Key facts
- CD revenue reached $171.1 million in the first half of 2026.
- CD sales revenue increased by 58.6% in the first half of 2026 compared to the same period in 2025.
- 17.5 million CD units were sold in the first half of 2026.
- Physical media revenue, encompassing CDs and vinyl, rose 25.9% to $731.5 million in the first half of 2026.
CD sales have experienced an unexpected resurgence, generating $171.1 million in revenue in the first half of 2026, marking a 58.6% increase from the same period in 2025. This growth, totaling 17.5 million units sold, contrasts sharply with a 7.8% revenue decline and an 11.6% unit sales drop seen for the full year of 2025.
The comeback is occurring within a broader trend of renewed interest in older technologies, including "dumbphones," digital cameras, and typewriters, particularly among Gen Z consumers who seek greater control over their technology engagement. Startups are catering to this demand with products like landline phones and non-smartphones.
While the RIAA's figures do not include sales of used CDs or inherited discs, the overall physical media revenue, which includes vinyl, saw a 25.9% jump to $731.5 million in the first half of 2026, driven by both CD and a 17.7% increase in vinyl sales.
A caveat to the revenue figures is the RIAA's change in calculation methodology in 2025, shifting from estimated retail value to wholesale value, making direct revenue comparisons between 2024 and 2025 difficult. However, unit sales data, unaffected by this change, still indicate a decline in 2025 before the recent rebound.