Five years into writing about music, I have learned to be careful with the word “comeback.” It gets thrown around the moment any niche format has a good quarter. But the RIAA’s 2025 year-end revenue report, released in March 2026, leaves no room for hedging: U.S. vinyl sales crossed $1 billion in a single year for the first time since the early 1980s. It is the 19th consecutive year of growth, and the cycle has now stretched longer than the original CD boom.
If you write about soundtracks and you care about how people actually listen to music outside of streaming algorithms, the RIAA numbers this year are worth digging into. So I sat with the full report for a couple of evenings. Here is what is in there, what is not, and why this matters for everything from blockbuster scores to indie label releases.
Why is this happening?
Buyers under 35 are now the fastest-growing vinyl demographic — not out of nostalgia, but by choice. Owning something physical means something different when you grew up on Spotify. Film and TV soundtracks have also become a serious commercial force. Limited pressings sell out in hours. Composers are now building vinyl into release strategy from day one.
What the report doesn’t say
Pressing plants are still overwhelmed. Independent releases wait 6–12 months. The billion-dollar number would be higher if production could keep up.
FAQs
Has vinyl outsold CDs?
Yes — for the first time, in both units and revenue, in 2024.
Is this a bubble?
19 straight years of growth says no. Slowdown to 5–8% annually is likely, but a collapse has no basis.
Does vinyl pay artists more than streaming?
al connection, built-in fan base, and collector appeal — natural fit.