CD sales in the United States have grown 16 percent year-over-year during the first half of 2026, with research firm Luminate reporting 16.3 million units sold. The resurgence has been driven by multiple factors including collection-building habits, affordability compared to other formats, and a particularly strong K-pop release slate. Even when K-pop sales are excluded from the data, the US market still experienced 6.7 percent growth in CD sales.

The growth reflects a significant shift in how younger consumers view physical music. Approximately half of Gen Z and Millennial CD purchasers do not own a CD player, suggesting that CDs have transformed from a practical audio format into collectible merchandise. Industry analysts note that for these demographics, purchasing physical music serves dual purposes: direct financial support for artists and aesthetic ownership through a tangible product, rather than primarily functioning as a medium for listening to music.