There may be life in CDs but after gross sales surged within the format for the primary time in 4 years on the again of releases from Adele and Abba.
The compact disc has been seen as a casualty of the music streaming revolution however, as with vinyl information, there’s renewed curiosity within the medium. The British Phonographic Business, the document label commerce affiliation, stated the CD format was the “gold star” of final yr, with income rising 1.4 per cent to £117.2 million final yr.
The expansion meant CDs stayed in entrance of vinyl gross sales, which rose by greater than a 3rd to £116 million. Income from CDs stays a great distance from its £1.1 billion peak in 2003.
Adele’s 30 was the top-selling CD album, adopted by Voyage by Abba. New releases by Ed Sheeran and Coldplay additionally boosted gross sales. The CD resurgence is echoed in the USA, the place gross sales grew final yr for the primary time since 2004, up a fifth to $584.2 million.
Total UK bodily music gross sales rose 14.6 per cent to £241 million final yr, a sooner fee of progress than streaming, which was up 13.7 per cent to £837 million. Complete music gross sales rose 12.8 per cent to £1.3 billion, the British Phonographic Business stated.
Abba’s Voyage was the top-selling vinyl album final yr, whereas there have been plenty of outdated information within the high 10 for the format, together with Nirvana’s Nevermind and Again to Black by Amy Winehouse.
Broader music trade information from Britain and the US reveals a turning away from the most recent releases as folks rediscover music that may be a yr or extra previous its launch date.
