UK impartial file retailer numbers at highest for a decade

The variety of impartial file shops within the UK has hit a ten-year excessive, in keeping with new statistics from the Entertainment and Retail Association.

As specified by the newly-published ERA 2024 Yearbook, 461 impartial file outlets now exist within the UK, 122 greater than had been in enterprise in 2014.

Despite this, the general variety of outlets promoting bodily music, together with grocery store chains, has dropped drastically from 10,391 to simply 2,486.Part of the increase in impartial file shops comes from the continued revival of the vinyl format, with 6.5million records bought in 2023, the sixteenth yr of progress in a row. Sales of vinyl rose by practically 15 % year-on-year for the primary 9 months of 2023.

Discussing the findings, ERA CEO Kim Bayley mentioned: “Despite largely being run by owner-managers, indies have seen off competitors from a few of the largest and best-funded corporations within the land.

“Indies have discovered their area of interest and they’re right here to remain. It exhibits that, regardless of the overwhelming success of music streaming, many music followers stay dedicated to the excessive avenue bodily music shopping for expertise.”

The stay music sector, in the meantime, has hit additional struggles this yr. The Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) has painted a grim image of the way forward for grassroots venues, revealing that 31 per cent of nightclubs within the UK have been compelled to shut for the reason that pandemic.

Bath establishment Moles additionally lately shut its doorways after 45 years as a consequence of struggles associated to the price of dwelling disaster, whereas London’s Bush Hall have this week launched a crowdfunder marketing campaign to try to safe their future as a stay music venue.