Independent record shops saw an increase of 44 percent in sales in the first half of 2013 when compared with the same period last year, new figures show.
The rise came despite an overall drop in album sales of 1.5 percent in the same period, Entertainment Retailers Association (ERA) analysis of Official Charts Company (OCC) data revealed.
David Bowie’s The Next Day and Tomorrow’s Harvest by Boards of Canada were the top two best selling albums via independent retailers during the first half of the year.
An increase in vinyl sales and the success of initiatives such as Record Store Day were highlighted as key contributors to the rise of independent sales.
Paul Quirk, ERA chairman, said: ‘These first-half sales figures reveal a stunning result for indie record shops. Although the odds are stacked against them, indies have fought back.
‘With Record Store Day they have created the first major new UK sales promotion for music in 20 years and as consumers re-waken to the joys of analogue, they have driven the growth of vinyl sales.’
He added: ‘Although only a tiny part of the music market overall, indie stores are driving some of the most exciting new initiatives in music, as well as continuing to support and help break new talent.’
Further figures showed that independent record shops only accounted for 3.2 percent of total album sales but 50 percent of all vinyl sales.
The list of best selling albums via independent retailers is below:
David Bowie - The Next Day
Boards of Canada - Tomorrow’s Harvest
Stereophonics - Graffiti on the Train
Daft Punk - Random Access Memories
Courteneers - Anna
Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds - Push the Sky Away
Atoms for Peace - Amok
Queens of the Stone Age - Like Clockwork
Frank Turner - Tape Deck Heart
National - Trouble Will Find Me
Emeli Sande - Our Version of Events
Savages - Silence Yourself
Vampire Weekend - Modern Vampires of the City
Steve Wilson - The Raven That Refused to Sing
John Grant - Pale Green Ghosts
Palma Violets - 180
Mumford and Sons - Babel
Jake Bugg - Jake Bugg
Texas - The Conversation
British Sea Power - Machineries of Joy
The rise came despite an overall drop in album sales of 1.5 percent in the same period, Entertainment Retailers Association (ERA) analysis of Official Charts Company (OCC) data revealed.
David Bowie’s The Next Day and Tomorrow’s Harvest by Boards of Canada were the top two best selling albums via independent retailers during the first half of the year.
An increase in vinyl sales and the success of initiatives such as Record Store Day were highlighted as key contributors to the rise of independent sales.
Paul Quirk, ERA chairman, said: ‘These first-half sales figures reveal a stunning result for indie record shops. Although the odds are stacked against them, indies have fought back.
‘With Record Store Day they have created the first major new UK sales promotion for music in 20 years and as consumers re-waken to the joys of analogue, they have driven the growth of vinyl sales.’
He added: ‘Although only a tiny part of the music market overall, indie stores are driving some of the most exciting new initiatives in music, as well as continuing to support and help break new talent.’
Further figures showed that independent record shops only accounted for 3.2 percent of total album sales but 50 percent of all vinyl sales.
The list of best selling albums via independent retailers is below:
David Bowie - The Next Day
Boards of Canada - Tomorrow’s Harvest
Stereophonics - Graffiti on the Train
Daft Punk - Random Access Memories
Courteneers - Anna
Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds - Push the Sky Away
Atoms for Peace - Amok
Queens of the Stone Age - Like Clockwork
Frank Turner - Tape Deck Heart
National - Trouble Will Find Me
Emeli Sande - Our Version of Events
Savages - Silence Yourself
Vampire Weekend - Modern Vampires of the City
Steve Wilson - The Raven That Refused to Sing
John Grant - Pale Green Ghosts
Palma Violets - 180
Mumford and Sons - Babel
Jake Bugg - Jake Bugg
Texas - The Conversation
British Sea Power - Machineries of Joy
