Weekly U.S. Vinyl Album Sales Surpass 2 Million for Only Third Time in Modern Era

U.S. vinyl album sales surged in the week ending Dec. 21, with 2.054 million copies sold, according to Luminate. That marks the largest week of 2023 for vinyl albums, and the third-largest week in the modern era — since Luminate began electronically tracking sales in 1991.

The only two larger weeks registered since 1991 both came in the previous two years. The second-largest frame came in the week ending Dec. 23, 2021, with 2.115 million; while the biggest week is held by the frame ending Dec. 22, 2022, with 2.232 million.

Vinyl sales got a boost in the week ending Dec. 21, 2023 thanks to holiday shopping and sale pricing and promotions across retailers.

The top-selling vinyl album in the week ending Dec. 21 (as reflected on Billboard’s Vinyl Albums chart dated Dec. 30) was Taylor Swift’s 1989 (Taylor’s Version) with 57,000 copies sold. Swift had the top four-selling vinyl albums of the week, and six of the top seven. Midnights, Lover and Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) are Nos. 2-4, while Folklore and Fearless (Taylor’s Version) are Nos. 6 and 7.

In total, in the week ending Dec. 21, 2023, Swift’s vinyl album sales across all of her albums added up to 194,000 — 9.5% of all vinyl albums sold by all artists in the U.S. that week.

There is one more week in Luminate’s tracking year for 2023 — the week of Dec. 22-28. As that week contains three shopping days before the Christmas Day holiday on Dec. 23, there could be some sizable vinyl sales that come in before the close of the year.