Vinyl sales in the United States reached nearly 47 million units in 2025, generating more than $1 billion in revenue, according to new data from the Recording Industry Association of America.
The figures, published in the RIAA’s annual recorded music report, mark an 8% increase in units sold compared to 2024 and confirm vinyl’s continued growth as a premium physical format.
Vinyl revenue reaches highest level since 1983
Vinyl revenue rose by 9.3% year-on-year in 2025, accounting for almost half of global vinyl income.
The format has not surpassed $1 billion in annual revenue since 1983, underlining the scale of its resurgence. According to the RIAA, vinyl has now posted 19 consecutive years of growth.
Despite the gains, physical formats including vinyl and CDs made up just 12% of total recorded music revenue in the U.S.
Streaming remains dominant revenue driver
Streaming continues to lead the market by a wide margin.
Paid subscriptions reached 106.5 million accounts in 2025, generating $6.4 billion in revenue. That represents 55.3% of all recorded music income in the U.S.
When factoring in free streaming and digital radio services, total streaming revenue exceeded $9.4 billion, accounting for 82% of the market.
Downloads and CDs continue to decline
Traditional digital downloads and CD sales both fell again in 2025.
- Single downloads dropped by 2%
- Album downloads fell by 9%
- Single download revenue declined by 2.2%
- Album download revenue dropped by 9.2%
- CD unit sales fell by 11.6%
- CD revenue declined by 7.8%
The data highlights the continued shift away from ownership models towards streaming and collectible physical formats like vinyl.
Total US recorded music revenue hits record high
Overall, U.S. recorded music revenue reached more than $11.5 billion in 2025, a 3.1% increase year-on-year and a new industry record.
RIAA CEO Mitch Glazier pointed to the long-term transformation of the music business, from streaming’s rise to vinyl’s revival.
“The last 20 years have been marked by unprecedented transformation for recorded music — from the steady rise to dominance of anytime, anywhere streaming options … to a resurgence of vinyl … music remains a cornerstone of culture and a growing economic powerhouse for the U.S., contributing $212 billion to our GDP and supporting more than 2.5 million American jobs”
