From Times Online
December 8, 2003

Vinyl spins on as CDs fade away

By Chris Johnston

THE DARKNESS and other rock bands have helped the seven-inch vinyl single stage a dramatic comeback, with sales up by 35 per cent in the past 12 months.

British Phonographic Industry (BPI) figures show that more than 700,000 copies were sold in the year to September, and 234,000 in the past three months, an 84 per cent increase on the same period last year.

The increase comes as sales of singles, mostly on CD, have declined by 30 per cent in the past year. However, CDs still account for 98 per cent of singles’ sales.

The Darkness’s I Believe In A Thing Called Love has been the highest-selling seven-inch single this year. Releases by The Strokes (Last Night) and veteran hard rockers Iron Maiden are next on the vinyl bestsellers list, while The White Stripes take fourth and fifth position with Seven National Army and their cover version of I Just Don’t Know What To Do With Myself.

A BPI spokesman attributed the sales jump to record collectors: “The seven-inch format attracts loyal fans who buy special-edition releases from their favourite artists. A good example of this is the 2002 bestseller, which was a limited-edition anniversary pressing of The Jam’s In The City.”

Members of many rock acts are themselves vinyl aficionados and have also insisted that record companies release their singles on the seven-inch format.

The music retailer HMV has devoted an increasing amount of floorspace in its stores to vinyl singles and albums in the past 18 months.

Gennaro Castaldo, an HMV spokesman, said: “The huge amount of interest in dance music a few years ago gave added impetus to the interest in 12-inch singles as people became bedroom DJs.

“That has helped to create a wider interest in vinyl generally, and the seven-inch has benefited. There has always been an attachment to the format among indie and rock fans and now younger buyers are finding an attraction,” he said.

The seven-inch single was first introduced by RCA in 1951 — quickly becaming the dominant format for recorded music — three years after CBS introduced the 33rpm LP.