Record Store Day boosts vinyl sales in local shops

Music lovers have come out in their droves to see what Record Store Day has to offer in Northern Ireland.

People queued overnight at shops in Belfast to get their hands on limited edition vinyl released as part of the initiative which supports independently owned stores.

Store manager of Head, Ronan McGuiggan, said of the 500 different titles on sale for Record Store Day, almost half were snapped up before lunchtime.

“It was set up to help independent record stores, to help them get through the year and its just got bigger and bigger every year,” he explained.

“Vinyl sales are increasing every year, from the start of the year we’re actually making more sales on vinyl than we do on CD and DVD, whereas before they would have been our biggest sellers before.

“There’s a lot of vinyl buyers have been buying records, they never stopped, but it has increased every year and I think it’s a lot to do with younger people who are looking to the artists they aspire to and they are talking about vinyl so they are demanding vinyl and then the suppliers are actually making more records.”

Musical performances will also be happening across the city as part of the annual event which is now in its tenth year.