The CD revival is gaining momentum, with sales jumping despite streaming’s continued dominance. Younger fans are helping turn physical albums into coveted music collectibles.
MC World Desk
September 07, 2026 / 18:14 IST
Streaming caused music formats to decline, but they’re making a comeback.
- US CD sales up 45.7% in H1 2026 to 17.5M units.
- Revenue from CDs rose 58.6% to $171.1M.
- K-pop and collectibles drive CD comeback.
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Compact discs are making an unexpected comeback in the US, with CD sales jumping 45.7 percent in the first half of 2026 to 17.5 million units, according to new figures from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Revenue from CDs rose 58.6 percent to USD 171.1 million during the period.
The revival marks a sharp change for a format that appeared to be in long-term decline as streaming services became the main way people listen to music.
The RIAA figures show that CD sales were up from about 12 million units during the first half of 2025. The increase was part of a broader rise in physical music sales, with revenue from physical formats reaching USD 731.5 million, up 25.9 percent from a year earlier.
The latest data points to a sharp revival in CD buying, with U.S. sales rising 16 percent to 16.3 million units in the first half of 2026 The growth was helped significantly by K-pop releases, particularly collectible album editions, while CD sales still increased 6.7 percent even when K-pop was excluded
Luminate also found that around half of Gen Z and millennial consumers who bought CDs did not own a CD player. The findings suggest many younger buyers are treating albums as collectibles and a way to support artists, rather than purchasing them primarily for listening.
BTS has been a major contributor to the trend. The group’s March album Arirang sold 516,000 physical copies in the US during its opening week, including 208,000 vinyl copies K-pop albums often come in multiple editions with photocards, posters and other extras, encouraging fans to buy physical copies as merchandise as well as music
Interestingly, Luminate found that CD sales in the US would still have risen 6.7 percent in the first half of 2026 even after K-pop sales were excluded.
The renewed popularity of CDs does not mean listeners are abandoning streaming. US on-demand audio streams increased 4.8 percent to 732.7 billion during the first half of 2026 Global streams rose 9.8 percent to 2.8 trillion
Vinyl also remains far larger than CDs in the physical music market. RIAA data shows that 26.5 million vinyl albums were sold in the US during the first half of 2026, compared with 17.5 million CDs.
For now, the numbers point to a changing relationship with physical music rather than the end of streaming. CDs, once considered a fading format, are finding a new audience among younger buyers who see albums as something to own, display and collect.
MC World Desk
first published: Sep 7, 2026 06:14 pm
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