Why are CD sales suddenly growing again?
CD sales in the U.S. grew by 16 percent in the first half of 2026, driven by K-pop fandom and a shift toward physical media as collectible items. Many younger buyers are purchasing these albums for aesthetic value and artist support rather than for playback.
CD sales are apparently going up, reportedly thanks to fans realizing they’re an affordable way to support their favorite artists. According to a new report from research firm Luminate, 16.3 million CDs were sold in the first half of 2026 in the US, a 16 percent increase year-over-year. The growth in CD sales was driven by “collection building, price accessibility, massive albums such as BTS’ ARIRANG and a strong K-pop release schedule,” Luminate says.
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