Utopia Distribution Services (UDS) has announced new figures detailing its biggest month yet.
The company shipped a total of 3,360,067 units in November, peaking at 820,778 during the month’s final week. The total marks a 26% increase from October, when UDS shipped 2,662,314 units.
The organisation distributed nine of the Top 10 albums in the UK in the first week of December, including the whole Top 3. UDS supported Taylor Swift’s smash hit 1989 (Taylor’s Version), Take That’s No.1 This Life and Theatre Of The Absurd Presents C'est La Vie, Madness’ first chart-topper in 13 years. The latter of those hit No.1 with a 91% physical majority, with 16,405 of its 18,024 sales deriving from physical.
The November figures follow UDS’ relocation from Cinram Novum’s previous Aylesbury site to Bicester in August 2023. The site distributes 70% of the UK’s physical music and clients include Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, [PIAS] and Cargo. UDS also provides invoicing, cash collection and returns services for Warner Music.
It is essential that the business can benefit from a supply chain able to service the biggest major to the smallest indie
Drew Hill, Utopia Distribution Services
Drew Hill, managing director at UDS & Proper Music Group, said: “As demand for physical music continues to grow, it remains essential that the recordings business can benefit from a fit-for-purpose supply chain able to service the biggest major to the smallest indie. I am incredibly proud of the infrastructure UDS has built, with the success of our new warehouse being testament to the collective hard work from industry stakeholders to ensure physical formats can continue to thrive in years to come.”
ERA CEO Kim Bayley said: “On behalf of all our members, I would like to congratulate UDS for hitting this milestone. It is a testament to the success of a physical music ecosystem in which UDS links labels and retailers, and retailers bring fans together with the music they love. The continuing success of vinyl, CD and even cassette shows that music lovers’ passion for physical formats is far stronger than many of us would have believed possible just a few years ago.”
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