Lazaretto Is The Biggest Selling Vinyl LP Since 1994

Jack White

Videos by American Songwriter

Music’s favorite Luddite has a new accomplishment to notch on a belt that’s already nearly notched to pieces. Jack White‘s Lazaretto has sold 62,000 vinyl units to become the top vinyl LP of 2014, and the best selling since Pearl Jam’s Vitalogy in 1994. 

Vinyl sales accounted for 25 percent of Lazaretto‘s total sales, according to Billboard. In addition, the album broke first-week vinyl sales records by selling 40,000 units, the most since SoundScan started keeping track in 1991.

White has become a patron saint-of-sorts for vinyl, which has experienced a renaissance over recent years. That status was cemented when he was named the Official Ambassador of the 2013 Record Store Day. He broke yet another record that day by recording, pressing and distributing Lazaretto’s title track in under four hours at his Nashville studio and store, Third Man Records.

Say what you will about his statements on other musicians. White seems single-mindedly dedicated to proving Third Man’s tagline: “Your Turntable’s Not Dead.”

Watch to see how Jack & Co. made that record-breaking record (are you tired of that word yet?):

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