Tesco is joining the vinyl revolution

It will be the first UK supermarket to sell music in vinyl format

Sales of vinyl records have seen a huge spike and reached a 20-year high last year (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Tesco has revealed its plans to become the first UK supermarket to stock vinyl records.

The latest move in the company's strategy will launch on Friday 4 September with the release of Iron Maiden's new album The Book of Souls through 55 Tesco Extra stores.

Tesco's decision could well be followed by other supermarkets, after vinyl sales hit 1.3 million in the UK last year - the highest since 1995, accounting for 2 per cent of the 2014 music market.

Michael Mulligan, Tesco music buyer, told Engadget that the plan came about after initial sales of record decks in the largest stores proved "very encouraging".

"Giving our customers some new vinyl to play on those decks seems like the next logical step," he said. "If the trial is a success then we would consider selling more vinyl albums before the end of the year."

Vinyl is becoming increasingly available in the mainstream market, with clothing chain Urban Outfitters selling exclusive copies of Lana Del Rey's new album and Amazon also beginning to offer exclusive vinyls.

However, concerns have been raised for independent record shops, after bargain supermarket CD sales were partly blamed for their decline in the last twenty years.