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Taylor Swift has cemented her place in music history yet again, this time as the best-selling vinyl artist of the past decade. As the Official Vinyl Chart celebrates its ten-year anniversary, newly released figures confirm that no one has shifted more vinyl records in the UK than Swift over the last ten years.
Leading the charge is her 2022 release Midnights, which tops the vinyl charts with an impressive 129,000 units sold. Hot on its heels are The Tortured Poets Department, her upcoming 2024 release, and 2023’s 1989 (Taylor’s Version), both securing spots among the top four best-selling vinyl albums of the decade.
Swift’s domination of the vinyl market underscores not only her incredible staying power as a global music force but also her ability to connect with fans in a deeply nostalgic and personal way, something that vinyl uniquely offers. With each album often released in a range of collectible editions and with stunning artwork, Swift has tapped into the tactile charm that draws listeners back to the physical format.
Amongst the pop heavyweight’s competition, British star Harry Styles flies the flag for the UK, coming in third place overall with his 2022 hit album Harry’s House. The success of Styles, another artist known for lavish vinyl packaging, further highlights the format’s growing popularity with younger generations.
Elsewhere in the charts, musical legends continue to thrive in the vinyl revival. Abba, David Bowie, and Ed Sheeran all enjoyed significant sales over the decade, proving that the appeal of vinyl spans both genres and generations.
The Official Charts Company, which launched the Vinyl Albums Chart in 2015, revealed that vinyl has grown from just three per cent of UK album sales to a staggering 34 per cent in a decade. Last year alone saw 6.7 million vinyl albums sold, a nearly five-fold increase from 1994, highlighting a remarkable renaissance for a format once thought to be obsolete.
Whether it’s the nostalgia factor, the artwork, or the warmer sound, vinyl is back in a big way, and Taylor Swift is leading the charge. With more re-recordings and new music on the horizon, it’s a title she’s likely to hold on to for some time.
