearly 1,000 vinyl records from their favorite singers: Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter, Kacey Musgraves, The Weeknd, and more.

Despite the popularity of vinyl records, Rob Jonas, CEO of Luminate, believes the global music market is heavily influenced by consumer tastes. A clear example of this is the convergence of film, video games, and music in 2025 and 2026. Specifically, the Netflix documentary “Becoming Led Zeppelin” boosted global listens to Led Zeppelin music by 16%. Meanwhile, Daft Punk's music experience on the Fortnite platform saw nearly 48% increase in listens in the US in just the first week.

BAO LAM (Compiled)

Source: https://baocantho.com.vn/dia-than-van-duoc-ua-chuong-a197143.html