COVID-19 pandemic boosts vinyl sales by 27%, now people are upgrading their setups

One in three are planning to upgrade their listening gear.

A rise in vinyl sales is leading fans to upgrade their home listening setup, according to a new study published today by MusicWatch.

The study, titled Revelations About the Vinyl Revolution, found that an estimated 18 million people above the age of 13 purchased a record during 2021 – a 27% increase over sales during 2020.

The increased interest in the format has also led fans to think about their listening setup, with MusicWatch estimating that one in three turntable owners plan to upgrade their gear in the coming 12 months.

A sign of how invested people remain in the format, 95% of buyers plan to continue purchasing records this year.

Interestingly, while 16% of buyers purchased vinyl for the sole sake of listening, 21% were buying as a way of collecting, highlighting how vinyl has remained a popular format.

According to MusicWatch, half of record buyers are under the age of 25.

The Revelations About the Vinyl Revolution study, which was conducted in cooperation with the Recording Industry Association of America RIAA and the Music Business Association, involved surveying approximately 1,400 consumers across the US, including the general population as well as vinyl devotees.

For some inspiration on how to improve your setup, check out our guide on creating your own private listening room.