US CD sales outpace vinyl growth in first half of 2026

In the United States, compact‑disc (CD) sales rose 16% year‑over‑year during the first six months of 2026, reaching 16.3 million units, while vinyl records grew only 2.4% to 21.8 million units. CD sales grew at a rate almost seven times faster than vinyl, marking the strongest growth for the format in more than a decade. The surge is linked to collectible K‑pop releases – for example, BTS’s ARIRANG album sold 516,000 physical copies, with a large share on CD – and to younger fans treating CDs as memorabilia rather than playback media; roughly half of Gen Z and millennial purchasers do not own a CD player. Even when K‑pop titles are excluded, CD sales still outpaced vinyl with a 6.7% increase, indicating a broader shift toward physical ownership for direct artist support and affordable pricing. Vinyl remains the dominant physical format in total units, but the CD rebound reflects changing consumer behavior in the US music market.