CDs might be making a comeback… and 2026 is already giving us some surprising numbers.
According to Luminate’s mid-year report, CD sales in the US jumped more than 16% compared to last year, while vinyl grew 2.4%. Even without the boost from K-pop releases, CD sales were still up 6.7%. One vinyl industry veteran says the format’s lower price compared to increasingly expensive vinyl is likely playing a role, while younger listeners are also discovering CDs as a cool, collectible physical format.
Vinyl isn’t going anywhere just yet, though. The industry expert believes it will remain the dominant physical format as long as labels and retailers keep the price-to-value ratio reasonable, but CDs clearly have some momentum, particularly at independent record stores and retailers like Walmart.
Between nostalgia, collecting and those of us still driving cars with CD players, maybe the compact disc is finally ready for its comeback tour. Read more from Luminate HERE.
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