The Beatles' “Sgt. Pepper” and “Abbey Road” albums top list of best-selling vinyl LPs in 2017

Dan Weir

7 years ago

Parlophone/Capitol Records/UMe

Parlophone/Capitol Records/UMeThe U.S. album sales figures from 2017 have been unveiled, and vinyl continues its resurgence, with 14.32 million LPs sold — an increase of nine percent from 2016 and a record high for the Nielsen era, which began in 1991. According to Billboard, The Beatles dominated the top of last year’s vinyl albums tally, with 1967’s Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band taking first place with 72,000 copies sold, followed by 1969’s Abbey Road, which moved 66,000.

Other veteran artists’ albums appearing in the top 10 of Nielsen’s 2017 vinyl sales tally include Prince and the Revolution‘s Purple Rain soundtrack at #6 with 58,000 copies sold, Bob Marley and the Wailers‘ Legend compilation at #7 with 56,000, Pink Floyd‘s The Dark Side of the Moon at #8 with 54,000 and Michael Jackson‘s landmark record Thriller at #10 with 49,000.

In addition, the Guardians of the Galaxy: Awesome Mix Vol. 1 soundtrack was the third-best-selling vinyl LP last year, with 62,000 in sales. The album features songs by such 1970s pop and rock acts as David Bowie, The Jackson 5, The Raspberries, 10cc, Norman Greenbaum, Elvin Bishop, Blue Swede, Redbone and Rupert Holmes.

Sgt. Pepper‘s vinyl sales were boosted by the album’s 50th anniversary reissue releases.

Vinyl LP sales accounted for 8.5 percent of all album sales last year, and 14 percent of all physical albums sold in 2017 — respective increases of 6.5 percent and 11 percent from 2016.

Here’s the full 2017 Top LP Vinyl Albums list:

1. The Beatles, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, 72,000
2. The Beatles, Abbey Road, 66,000
3. Guardians of the Galaxy: Awesome Mix Vol. 1 soundtrack, 62,000
4. Ed Sheeran, ÷ (Divide), 62,000
5. Amy Winehouse, Back to Black, 58,000
6. Prince and the Revolution, Purple Rain soundtrack, 58,000
7. Bob Marley and The Wailers, Legend: The Best Of…, 56,000
8. Pink Floyd, The Dark Side of the Moon, 54,000
9. Soundtrack, La La Land, 49,000
10. Michael Jackson, Thriller, 49,000