Physical Media Makes a Comeback as CD Sales Surge

CD sales saw a remarkable surge in the first half of 2026, according to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). A recent report indicates that 17.5 million CDs were sold in the first six months, a significant increase from 12 million during the same timeframe in 2025. This marks a staggering 45.7 percent rise, with revenue climbing 58.6 percent to reach $171.1 million. This growth is particularly surprising given that CD sales had dropped by 22 percent from 2024 to 2025.

The boom in CD sales hasn’t gone unnoticed. In July, research firm Luminate reported that 16.3 million units were sold in the first half of 2026, attributing much of the increase to special editions from K-Pop groups like BTS. Interestingly, it noted that Gen Z and millennials are primarily viewing these CDs as collectibles, with only about half of the purchasers actually owning a CD player.

Vinyl records also continued their comeback, with sales rising nearly 21 percent from the previous year to 26.5 million units. Additionally, “other physical” media—which encompasses CD singles, DVDs, cassettes, SACD, DVD-Audio, and more—experienced a remarkable increase of over 73 percent, totaling 1.6 million units.

Despite the growing interest in physical media and a revival of devices like the iPod, streaming remains dominant. Streaming revenue increased by 4.7 percent, reaching $4.9 billion, far surpassing the combined revenue of all physical media.