Taylor Swift vinyl variants help fuel $1 billion boom, set record
Taylor Swift vinyl variants help fuel $1 billion boom, set record
Bryan West, USA TODAY NETWORKWed, March 18, 2026 at 2:49 PM UTC
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A Swiftie who bought every vinyl variant of Taylor Swift's "The Life of a Showgirl" would have spent more than $330 before tax.
That glittery price tag reflects the vinyl boom's evolution as sales surpass $1 billion in the U.S. for the first time in decades, according to the Recording Industry Association of America's 2025 year-end report, marking 19 consecutive years of growth.
"Fans are consuming music from the artists they love in more ways than ever, and that passion is reflected in today's report," said Matt Bass, RIAA's vice president of research, in a press release. "2025 reveals a strong and stable music economy resulting from committed label investment and identification of new spaces to expand artists' creativity. From the ease of streaming to new vinyl to licensing responsible AI tools and services, labels are diversifying fan engagement."
The format now accounts for nearly half of global vinyl value, meaning almost one out of every two dollars spent on vinyl records worldwide comes from the U.S. market.
More: Fans celebrate Taylor Swift's new album at midnight Target launch party in Nashville
All the Swift 'Showgirl' vinyl variants
The glittering price tag underscores the vinyl boom's evolution. Between August and November 2025, Swift unveiled 11 editions of "The Life of a Showgirl," a strategy that propelled her to the top of the 2025 U.S. vinyl sales charts and made $1.6 million. Sabrina Carpenter's "Man's Best Friend" album took second with $292,000. Swift also placed ninth with her heart-shaped re-release of "Lover (Live From Paris)" with $166,000.
On Aug. 18, fans could pre-order three pressings of "The Life of a Showgirl":
"Sweat and Vanilla Perfume (Portofino orange glitter vinyl)," $29.99
"The Shiny Bug Edition (wintergreen and onyx marbled vinyl)," $29.99
"The Shiny Bug Edition (violet shimmer marbled vinyl)," $29.99
On Aug. 21, she announced two more variants:
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"Baby, That's Show Business Edition (lovely bouquet golden vinyl)" for $29.99.
"Baby, That's Show Business Edition (lakeside beach blue sparkle vinyl)," $29.99
On Aug. 25, Swift unveiled two more versions:
"The Tiny Bubbles in Champagne Edition (under bright lights pearlescent vinyl)," $29.99
"The Tiny Bubbles in Champagne Edition (red lipstick and lace transparent vinyl)," $29.99
The Target-exclusive vinyl of Taylor Swift's upcoming album "The Life of a Showgirl: The Crowd Is Your King Edition," Summertime Spritz Pink Shimmer Vinyl.
On Sept, 24, Target announced an exclusive print:
"The Crowd Is Your King Edition (summertime spritz pink shimmer vinyl)," $34.99
Heading into the holiday season on Nov. 24, more than a month after the album was released, she did a final push with three vinyls:
"Honestly Wild (transparent vinyl)," $29.99
"Sequins Are Forever Magenta (glitter vinyl)," $29.99
"Lit My Sky Up (orange metallic vinyl)," $29.99
Why are fans buying vinyls?
The answer is visible in the receipts at Luna Record Shop at The Factory in Franklin. According to the owner, Swift accounts for five of the store's top 30 albums sold in 2025, including the "Fortnight" 7-inch single, her self-titled debut, "Reputation," "Folklore" and "Fearless."
1 / 0Taylor Swift's most notable lyrics about Travis Kelce on 'The Life of a Showgirl'
In "The Life of a Showgirl," Taylor Swift shows she's a woman in love and "proudly flaunts the physical and emotional attributes of her man," USA TODAY critic Melissa Ruggieri writes. Here are some of the lyrics on the album that nod to Travis Kelce.
Customer Gabrielle Lovelace said she continues to buy vinyls because they are a tangible connection to music.
"My dad introduced me and my aunt gave me about 800 albums," she stated. "It's a legacy media that I hope to pass down to my kids one day."
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This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Taylor Swift vinyl sales help fuel $1 billion boom, set new records
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
