The news this week that singles sales are at their highest level ever, seems to fly in the face of all the doom and gloom mongering that surrounds free digital downloading and its impact on the music industry. So accustomed are we to hearing about the death of music-buying, that it comes as some surprise that by December 2013 we will have witnessed the biggest year on record for singles sales.

The Official Charts Company has revealed that it is the first time since 1999 that every No 1 single for eight weeks had sold more than 100,000 copies a week. Average sales for a No 1 over the past eight weeks have been 150,000 copies, compared with an average of just 106,000 in 2012.

This trend for increasing singles sales was in evidence last year with 188 million singles sold in the UK – the biggest year on record, and sales are already ahead of the corresponding time last year. The market has burgeoned so much that music acts now need to sell more singles to make the Top 40 than they would have had to do at any other time in the past 25 years.

Martin Talbot, managing director of the Official Charts Company, explains: “Singles sales are definitely surging at the moment. This is part of the long-term explosion in the singles market which has seen nine years of unbroken growth. But we are also in a truly rich period for enormous smash hit singles”.

More people across the age spectrum are buying singles than ever before, driven by the digital market which now accounts for more than 99 per cent of all single tracks sold in the UK.Singles sales have been in the ascendancy since the first legitimate download service launched when iTunes UK went live in June 2004. Since that time singles sales have risen from 30 million in 2003 to 188 million last year, as physical vinyl and CD releases have been replaced by digital downloads. The percentage of people buying exclusively digital music rose to more than 20% last year.

BPI chief executive Geoff Taylor points out: “Digital music has revitalised the singles market. More and more people are downloading music on to tablets and smartphones. We have made it easy for fans to get any song they want instantly”.

Before the digital revolution, the biggest year for singles sales was 1979, the heyday of the vinyl single, when 89 million vinyl singles by acts like Blondie, The Police and Abba spearheaded vinyl single sales in the UK.

Simon Sterland, owner of online framed vinyl record gift retailer MyFirstRecord.co.uk, points out that in parallel to increasing digital downloads, there is an increasing trend for under 30 year olds to buy contemporary and vintage vinyl: “It seems that in the era of the invisible music download, the youth market also seek something more tangible when buying music. Vinyl appeals to all the human senses, particularly hearing, touch, smell and sight”.

He continues: “It would appear that although the kids find the music download an expedient way to buy music on a day to day basis, the iconic vinyl single holds a special place in their hearts. Therefore when looking for a special, memorable gift for a friend or relative for an 18th, 21st or 30th Birthday, they are turning to MyFirstRecord.co.uk to provide a framed vinyl single of a favourite song. Put simply, vinyl has a unique personality all of its own”.

Framed vinyl records, framed CDs and framed DVDs with a personalised plaque, make unique presents or original gifts for a special celebration  / special occasion ie a Wedding ( Wedding First Dance Song ), an Engagement Party ( Our Song ), a House Warming Party ( New Home ), a 21st, 30th, 40th, 50th, 60th Birthday ( How about the No1 song on the day of birth? ), a Silver, Ruby or Golden Wedding Anniversary, Father’s or Mother’s Day or Valentine’s Day!!  THE PERFECT PERSONALISED PRESENT!!   ORDER NOW…….. www.myfirstrecord.co.uk/