News
Independent record shop numbers rise to 10-year high
‘Indies have found their niche and they are here to stay’
The number of independent record shops in the UK have risen to a 10-year high, according to an industry group.
Those were the days; when you’d lose a couple of hours just browsing through music, old and new, and buying some of the best songs created by great artists to add to your collection at home. Especially when the shop assistant seemed impressed by your music of choice and would even strike up a knowledgable conversation about it.
Well, despite the changes that come with technology and modern times, it seems independent stores have managed to brush aside the competition from streaming services, supermarkets and chains, according to the digital entertainment and retail association (ERA).
It confirmed there are now 461 indie record shops in the UK which is 122 more than there were 10 years ago. In contrast the total number of shops physically selling music in the UK has declined over the period from 10,391 to 2,486.
It means that indies have dramatically increased their share of a shrinking physical music market which now only accounts for 8% of overall music sales.
The ERA’s 2024 Yearbook, containing statistics on the music, video and gaming sectors, found that in 2014 indies represented just 3% of music outlets, whereas in 2023 they represented 23% of the total. It also revealed the UK music market was worth £2.2bn last year.
Jimmy Broklesby, 24, works at an independent music store in Frome, Somerset.
He told the BBC: “The sales of vinyl are pretty consistent and [have] obviously gone up for us over the few years. But in the week for us CDs are our predominant selling product.
“More of it gets released than I think people are aware of: reissues, anniversary editions, special variants, and all these kinds of things do bump up the quantity that we sell.”
He said the store gets many customers who’ve been buying vinyl since the 60s, but it also saw ‘a much younger crowd that are really into artists like Olivia Rodriguez and The 1975’.
Also speaking to the BBC was TikToker Bethan Currie, 28, who creates videos showing off her collection of vinyl records. On why she prefers to shop for music in this form, she said: “It’s not about just listening to music, it’s about the actual act of going out to find that album that you really want to find.
“There’s a really big vinyl collecting community on TikTok and it’s really lovely. I think it’s also a social thing, people want to show off what they’ve got and talk about music that they like on TikTok.”
ERA CEO Kim Bayley said: “In an entertainment market always full of surprises, this is in a class of its own. Despite largely being run by owner managers, indies have seen off competition from some of the largest and best-funded companies in the land. Indies have found their niche and they are here to stay.
“Couple this with the remarkable return of HMV, now back in its Oxford Street home, and it shows that despite the overwhelming success of music streaming, many music fans remain committed to the high street physical music buying experience.”
A key factor in the resilience of high street stores has been the vinyl revival. The ERA Yearbook reveals that vinyl sales reached £177.3m in the UK in 2023, nearly seven times higher than in 2014.
Ms Bayley added: “It was high street stores who first identified resurgent demand for vinyl and they have succeeded in holding on to a disproportionate share.”
A particular factor for indie stores has been the rise of Record Store Day, which is the annual celebration of indie record shop culture. It’s a national day controlled by indies themselves and run by ERA – with this year’s edition of Record Store Day taking place on Saturday April 20th.
Elsewhere, Barbie proved the most popular film to watch at home in 2023 with 770,000 retail and rental transactions. EA Sports FC 24 was the best-selling console game and The Highlights by The Weeknd was the biggest album of the year.
Other insights included:
- Video was the largest sector of entertainment, compared to gaming and music
- 82% of people who stream video on demand used Netflix
- Smartphones were the most common device for listening to music, overtaking in-car radio for the first time
- The best performing song of the year was Flowers by Miley Cyrus
News
Oasis announce huge reunion tour as Liam and Noel Gallagher ‘make peace’
The news we’ve all been waiting for!
After years of will-they-won’t-they speculation, Oasis are officially BACK together for a reunion tour.
The Gallagher brothers have put aside their differences in the name of music, making thousands of fans extremely happy in the process.
The band teased the news on their socials over the weekend, posting a video on Sunday morning with today’s date (Tuesday, August 27th) and the time 8am.
And now shows have been announced for multiple dates in the UK and Ireland, with tickets going live this Saturday, August 31st.
The legendary Mancunian rockers will take to the stage next summer, with gigs in Cardiff, London, Edinburgh, Dublin and, of course, Manchester.
