Vinyl albums outsold CDs final yr for the primary time since 1987, in response to the Recording Business Affiliation of America’s year-end report launched Thursday.

It marked the sixteenth consecutive yr of progress in vinyl, with 41 million albums offered — in comparison with 33 million CDs.

Streaming continues to be the most important driver of the music business’s progress, making up 84% of recorded-music income, however bodily music codecs noticed a exceptional resurgence prior to now couple of years.

Vinyl income grew 17% and topped $1.2 billion final yr, making up practically three-quarters of the income introduced in by bodily music. On the similar time, CD income fell 18% to $483 million, the RIAA stated.

The pandemic led to a spike in demand for vinyl information, pushed largely by youthful patrons. Vinyl has turn out to be a significant a part of artists’ advertising campaigns.

Artists together with Adele and Taylor Swift made pop a fast-growing style on vinyl, and lots of impartial producers struggled to ramp up and meet demand after years of decline. That is pressured some bands to push again album releases and stopped small artists from having the ability to press information.

The recorded-music business’s fortunes began to enhance in 2016 as streaming companies grew, overcoming the decline in CD gross sales and on-line music piracy. Paid subscription companies together with Spotify and Apple Music introduced in $10.2 billion from 92 million paid subscribers in 2022, topping $10 billion for the primary time, in response to RIAA.

Advert-supported streaming, like YouTube, introduced in $1.8 billion and made up 11% of recorded-music income. Income from digital downloads, together with each albums and single tracks, dropped 20% to $495 million.