Fender Reports Record-Breaking Sales Numbers In 2020

While some are perfecting their cooking skills and others are taking on projects they swore they'd finish years ago, it looks like a lot of people have decided to teach themselves how to play guitar during lockdown.

As The New York Times reports, guitar sales have been through the roof this year and Fender's 2020 numbers are record-breaking.

“I would never have predicted that we would be looking at having a record year,” chief executive of Fender Musical Instruments Corporation, Andy Mooney, admitted to the publication. “We’ve broken so many records. It will be the biggest year of sales volume in Fender history, record days of double-digit growth, e-commerce sales and beginner gear sales. I never would have thought we would be where we are today if you asked me back in March.”

The company's Fender Play app received a substantial boost once quarantine began, too, ramping up from 150,000 to 930,000 users between late March and late June — nearly a 600% increase.

Other storied brands like Gibson, Taylor, and Martin have also fared well this year. "It’s crazy. It’s unbelievable the demand there is right now for acoustic guitars," chief executive of C.F. Martin & Co. Chris Martin said. "I’ve been through guitar booms before, but this one caught me completely by surprise.”

Guitar sales aren't the only surprising numbers to pop up this year. Vinyl also outsold CDs for the first time in 34 years, though overall revenue was a decrease from 2019.

Photo: Getty Images