Vinyl sales in the UK have passed the one million mark for the first time in almost two decades, the Official Charts Company has confirmed.

Last year’s total was 780,674, and with the main Christmas shopping period still to come, this year’s figure could rise to 1.2m by the end of December.

Sales last peaked over the million mark back in 1996.

“We have entered an exciting best-of-all-worlds era where there is space and scope for all kinds of music to be discovered and enjoyed in every type of way, including on vinyl once again," said BPI’s Gennaro Castaldo. "Many of us assumed it had become an obsolete format, but while the flame may have flickered, it never quite went out, and we are now seeing a burgeoning resurgence in demand led by exciting new acts such as Royal Blood that is likely to keep vinyl on our high streets for many more years to come.”

Official Charts chief executive, Martin Talbot, added: “In scoring the biggest opening week for a vinyl album this millennium, Pink Floyd’s The Endless River illustrates the British public’s renewed love for this format, which is on course to become a £20million business this year – an incredible turnaround from barely £3m just five years ago. This resurgence also underlines music fans’ continuing fascination with the album.”

Compared to the ten per cent share of the music market accounted for by audio streaming, vinyl’s increased sales still show the sector as relatively niche, with a share of just two per cent.

Topping the 2014 year-to-date chart are Arctic Monkeys with their fifth Number 1 studio album, AM (pictured), followed by Jack White, with Lazaretto, at 2.

Pink Floyd’s The Endless River sold over 6,000 vinyl copies in its first week on sale, making in the fastest-selling vinyl album of the century so far, and the third best-selling vinyl of the year to date.

Royal Blood’s self-titled debut, which in August became the fastest-selling rock debut in three years, is at 4, followed by Oasis – the only act to appear in the 1996, 2014 and current Top 10 best-sellers – with Definitely Maybe, at 5.

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