Tesco to become first UK supermarket to dip into growing vinyl album market

Tesco will become the first UK supermarket to tap into the rapidly growing vinyl music market next week when it will sell the new album by British rock legends Iron Maiden.

Maiden’s first studio offering in five years, The Book Of Souls, will be released on Friday September 4, with the triple LP format going on sale in 55 of the supermarket’s largest Tesco Extra stores.

The move is significant as in the last few years the vinyl album revival has been gaining momentum, year on year with sales up by more than 50 per cent in 2014.*

Vinyl albums have bucked the downward sales trend in the last year of other music formats such as CDs which fell by 6.5 per cent and downloads which dropped by nearly nine per cent.

The only other music format in growth is streaming which grew by 78 per cent last year.

Tesco music buyer Michael Mulligan explained the reasons behind the move.

He said: “In the last year we began selling record decks in our largest stores and initial sales are very encouraging so giving our customers some new vinyl to play on those decks seems like the logical next step.

“And there can be no better way to launch this trial than working with one of rock music’s most iconic bands and their eagerly anticipated new album.

“We are anticipating demand for The Book Of Souls to be high as Iron Maiden’s last album was the band’s most successful to date, reaching number one in 28 countries including the UK.

“If this trial is a success then we would consider selling more vinyl albums before the end of the year.”

After bottoming out at just over 205,000 vinyl albums in 2007, UK sales have grown every year since and in 2014 reached almost 1.3 million – the highest annual total since 1995.

Michael Mulligan added: “The trend for vinyl doesn’t seem to be confined to one particular age group. Parents are getting their old vinyl albums down from the loft and teenagers are discovering the joys of the 12 inch record for the first time.”

Customers and fans can also enjoy Iron Maiden’s own brand of beer called Trooper, whilst they first play the new album, with Tesco offering them the opportunity in their Extra stores to purchase a 500ml bottle for £1 when bought with the LP or CD, instead of the regular retail price of £1.99.

Iron Maiden co-Manager, Dave Shack commented: “It was a proud moment when the UK’s biggest supermarket created a landmark opportunity for us to present our fans with a one-stop shop for our brand new album & award winning Trooper beer.

“We have put a lot of energy into all our formats of the new record but the vinyl has to be one of the most impressive packages I have ever seen.

“It’s a triple gatefold sleeve housing six sides of premium 180g vinyl and incorporates some unique, quite spectacular artwork across the whole package – something that can only be done with vinyl due to the space this format offers.

“Celebrating the release of this album with a special price on our Trooper beer felt like a great way of saying cheers to our fans. We sincerely hope they like both!”



ENDS



Note to editors:

* All music industry data recorded by the BPI (British Phonographic Institute)

The Book Of Souls will also be sold in CD format by Tesco in 850 of its UK stores and online at Tesco Direct. The 3 LP vinyl format will cost £24 while the 2 CD version will cost £9.



The Tesco stores that will be selling the vinyl format are:

• Lee Mill Extra
• Reading Extra
• Romford Gallows Corner Extra
• Southend Extra
• Scunthorpe Extra
• Telford Extra
• Wath-Upon-Dearne Extra
• Weston Favell Extra
• Stockport Extra
• Great Yarmouth Extra
• Stourbridge Extra
• Bradford Extra
• Grimsby Extra
• Hexham Extra
• Coulby Newham Extra
• Swansea Llansmlet Extra
• Nottingham Beeston Extra
• Culverhouse Cross Extra
• Manfield Chesterfield Extra
• Hull St Stephens Extra
• Bradley Stoke Extra
• Oldham Huddersfield Extra
• Hanley Extra
• Walkden Extra
• Walsall Extra
• Dudley Extra
• Bulwell Extra
• Barnstaple Extra
• Yate Extra
• St Helens Extra
• Corby Oakley Road
• Woolwich Extra
• Gateshead Trinity Extra
• Shoreham Extra
• Wembley Extra
• Osterley Extra
• Brislington Extra
• Bradford Peel Centre
• Gallions Reach Extra
• Chester Broughton Extra
• Coventry Arena Extra
• West Bromwich Extra
• Durham Extra
• Exeter Vale Extra
• Hartlepool Extra
• Horwich Extra
• Hindley Extra
• Hucknall Extra
• Irlam Extra
• Talbot Green Extra
• Leeds Seacroft Extra
• Leicester Extra
• Milton Keynes Extra
• Milton Keynes Bletchley Extra
• Merthyr Tidfell Stn Yard Extra