Guess what album this year had the biggest opening-week sales? John Mayer? U2? Guess again.
Not only was it an album bought largely by women 50+, but an album from by a Boomer woman (granted, she’s only 48): Susan Boyle’s I Dreamed A Dream.
As the New York Times recently reported, the popularity of Boyle’s album was notable not just because of volume but because of medium: it was not only the best-selling new album this year, it was the best-selling album whose sales came mostly from CDs, which are more often purchased by older consumers and are far more profitable for the record industry.
As the Times wrote, “For many in the music industry Ms. Boyle’s sales are a reminder of a large and often forgotten audience:
older listeners who, whether they are less tech-savvy than younger consumers or they simply prefer to hold purchases in their hands, favor CDs over downloads.”
Also notable: while the music industry has lost distribution channels (chains like Tower Records) for its most profitable products, Boyle’s bestseller has opened new doors for CD sales: venues like QVC and Walgreens.
Why does this matter? For one, it means that the music industry should be paying a lot more attention to the interests of Vibrant Boomer women, since they love music (a recent VibrantNation.com survey showed that 92% describe themselves as music fans and more than half of them buy more than 5 CDs each year) and buy the industry’s most profitable product. While only 6% of Boyle’s album were sold digitally, 45% of John Mayer’s fans bought his new hit album through downloads download sales.
We know that the newspaper industry, after years of freaking out about declining subscriber rates, has retrenched to focus on Boomers, since this demographic will be growing rapidly for many years and shows few signs of losing its attachment to print journalism. Same for book publishers, who know that most of their products are purchased by Vibrant women who have the time and discretionary income to enjoy them – and the connections to tell each other about the books they can’t live without.
I can’t help imagine how many music industry insiders are scoffing at the success of Susan Boyle when they should be working harder to capture the passion – and profit margin – available from the Vibrant women who want more of their product.
The beauty in classic showtunes never dies. The beauty found in Susan Boyle when she sang I Dreamed a Dream was a memory that makes a smile on everyone’s face! She has vibrance and diligence, and inner-beauty that eminates through her voice.
I love Susan Boyle and everything she represents, including the overlooked buying power of women of a certain age.
I’m happy to keep my money until another Susan Boyle comes along, and when she does, we’ll hear about it here on VN first, where we’re among like-minded friends who don’t judge us on false indicators such as our appearance the way the audience first sneered at Susan Boyle.