- Figures prove CD sales grew more than record sales so far in 2026
- The data was presented amid a boom in physical media
- Is it time to buy a CD player or portable CD player again?
In another statistic that seems to confirm that “Sony ending PlayStation discs is not what we want”, new data suggests that music CD sales growth eclipsed that of vinyl in the first half of 2026.
It’s hard to deny that a physical media boom is underway. First, there is the continued collective love for vinyl. Then there’s the backlash from Sony abandoning physical games (as well as removing the ability to play a standard CD on the PlayStation 5 and 4), as well as pushback over Netflix’s “stream one minute, drop the next” movie library. All of this makes the physical product more and more valuable and desirable. Did I mention that Blu-Ray sales are also up sharply?
To prove this point when it comes to tangible music products, a report from Luminate Data suggests that physical media is more popular than ever. Sales of vinyl records, CDs and paper cassettes apparently increased by 7.8% during the first half of 2026.
But the most intriguing thing is precisely What people were buying more of them: Data suggests that CDs are growing in popularity far more than records, which, according to conventional wisdom, is the fashionable format.
Apparently, while records grew by 2.4%, CDs jumped by 16.3%. This fits with what we’ve seen recently, with retro-inspired CD players being released everywhere.
More vinyl?
For a long time now, the general consensus has been that records are the format of choice for audiophiles – groove being essentially East an analog sound wave. The best vinyl turntables are on sale everywhere and new music comes standard on vinyl.
The fact is that digital compact discs (still very fragile, scratchable and delicate) might just be another way forward, and sales certainly suggest that a revival is underway.
This makes sense, since CDs are capable of producing fairly high-quality audio at 16-bit/44.1kHz, which is the starting point for high-resolution audio (unless you go for Super CDs, which can offer even higher bitrates and overall quality). Additionally, vinyl will always sound “hot” and prone to strange noises or crackles, due to its design and the fact that there are pesky dust particles even if we try to remove them.
CDs are also slightly more compatible with modern software; you can burn them to your computer or digital audio player relatively quickly – although granted, many turntables now have a USB port for digital backup of your more abstract presses and recordings.
What I’m saying is that this doesn’t mean that turntables and records are on their way out. There is something ineffable about the process of putting them into play and hearing their imperfections and flaws. It’s just that people now view CDs as equally valuable – and despite the fact that virtually none of the best laptops come with a disc drive these days…
The best vinyl turntables for every budget
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