Vinyl to return to WH Smith stores for first time for more than 30 years
The chain will sell vinyl records in 80 of its high street shops.
Your support helps us to tell the story
This election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.
The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.
Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.
High street retailer WH Smith is bringing back vinyl records for the first time for more than 30 years across a raft of stores nationwide.
The chain said it will stock vinyl in 80 high street shops as it looks to capitalise on its surging popularity among a new generation of music fans.
Vinyl sales have jumped in recent years as the format has come back in fashion, helped by new releases by artists such as Taylor Swift, who recently announced that her 11th studio album – The Tortured Poets Department – will be made available on vinyl, while Oasis have also re-issued The Masterplan on vinyl.
Sales of vinyl jumped 11.7% to nearly six million in 2023, rising for the 16th year running, according to data from the British Phonographic Industry.
Emma Smyth, commercial director of WH Smith’s high street operations, said: “I’m sure there are many customers out there who remember spending hours in record shops browsing the latest vinyl LPs and the artistic record covers.
“To me it’s no surprise that vinyl is growing in popularity again, and we are very excited to be bringing back record selections to more than 80 different stores across the UK for both seasoned fans and new listeners alike.”
Stores in locations that will stock vinyl include Canterbury, Chester, Edinburgh Gyle and York, the group said.
WH Smith first began selling vinyl albums in the 1950s, with records becoming a key product category for the retailer.
But the group stopped selling them in the 1990s after their popularity waned because of the introduction of CDs.
The move is the latest by WH Smith to boost its ranges and re-energise its store estate, after it launched plans to open Toys ‘R’ Us concessions within 76 stores by the end of the year, bringing back the retail brand to the high street.