The pandemic is reframing how we consume music and the space it holds in our lives. We're experiencing a kind of collective trauma. Those of us in quarantine are soundtracking our isolation. (What's a club banger when the club is your living room?) People are losing their jobs and loved ones to COVID-19. The government is continually failing us. I recently told a friend I couldn't listen to the new Future Islands song because it was too calming. "It's not right for my headspace," I said. "I need, like, electroshock therapy."

Upon first glance, Amazon's ($AMZN) best-selling CDs and vinyl doesn't necessarily capture that frustration. This selection of Amazon's top best-sellers from April to July finds Americans coping with COVID-19 through escapism. Boomers are feeling nostalgic and listening to classic rock. Lady Gaga's latest album takes us to another planet. There are either a lot of parents trying to appease their restless children with the Frozen 2 soundtrack or a lot of adults trying to soothe their inner child. Or, more likely, both.

10. Frozen 2 Soundtrack (2019)

Average Sales Rank: 7

Days Ranked: 10

9. Fleetwood Mac - Rumours (1977)

Average Sales Rank: 4

Days Ranked: 5

8. Pearl Jam - Gigaton (2020)

Average Sales Rank: 3

Days Ranked: 6

7. Neil Young - Homegrown (2020)

Average Sales Rank: 2

Days Ranked: 6

6. Lucinda Williams - Good Souls Better Angels (2020)

Average Sales Rank: 1

Days Ranked: 7

5. Lady Gaga - Chromatica (2020)

Average Sales Rank: 1

Days Ranked: 7

4. Jimmy Buffett - Life On The Flip Side (2020)

Average Sales Rank: 1

Days Ranked: 8

3. Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit - Reunions (2020)

Average Sales Rank: 1

Days Ranked: 9

2. James Taylor - American Standard (2020)

Average Sales Rank: 1

Days Ranked: 10

1. Bob Dylan - Rough And Rowdy Ways (2020)

Average Sales Rank: 1

Days Ranked: 28

About the Data:

Thinknum tracks companies using the information they post online, jobs, social and web traffic, product sales, and app ratings, and creates data sets that measure factors like hiring, revenue, and foot traffic. Data sets may not be fully comprehensive (they only account for what is available on the web), but they can be used to gauge performance factors like staffing and sales. 

Ad placeholder