They say that the discography in Italy has surpassed, in revenues, the world of cinema. But also that streaming is the predominant market. And, despite this, how is it possible that physical records still exist? Because those seemingly harmless plastic objects will never go away. Thankfully.
In recent years we are experiencing a most pleasant resurrection in the world of music: vinyls are back in fashion. And testifying to this are the numbers: those certifying, in Italy, receipts of more than 48 million euros in 2025, according to Il Sole 24 Ore. And, in the United States of America, revenues from vinyl sales surpassed the billion-dollar mark in the same year.
Vinyl was dead, yay for vinyl. After CD-ROMs, MP3s, downloads and streaming, by bully those plastic PVC records slowly made their way out, year after year, seeming more like a hobby for enthusiasts than a real, credible market. But no. Because special editions of artists’ albums have increased, aware of how the public always has that urge not only to listen to an album streaming from a PC or phone, but also to savor the taste of owning it in their hands. An act of love not only towards artists, but also towards the very concept of making albums. Thus, going against the current period and the politics of liquid music, which instead pushes to release singles.
Let’s be clear: the streaming market still holds up by far in everything related to artists’ revenues from songs. And the glories of the good old days, when individually sold copies of singles or albums on vinyl or CD were in the millions, are long gone. But this sort of resilience raises a smile. Because as more and more stores, even in Italy, alas, close, people are trying to support those few that are still alive. With a vast selection of records, but above all with boundless passion and endless knowledge about music.
I mean, there are still people who have the desire to walk into one of those record stores, go home, turn on the turntable, put the needle down, and enjoy a good vinyl.
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