Nielsen Music: Record Store Day 2017 Physical Album Sales Up Nearly 200% Week-To-Week

Record Store Day 2017

NIELSEN MUSIC is reporting that RECORD STORE DAY 2017 saw physical album sales jump 193% at independent record stores over the prior week, the largest weekly gain in RSD history.

Further RSD success for indie retailers is demonstrated by the 484% increase in vinyl LP sales, over the prior week. Indie share of sales for Total Physical Albums rose to an all-time high of 31% (up from 27% last year). 

Indie retailers also saw their share of sales for vinyl LPs climb for the third straight year on RSD, in spite of increased efforts by major retailers to take home a larger cut:

•    73% in 2015
•    74% in 2016
•    75% in 2017

Physical singles saw a 4400% surge over the prior week at indie retailers. Indie retailers’ share of sales for these mostly RSD-exclusive releases was a whopping 95%.

RSD performance was strong across the industry, with total vinyl sales jumping 213% over the prior week. Total physical album sales also saw a 28% increase. This also set a new RSD record, besting 2014’s 27% increase.

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