CD sales growth outpaced vinyl in the first half of 2026

CD sales surged 16% to 16.3 million units in the first half of 2026, significantly outpacing vinyl's modest 2.4% growth and marking a major shift in physical music's revival. The resurgence extends beyond K-pop's influence, with CD sales climbing 6.7% year-over-year even when excluding BTS and K-pop releases, driven partly by younger Gen Z listeners increasingly turning to physical formats and 1990s-era music.