National Album Day 2023 sparks 51 per cent surge in vinyl sales

National Album Day 2023 sparked a 51 per cent boost in vinyl sales thanks to its series of reissues, Official Charts Company data reveals.

The annual event celebrated a selection of the most iconic albums of the 1990s this year, including S Club 7's debut S Club, Melanie C's first solo LP Northern Star, blur's Modern Life is Rubbish, Eternal record Always & Forever and Catatonia's International Velvet.

National Album Day took place on October 14, organised by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) and the Entertainment and Retail Association (ERA), and was presented in association with official partners Bowers & Wilkins and BBC Sounds.

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The event sparked a 51 per cent week-on-week increase in vinyl sales, with almost half of the Official biggest-selling vinyl LPs being exclusive National Album Day releases like Paul Weller's 1993 record Wild Wood and Jeff Buckley's '94 album Grace.

On the success, a National Album Day spokesperson said: "From Britpop and Girl Power to ground-breaking trends in genres such as dance, rock, rap and hip hop, the 1990s was an exceptional era for music, so it’s fantastic that this year’s National Album Day has enabled fans to reconnect with some of their favourite albums from the decade or make new discoveries.

"The popularity of the theme is underlined by the uplift in vinyl sales thanks to the incredible array of classic albums that were re-issued or appeared for the first time on the beloved format.

"Coupled with this was activity around the event to celebrate the art of the album, including with our partners Bowers & Wilkins and BBC Sounds. The day would have also not been possible without the support of our artist ambassadors, record labels, distributors, retailers and digital services, and everyone who helped to make it such a fantastic success – we thank them all."

MORE: The Official most streamed albums of the '90s unveiled

As part of this year's National Album Day activity, Steve Wright hosted a countdown of the Official most-streamed albums of the 1990s on BBC Radio 2 earlier this month.

The list was topped by Oasis, with (What's the Story) Morning Glory? clinching Number 1, followed by the Britpop icons' Definitely Maybe LP at Number 2.

“I'm thrilled, but I wouldn't say I was that surprised that (What’s The Story) Morning Glory? has been voted the most streamed album of the 90s" Noel Gallagher said of the news.

"I still do have my faith in the taste of people in this country. I mean if you’ve got Wonderwall and Don’t Look Back In Anger on an album, you’re gonna be alright, aren’t ya?

"For certain people, it’ll be bringing back memories of their youth in the 90s and that brilliantly amazing decade we all lived through and then for the young people coming to it now, the songs deal with just the universal truths of life, and they will always be timeless... You know, of love and loss and heartbreak and friendship and the weather. All the universal things that we that we live through on a day-to-day basis that we don't really notice. So thanks to everybody."