UK music industry records another bumper year in 2019 says BPI

The UK music industry enjoyed another bumper year in 2019 thanks to the growth of vinyl sales alongside digital music consumption, says music industry organisation, the BPI. 

According to data in the BPI's annual ‘All About the Music 2020’ yearbook, vinyl LP sales grew for a 12th consecutive year, underpinning a positive 12 months for the sector. 

Sales of music released on the format rose by 4.1 percent in 2019 with more than 4.3m vinyl copies sold over the course of the year, representing a rise of around 2,000 percent since 2007. 

The BPI’s report revealed that vinyl releases from the likes of Billie Eilish (‘When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?') and Lewis Capaldi’s 'Divinely Uninspired To A Hellish Extent' were among the contemporary albums to prove popular on the format. 

Their success outlined in the report, alongside other big sellers from legendary acts like Queen or Fleetwood Mac, suggests the industry offers great opportunities for new talent to break through.  

BPI’s Rob Crutchley, 'All About The Music 2020' author, said:

The continuing growth in demand for albums on vinyl and even cassette - now boosted by a new generation of artists such as Billie Eilish and Lewis Capaldi alongside more established heritage acts such as Queen - underlines the enduring appeal of analogue alongside streaming and CD."

"There is still a strong core of fans who also value the opportunity to acquire, own or gift recorded music on physical format."

Paul Kirkham, ICMP Chief Executive, said: "While we acknowledge that the music industry, like many other sectors, will face new challenges following Covid 19, it’s clear from this BPI report that it will respond from a very healthy place. New talent like homegrown artists Lewis Capaldi to international stars like Billie Eilish demonstrated incredible success during the last year." 

"I'm equally impressed by how our students and tutors have responded to the new normal following the UK restrictions around lockdown and social distancing." 

By demonstrating a willingness to embrace new ways of working, whether it be through live streaming or remote learning, I believe our ICMP community is equally well placed to succeed, both in the current situation and in the future industry post-lockdown."  

"Music has the power to bring us together, something which will be more important than ever during these times."  

Read more on ICMP's response to the coronavirus pandemic. 

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