US vinyl sales reach thirty-year high in 2021

With female artists topping the charts.

US vinyl sales have reached record highs in 2021, according to MRC Data.

Read more: US vinyl sales grew by 94% during first half of 2021

During 2021, 41.72 million vinyl LPs were sold – a 51.4% increase on the 27.55 million records sold in 2020. This marks vinyl’s highest US sales since MRC Data began tracking the format in 1991.

Vinyl now comprises 38.3% of all US album sales, as well as 50.4% of physical album sales, making it the first time vinyl LPs outsold CDs since 1991.

Female artists topped the US charts: Adele’s latest album, 30, was the best-selling LP of the year – with 318,000 LPs sold, while Olivia Rodrigo’s Sour came in second place – with LPs 268,000 sold, and Taylor Swift’s Red (Taylor’s Version) came in third – with 260,000 LPs sold.

The format’s growth was also reflected globally; UK vinyl sales similarly reached record highs in 2021, with a total of 5.3 million records sold.

Check out the US’ top ten best-selling vinyl albums in 2021 below.

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Top 10 best-selling vinyl albums in the US

1. Adele, 30 (318,000)
2. Olivia Rodrigo, Sour (268,000)
3. Taylor Swift, Red (Taylor’s Version) (260,000)
4. Harry Styles, Fine Line (256,000)
5. Billie Eilish, Happier Than Ever (252,000)
6. Taylor Swift, Evermore (249,000)
7. Prince & The Revolution, Purple Rain (Soundtrack) (207,000)
8. The Beatles, Abbey Road (201,000)
9. Taylor Swift, Folklore (195,000)
10. Kendrick Lamar, Good Kid, M.A.A.D City (194,000)