The Comeback of Vinyl

I know many of you (Pope, Racer and Jeff come to mind....) have been adding to their vinyl collection this year.  If you listened to this week's episode of The Ripple Effect radio show you heard about Pope and Racer practically buying out a record store near San Fransisco each walking away with over 80 albums a piece!

Dave over at About Classic Rock shared this on his blog today:

2008 was a boom year for vinyl records. Sales totaled 1,880,00 units -- nearly double the 2007 numbers, and more than in any year since Nielsen SoundScan started compiling data in 1991.

1. 'In Rainbows' - Radiohead

ATO Records

Units sold: 25,800
The biggest selling LP was also one of Radiohead's newest, originally released in 2007. It was initially distributed as a digital download, then on CD, then on vinyl, in January 2008.

2. 'Abbey Road' - The Beatles

Capitol Records

Units sold: 16,500
Originally released in 1969, it was the last album recorded by The Beatles, although not the last one released. The famous cover of Abbey Road was shot outside the studio where the album was recorded. It was one of The Beatles' most successful albums, spending 17 weeks at #1 in the U.K. and 11 weeks in the top spot in the U.S.

3. 'Chinese Democracy' - Guns N' Roses

Geffen Records

Units sold: 13,600
Released in 2008, work on the album actually started in 1994, and by 2005, production costs totaled $13-million, according to an article in New York Times. The double album LP release also included an MP3 download of the album. It was GNR's sixth studio album.

4. 'Funplex' - B-52's

Astralwerks

Unit sold: 12,800
In 2008, B-52's ended a self-imposed 16 year exile from recording with this release. The album, whose cover featured band members in "retro futuristic" garb, peaked at #1 on the Billboard 200.

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5. 'Third' - Portishead

Mercury Records

Units sold: 12,300
Portishead's electronic music lends itself to the superior sound reproduction qualities of the LP. The Brit group's 2008 release peaked at #2 in the U.K. and #7 in the U.S.

6. 'In The Aeroplane Over The Sea' - Neutral Milk Hotel

Merge Records

Units sold: 10,200
Originally released in 1998, this album is considered something of an alt rock classic, more a critical than a commercial success. It was only the band's second album, but was its last, adding to its appeal to collectors.

7. 'Dark Side Of The Moon' - Pink Floyd

Capitol Records

Units sold: 10,200
In the first 25 years after its release, Pink Floyd's 1973 concept album sold more than 15,000,000 copies (it was certified 15x Platinum in 1998) and became the band's defining work. The 180-gram vinyl re-release in 2003 continues to sell steadily.

8. 'Fleet Foxes' - Fleet Foxes

Sub Pop

Units sold: 9,600
Seattle-based folk rockers Fleet Foxes released this, their debut album, in 2008, making them the newest act on the LP list. Rolling Stone characterized their sound as reminiscent of Crosby, Stills & Nash and The Beach Boys.

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9. 'Death Magnetic' - Metallica

Warner Bros.

Units sold: 9,400
This record set a record, as Metallica became the first band to have five consecutive albums debut at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart. Another "new" entry on the list, it was released (LP, CD, MP3) in 2008.

10. 'OK Computer' - Radiohead

Capitol Records

Units sold: 9,300
Radiohead was the only band to place two albums on the Top 10 LP list. This one was originally released in 1997, the group's third. It has been certified 2x Platinum in the U.S. and 3x Platinum in the U.K. even though the band's U.S. label was skeptical about its sales potential prior to releasing it.