People love vinyl records for a myriad of reasons. It might be the satisfying hum of the needle as the groove spins beneath it that attracts them, or the enjoyment of handling a physical product and soaking up the album artwork. But for many, of course, it’s pure nostalgia that draws them back to the once-dominant music-playing format.
Vinyl albums have been making a comeback in recent years, and new data shows that for the first time since 1987, they’ve outsold CDs in the U.S. market.
Just over 41 million vinyl albums were bought last year, generating revenue of $1.2 billion, a report from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) revealed.
That compares with only 33 million CD sales, worth $483 million, the BBC reported.
The strong showing by vinyl marked the 16th consecutive year of growth for the format as music fans young and old continue to spend their hard-earned cash on LPs alongside — or even instead of — digital downloads and streaming services. And perhaps the occasional CD.
“Revenues from physical music formats continued to grow after their remarkable resurgence in 2021,” the RIAA said in its report. “Total physical revenues of $1.7 billion were up 4% versus the prior year. Revenues from vinyl records grew 17% to $1.2 billion … and accounted for 71% of physical format revenues.”
Responding to the uptick in vinyl sales, RIAA chief Mitch Glazier said the format is “cementing its role as a fixture of the modern music marketplace,” adding that music fans “clearly can’t get enough of the high-quality sound and tangible connection to artists [that] vinyl delivers.”
Glazier also noted how record companies are increasingly responding to the resurgence with the release of special album editions, a strategy that itself is helping to further propel sales.
If you’re new to the format, then check out Digital Trends’ article detailing how to build and preserve a collection of vinyl records. And take a look at this piece, too, explaining how to nail the satisfying ritual of playing vinyl, from extracting the disc from the sleeve to delicately placing the needle on its outer edge.
Editors’ Recommendations
- I used two of the year’s oddest tech gadgets so you don’t have to
- Apple Music launches standalone app for classical music
- Sonos Era 100 and Era 300 first impressions: it’s all about immersion
- Spotify’s new AI-driven DJ spins tracks just for you
- T-Mobile customers can now get MLS Season Pass for free
YouTube TV: plans, pricing, channels, how to cancel, and more
When you think of streaming video, you think YouTube. And so YouTube TV — Google’s live TV streaming service — very much just makes sense. Designed for those who want to cut the cord and ditch their cable or satellite subscriptions (and known in the industry as a multichannel video programming distributor, or MPVD), YouTube TV competes in the same arena as other streaming television services like DirecTV Stream (formerly known as AT&T TV Now and DirecTV Now), Sling TV, FuboTV, and Hulu With Live TV.
And YouTube TV offers a unique mix of features that make it very appealing — so much so that it’s now the No. 1 service in the U.S. in terms of the number of paid subscribers, with some 5 million subscribers as of June 2022 — up some 2 million from the last time the service gave an update in October 2020. The popularity is due to a number of factors. YouTube TV is easy to use. It’s got a selection of channels that’s competitive with all its rivals. And the YouTube TV price is competitive, too. You’re able to watch YouTube TV on pretty much any modern device. And the fact that parent company Alphabet (aka Google) has been marketing the heck out of it the past few years certainly hasn’t hurt, either.
LG brings Apple TV, Apple Music, and AirPlay to webOS Hub-based TVs
In October 2022, LG debuted webOS Hub, an enhanced version of the smart TV software it uses for its own TVs that can be licensed by other manufacturers. At the time, webOS Hub was not a full replica of the webOS that runs on LG TVs, given that it was missing some features like Apple’s AirPlay and HomeKit support.
Today, LG says that webOS Hub is now compatible with all of those missing Apple ingredients. Apple TV app, Apple Music, AirPlay, and HomeKit are available to compatible webOS Hub TVs in more than 100 countries and regions.
Peacock does away with free tier for new subscribers
Peacock has pared back its available subscription options to two — and they’re now both of the paid variety. As first noted by The Streamable, the free Peacock tier no longer is available, and the $5-a-month Premium and $10-a-month Plus plans are now the options for new subscribers.
Those who currently are on the free tier won’t immediately be forced onto one of the paid options, with Peacock’s website saying “If you already have a Peacock account but do not have a paid plan, you can watch a limited amount of content for free.”
The post Vinyl records outsell CDs for first time in 35 years | Digital Trends first appeared on www.digitaltrends.com
5 Reasons Why You Should Try Online Horse Race Betting
NordLayer — more than a business VPN
![Hands on: The Oppo Find X6 Pro stuns with its camera and eye-searing display [Gallery]](https://9to5google.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/03/oppo-find-x6-pro-1-1.jpg?quality=82&strip=all&w=1280)
