Physical Media Shifts: Plant Closures and Vinyl/CD Revival

The rapid rise of streaming services has markedly reduced demand for physical formats, prompting manufacturers of CDs, DVDs and other media to scale back operations or close plants outright. Production capacity that once underpinned the entertainment industry is now being reassessed as order volumes shrink year after year.

At the same time, a renewed interest in tangible music products is emerging among younger listeners. Vinyl sales have been climbing for nearly two decades, and CDs are experiencing a modest comeback driven by K‑Pop acts such as BTS and high‑profile releases from artists like Taylor Swift. In the United Kingdom, MusicWeek forecasts vinyl overtaking CD sales by the end of 2026, while surveys indicate that 18‑ to 24‑year‑olds are the most active buyers of physical music formats. Brands are responding with affordable turntables and other playback equipment aimed at this new collector demographic.