Sales figures are in for Record Store Day 2014, which took place April 19 and featured Chuck D as one of its ambassadors.  

Nielsen released figures today (April 24), noting that its data includes sales for the entire week, Monday through Sunday, for the week ending on Record Store Day (RSD).  

“Record Store Day keeps shining the spotlight on the experience that Independent Record Stores uniquely brings to music fans,” David Bakula, SVP Client Development & Insights, Nielsen Entertainment says in a statement to the press. “Propelled by Record Store Day, Independent Record Stores had their highest weekly Physical Album share in SoundScan’s history. It has become a major music event that that compels artists to deliver premium content and drives music consumers to Independent Record Stores.”

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Independent record store album sales have increased every year when looking at the sales percentage increase over the prior week. Nielsen data for the past 7 years, including this one, is as follows:

2014 (April 19, 2014): +91%

2013 (April 20, 2013): +59%

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2012 (April 21, 2012): +27%

2011 (April 16, 2011): +39%

2010 (April 17, 2010): +12%

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2009 (April 18, 2009): +21%

2008 (April 19, 2008): +0.4%

Nielsen also reports the following based on its data. “Independent Record Stores represented 19.4 percent of the total national volume of all Physical Album sales this week,” Nielsen says. “This is the highest share of Physical Album sales for the Independent stores since SoundScan started tracking sales by store strata…Vinyl LP sales at Independent record stores were up 280 percent vs. the prior week and up 58 percent vs. the week of Record Store Day last year. This is the most successful Record Store Day week for Vinyl LPs…Fueled by Record Store Day exclusives, Independent Record Stores represented 85 percent of the total national volume of Vinyl LPs this week. In 2013, Independent Record Stores sold 82 percent of the total national Vinyl LPs…This week represented the second-highest sales volume for the Independent Record Stores in a non-holiday week since 2008.

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“Vinyl LP Sales increased 176% this week over last week at all stores,” Nielsen adds. “Sales of 12” Vinyl exploded this week increasing more than 3,100% over last week, and up 113% over the same week last year…RSD 2014 is the most successful Record Store Day ever for vinyl with LP sales up 58% over the week of RSD 2013…Vinyl LPs accounted for 52 percent of all album sales (CD, LP, other album formats) at Independent record stores this week. The week of RSD 2013, LPs accounted for 37 percent of all album sales at Independent record stores…Of the top 50 Vinyl LPs in the U.S. this week, 43 titles were either exclusive Record Store Day releases, or were widely released for the first time this week…The top 50 Vinyl LPs combined to sell 35 percent more copies this week than during the week of Record Store Day in 2013…68 different Vinyl LPs sold more than 1,000 copies this week, compared to 17 Vinyl LPs with exceeding 1,000 copies sold during the week of last year’s Record Store Day…Year to date Vinyl LP sales are now up 36 percent vs. the same period last year and are on pace to exceed last year’s record-high volume.” 

In February 2014, Chuck D spoke about his involvement as an ambassador for Record Store Day. “The record store made musicians listen beyond themselves,” Chuck D said at the time. “It both complemented and supplemented the radio. In fact, the best radio stations in the past followed the vibe of the record stores of their regions, thus growing and nurturing each other. The fans and listener had everything to gain, and if they wanted to get into making music, the Record Store turned into their first school and sonic passport out.” 

RELATED:Chuck D Named Record Store Day 2014 Ambassador