Music streaming sites are helping to drive sales of vinyl, new research suggests.

Half of consumers say they have listened to an album online before buying a vinyl copy, according an ICM poll, shared exclusively with the BBC.

The behaviour is more common for people who use ad-funded services such as SoundCloud or YouTube, suggesting free music can drive real-world sales.

But 48% of people who bought vinyl last month admit they have yet to play it.

Seven per cent of those surveyed say they do not even own a turntable.

"I have vinyls in my room but it's more for decor. I don't actually play them," Jordan Katende, a student in Manchester, told BBC News.

"It gives me the old-school vibe. That's what vinyl's all about," he added.

Others say they buy records to support their favourite artists, while 50% of consumers identify themselves as "collectors".

"It's so easy to listen to music now on YouTube or Spotify, I think we're yearning for the times of our parents where you had to go out of your way to buy a song," says student Duncan Willis.

"It's really nice to have an object that you can hold and physically play," agrees Helena, an 18-year-old from Kingston, who has started using her father's old record player.

"I also think it's important to support artists financially if you can. I like it if someone puts effort into making a release look special."

BBC News