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2023 Discogs Marketplace Seller’s Analysis
Thanks to a thriving vinyl community, our 2023 seller’s analysis proves that Discogs continues to serve a vital role in the global physical music sales ecosystem. Last year, physical music sales from vinyl, CDs, and cassettes rose 8.9% to 87 million. Globally, revenues from physical music grew 13.4%, the highest growth rate of any format in 2023. Continued interest in vinyl and renewed interest in CDs accounted for 17.8% of the global market last year.
- Global physical sales through the Discogs marketplace totaled 15.6M pieces of physical music worldwide.
- Discogs data confirms that vinyl was the most popular physical format sold in 2023 and CD sales were up 6% year-over-year. Additionally, the steady interest in cassettes and the rising interest in box sets and DVDs suggest a diversification of collector interests in 2023.
- While rock remains the top-selling genre, increased sales in classical, folk, and country genres indicate a broadening of musical tastes among Discogs users.
- Discogs users spent hundreds of hours acquiring new records and cataloging their music collections in 2023 — over 101M items were added to Collections, up 5.5% from 2022.
Read on to see the most popular formats by sales, database submissions by format, and the most expensive items sold, as well as the the best-selling and most collected releases of the year.
Marketplace Trends
More than 15.6 million physical music items were purchased through Discogs last year. 63% of orders were domestic, or originated from the seller’s own country, while 37% were placed by international buyers.
Discogs Seasonal Order Trends
Buying behavior on Discogs in 2023 revealed two periods that sellers should build strategies around. The first period — November through December — is marked by heightened activity in the marketplace that’s largely attributed to holiday shopping and the buzz around Record Store Day (RSD) Black Friday events. The other period — January through February — saw a spike in the number of orders placed which indicates an opportunity for sales beyond the traditional holiday season. Sellers can leverage both these windows by ensuring a well-stocked and curated inventory to capitalize on the increased demand.
Items sold by media condition
2023’s media condition trends strongly indicate buyers have become more discerning, preferring high-quality items. Notably, 35.4% of all items sold in 2023 were graded at Very Good Plus (VG+), setting this as the baseline condition expectation of most buyers. A significant number of last year’s sales were of items in Mint (M) or Near Mint (NM) condition, reinforcing the trend towards premium quality.
This data underscores the importance of stringent grading practices. Grading accurately and conservatively while maintaining a diverse inventory of high-quality stock is a key differentiator for sellers on Discogs and can be used to attract and retain discerning collectors browsing the marketplace.
Items sold by format
With more than 11 million records sold in 2023, vinyl remains the most popular physical format on Discogs. However, interest in CDs grew last year as sales topped 3.75 million, 6% higher than 2022. This growth indicates a diversified market for physical music and presents an opportunity for sellers to expand their inventory to include CDs. Sales of box sets and DVDs also saw substantial growth last year, with 8% and 6% more copies sold, respectively, than in 2022. This suggests a growing interest in comprehensive, collector-centric releases.
Sellers should consider a wide range of formats when stocking their Discogs shops and can expand their inventories to include CDs, box sets, and DVDs. Sellers can capitalize on the nostalgia-driven demand for CDs and emerging interest in collector-focused releases by catering to format preferences — doing so can widen a seller’s customer base and give them competitive advantage in the marketplace.
Release Trends
Discogs Sales by Genre
In 2023, genre preferences on Discogs highlighted the diverse tastes of today’s record collectors. Rock maintained its position as the most sold genre on Discogs, while electronic and pop followed, accounting for 23% and 11% of sales last year respectively. Notably, interest in classical music, as well as folk and country, surged with sales of those genres increasing 7% and 4%.
This shift reveals evolving tastes among buyers and points to an opportunity for sellers to expand their reach by catering to these trends. Sellers can strategically position themselves and potentially attract a wider buying audience by including a broader range of genres, especially those showing growth in the marketplace, into their inventory.
Discogs Best-Selling Releases of 2023
Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon, originally released in 1973, continues its reign as the best-selling album on Discogs. Popular titles from Taylor Swift, Fleetwood Mac, and The Beatles round out 2023’s list of best-selling albums.
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Discogs Most Collected Releases of 2023
Pop singer-songwriter Taylor Swift dominated 2023’s most collected list. Superfans snatched up copies of the Record Store Day reissue of Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions, as well as 2023’s Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) and two color variants of 2022’s Midnights.
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Discogs Most Wanted Releases of 2023
The list of last year’s most wanted releases runs the gamut from RSD collectibles and T. Swift color variants to the alternate cover version of Lana Del Rey’s latest album and the long-awaited reissue of Frank Ocean’s Blonde.
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Discogs Most Expensive Releases Sold in 2023
Vengeance, the second single from the short-lived punk band The Fix, was the most expensive release sold in 2023. The record is a rarity — only 200 copies were pressed when it was released in 1981. The rest of the 2023 most expensive list features ’80s punk singles, Brazilian funk, and popular titles by The Beatles and rapper Westside Gunn. All prices below are in USD.
Sold for $10,440
Sold for $8,227
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Final takeaways
Our 2023 marketplace analysis reveals a dynamic physical music landscape characterized by diverse collector preferences and interests. Vinyl’s continued supremacy, along with the CD resurgence, and enthusiasm for a variety of genres points to a marketplace full of opportunities for strategic diversification for sellers. Using insights from these trends, sellers can position themselves to meet, and even exceed, the expectations of Discogs’ collector community. As the physical music market continues to flourish, sellers who adapt by prioritizing quality, embracing variety, and fostering connection with buyers could position themselves toward success and growth in the Discogs marketplace.
More Resources
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Your Guide to All of the New Inventory Management Upgrades
Inventory management will be easier, faster, and more reliable.
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You Can Now Refine Your Marketplace Order Data Exports by Date Range
You can get the information you need at double the speed with new start and end dates.
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You Can Now Offer Free Shipping in Your Shipping Policies
Stand out among sellers on Discogs and delight your buyers by using the free shipping option.