CD Sales Surge Past Expectations in 2026 as Collectible Culture Drives Physical Media Boom

The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has reported a remarkable surge in CD sales during the first half of 2026. According to the organization’s latest data, 17.5 million CDs were sold between January and June, a significant increase from the 12 million units sold during the same period in 2025. This represents a 45.7 percent rise in units and a 58.6 percent increase in revenue, with sales reaching $171.1 million. The growth is particularly striking given that CD sales had declined by 22 percent between 2024 and 2025.

The RIAA’s findings align with research released in July by analytics firm Luminate, which reported 16.3 million CD units sold in the first half of 2026. Luminate’s analysis suggested that the increase was largely driven by limited and special editions from K-Pop artists, notably BTS. The report also highlighted that Gen Z and millennials were purchasing CDs more as collectible items than as functional media, noting that only about half of buyers actually owned a CD player.

Vinyl records maintained their upward trajectory as well, with unit sales climbing nearly 21 percent year-over-year to reach 26.5 million. The broader “other physical” category, which encompasses CD singles, DVDs, cassettes, SACDs, and DVD-Audio formats, also experienced substantial growth, jumping more than 73 percent to 1.6 million units.

While physical media is enjoying a renewed appreciation, fueled in part by the ongoing iPod revival, streaming services continue to dominate the industry. Streaming revenue grew by 4.7 percent to $4.9 billion in the same period, a figure that vastly outpaces the combined revenue of all physical formats.

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