15 years after splitting, the band confirmed they would be back for 14 shows, saying: “The guns have fallen silent. The stars have aligned. The great wait is over. Come see. It will not be televised”.
The gigs will be Oasis’s ‘only shows in Europe next year’, with tickets on sale this Saturday at 8am in Ireland and 9am in the UK.
The Oasis 2025 tour dates in full:
July
4th – Cardiff, Principality Stadium
5th – Cardiff, Principality Stadium
11th – Manchester, Heaton Park
12th – Manchester, Heaton Park
19th – Manchester, Heaton Park
20th – Manchester, Heaton Park
25th – London, Wembley Stadium
26th – London, Wembley Stadium
August
2nd – London, Wembley Stadium
3rd – London, Wembley Stadium
8th – Edinburgh, Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium
9th – Edinburgh, Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium
16th – Dublin, Croke Park
17th – Dublin, Croke Park
You can grab your tickets HERE.
News
Stagecoach hiring over 100 new bus drivers for Bee Network with £31k salaries
Fancy a career change?
Stagecoach Manchester is hiring over 100 new bus drivers to work from its Oldham depot, following the second phase of the Bee Network launch in March.
You can apply for a range of roles, from positions with no experience required to fully qualified bus drivers.
Successful applicants will receive full training as part of the job, and trainees will get paid to train. Then after only 12 months’ service at Stagecoach, drivers can expect to earn up to £16 per hour, which equates to £31.6K per year, before overtime.
As well as that, drivers that already hold a PCV licence may be eligible to receive a £1,200 joining bonus.
Stagecoach
There’s also a host of other benefits available to all Stagecoach employees, like 28 days paid holiday, generous pension and free Stagecoach bus travel for successful applicants and a companion.
Rob Jones, Managing Director at Stagecoach Manchester said: “Expanding our offering in Oldham means we’ll be investing more in the economy and supporting our local community, as well as strengthening our workforce.
“Whether you’re looking for a career change or you’re a fully qualified, experienced bus driver, there’s a role for everyone here in Oldham.
“We’re looking for personable and dedicated drivers who are ready to help us build on the success of the Bee Network and connect the people of Oldham and Greater Manchester with the places and people that are important to them.”
Stagecoach
Phil Cornwall, bus driver at Stagecoach Manchester, said: “I’ve been a driver at Stagecoach for 25 years and I couldn’t recommend it more.
“From the perks to the people to the passengers, it really is a great place to work.”
To apply, head to the Stagecoach website HERE.
Two men have now been charged with murder, following the discovery of a human torso in Kersal Dale.
As well as that, more suspected human remains were also discovered this morning, Monday April 29th, in an alleyway close to the railway lines off Worsley Road, Eccles.
This follows earlier discoveries of human remains over the past three weeks, at Kersal Dale, Blackleach Reservoir and Colliery Wood, all in Salford.
Greater Manchester Police
Michal Jaroslaw Polchowski (25/04/1956) and Marcin Majerkiewicz (10/04/1982) both of Worsley Road, Eccles, have been charged with murder.
They are set to appear at Tameside Magistrates Court this afternoon.
While formal identification is still ongoing, the remains found at Kersal Dale are believed to be of a local man in his 60s. The remains found at the other three locations are still to be tested, but police are confident they belong to the same victim.
ACC Sarah Jackson said: “We have had large numbers of officers, staff and specialists working diligently on this investigation over the last three weeks. It has been very much a large, collective effort, with the victim and family at the heart of it from the outset.
“We have specially trained officers deployed to support the family as they come to terms with this tragic news. They are aware of this morning’s further discovery and will continue to be kept up to date with how we are progressing.
“Despite the charges brought today, our work is far from over.
“The scenes we already have established in Bury and Salford will remain in place for much of this week whilst our searches and enquiries continue. Local officers will continue to patrol the impacted areas to provide reassurance.
“We will continue following every line of enquiry to recover and reunite the victim with his family, bringing a dignified end to this terrible scenario.
“I’d like to thank the communities of Salford and beyond for their cooperation throughout this investigation. I know this incident has come as a shock, and the support we’ve had from those in the area is very much appreciated.”
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