CD Sales Growth Outpaced Vinyl in the First Half of 2026
5 hours ago
- #CD comeback
- #physical music revival
- #Gen Z listening habits
- CD sales grew 16% in the first half of 2026, surpassing vinyl's 2.4% growth, with BTS's album ARIRANG contributing significantly.
- Physical music sales overall increased 7.8%, reaching 38.2 million units, driven by younger fans embracing older music and tangible formats.
- 60% of Gen Z listeners now prefer music from the 1990s or earlier, a big rise from 18% in 2021, due to nostalgia and collectible culture.
- Indie stores still lead physical sales, but mass retailers like Target and Walmart saw the largest gains, capturing nearly 30% of the market.
- The CD revival is fueled by collectibles and fan merchandise, supported by K-pop artists like BTS, ENHYPEN, and ATEEZ with exclusive editions.
- Nostalgia continues to boost physical media, as shown by new products like Maxell's Bluetooth cassette player.