Every news service has been eager to tell you that vinyl sales continued to show huge gains, even as CD sales and digital music sales slumped in the United States. Sales of the 12" format increased by 32 percent, jumping from about 4.5 million in sales during 2012 to 6 million units moved during 2013. One piece of information not being shared as readily: What performers are dominating the vinyl resurgence? Nielsen Soundscan recently released its list of the Top 10 bestselling vinyl records of 2013.
Topping the list was electronic duo Daft Punk and its Random Access Memories, which moved 49,000 units in vinyl format alone. That total makes it the bestselling year for any 12" since Soundscan began tracking the numbers during 1991. Last year was, as you imagine, also the best year for the format since 1991.
Other noticeable trends: Mumford & Sons were the most well represented performer for the year, as both of its albums managed to place (Babel at no. 4 and Sigh No More at no. 5). Part of this can be attributed to the fact that Mumford and co.—much like Daft Punk— appeal to both the mainstream audience and the "hip" audience that frequents vinyl. Sigh No More also fits into the second noticeable trend: Albums from years prior to 2013 also made appearances. No. 7, Bon Iver's For Emma Forever Ago, is actually a 2008 release. Of course, the Top 10 album sales list also featured two entries from 2012: Bruno Mars' Unorthodox Jukebox and Imagine Dragons' Night Visions.
Mind you, although the increase in vinyl sales is dramatic, it's not nearly enough to save the physical recording industry. Vinyl records accounted for only 2 percent of all album sales during 2013.
The full list is available here.
