Generation Z rediscovers old technology as CDs make a comeback

The compact disc, once expected to fade into history, is getting a second life. In the United States, CD revenue reached $171.1 million in the first half of 2026, an increase of 58.6% from the same period a year earlier. Sales rose 45.7%, to 17.5 million copies from just under 12 million.

The rebound follows a weak 2025, when annual CD revenue fell 7.8%, from $338.9 million in 2024 to $312.4 million. Vinyl sales are also growing, although new records now often cost about $40. CDs remain considerably cheaper, helping physical-media revenue rise 25.9% in the first half of 2026, to $731.5 million. Vinyl revenue increased 17.7%.

The resurgence does not threaten streaming, which brought the U.S. music industry about $4.9 billion in the first half of the year and still represented the overwhelming majority of the market. But the pace is changing. Streaming is growing relatively slowly, while CD revenue has climbed by almost 60%.

New-release figures do not capture the full interest in compact discs. They exclude secondhand sales through thrift stores, online marketplaces and garage sales, as well as older collections passed on to a new generation. Record companies are also driving sales through marketing strategies associated with K-pop. Albums by major stars such as Taylor Swift appear in multiple collectible editions with unique booklets, photographs, posters and other extras.

For some teenagers, the CD is no longer simply a way to listen to music. It has become a collectible, even for people without a CD player, a symbol of belonging to a fan community and a tangible way to support a favorite artist. It also offers something a subscription does not: ownership. A purchased disc remains on a shelf despite licensing changes, platform decisions or rising monthly fees. The revival forms part of a wider interest among younger consumers in electronics from before the age of constant algorithms, applications and screens.