Did vinyl sales just hit the proverbial brick wall?

  @limomangus   - new regular pressings are between $22 - $25 for the most part, not $30. Many, like Blue Note, represent tremendous value and sound great. Most of the people buying vinyl are not your age. Certainly many are, but there are plenty of 20 and 30 somethings that like them (and 40's 50's and 60's), not to mention the hipsters of all ages that just think vinyl is cool. 

If you are happy with your record library and don't want any additional records, whatever floats your boat. For the rest of us, vinyl is not much more than new CDs and they cost more to make. If you want to rent and stream, that's a great option for people that can't afford to own a record, CD or HiRez DL.

Yes true What ever floats your Boat.I find it great to go to Local Thrifts and find Cds for a Buck.I dont have the money to buy expensive vinyl any more.Yes I have over 2,000 Lps.,4 ,000 cds ,cassettes and Reel to Reel tapes.Cds are coming back ,Big Time.

Yes, records hit the wall at full velocity and broke into a million pieces, it brought a full standing ovation. However, that's the haters and there are many on Audiogon. I made a comment on how I love vinyl. I was attacked verbally. At 18 years old I had quite a collection of records. Before entering the US Navy I turned that collection over to my sister for safe-keeping. She let me down and sold them, I was furious  and did not speak to her for almost a year.

I am very skeptical of the claim that Boomers are disproportionately driving LP sales. According to Billboard, Tyler Swift’s Midnights was the biggest selling vinyl album in 2022 and her re-release of Red took the fifth spot. Here’s the top 10:

1. Midnights (Tyler Swift)
2. Harry’s House (Harry Styles)
3. 30 (Adele)
4. Sour (Olivia Rodrigo)
5. Red (Tyler Swift)
6. good kid, m.A.A.d city (Kendrick Lamar)
7. Rumours (Fleetwood Mac)
8. Abbey Road (The Beatles)
9. Call Me if You Get Lost (Tyler, The Creator)
10. Happier Than Ever (Billie Eilish)

Perhaps I’m mistaken, but I don’t know a lot of Boomer fans of Swift, Styles, Lamar, or Tyler. A google search brings up several other sites that place Wet Leg’s debut at number 6. I hope Boomers enjoy Wet Leg, but from what I know of the band, Boomers aren’t their targeted demographic.

The other reasons for my skepticism are admittedly anecdotal (as is the evidence presented to suggest this is all Boomer-driven). My 18 year old nephew buys LPs and plays them on a cheap turntable (thankfully, not a Crosley, but not much better). He’s into metal core and melodic death metal. I find it interesting that the bands he likes are releasing their albums as LPs. I doubt they’d be doing this if there were not an identifiable market for them. He told me that for him and his friends it’s not about the sound quality. They like having a tangible object. They like the artwork. They like colored vinyl special releases. They like watching the record spin on the platter.

I’m friends with someone who used to own several hi-fi stores, including one in a college town. About 3 or 4 years ago he told me that he had college students coming in weekly in search of a turntable. He started selling entry-level Pro-Jects. He said he couldn’t keep them in stock. His other table brands were VPI and SME.

Vinyl may well never be the dominant format again, but I suspect there will be plenty of vinyl fans and collectors long after the folks who remember seeing The Stones, Zeppelin, or even Fleetwood Mac live in their heyday are long gone.

Exactly why is the article cited by theOP poorly researched?  He shows some data and then admits he is speculating as to the causes.  His speculations sound reasonable and worthy of discussion.  Why do new lps sell for $40?