Vinyl sales growth outperformed by CDs in the US during first half of 2026
Electronic music also experienced the biggest growth among genres in the US
The growth of CD sales overtook that of vinyl records during the first half of 2026.
According to Luminate's 2026 Midyear Report: Trends in Music, Television & Film , CD sales in the US rose 16%, with 16.3 million units sold between January and June this year. For comparison, vinyl sales grew by just 2.3%.
Interestingly, much of the surge is attributed to the rise in collectable culture among younger consumers, according to the report, which also found that around half of the Gen Z and millennials who purchase CDs do not actually own a CD player.
The report suggested that "price accessibility" could be a factor behind the trend, while also highlighting the importance of physical fandom in K-pop culture, and the success of BTS's March comeback album 'ARIRANG'.
However, Luminate also pointed out that CD sales in the US still grew by 6.7%, regardless of K-pop's contribution.
Elsewhere, the report also showed that dance/electronic music experienced the biggest growth among genres in the US during the first half of 2026.
"The mechanics of modern music consumption are shifting toward culture-driven growth and community engagement," said Luminate's Jaime Marconette, VP of music insights & industry relations.
Back in 2024, more than half of 18-24-year-olds surveyed by Key Production, the UK's biggest vinyl packaging firm, revealed their preference for listening to physical music.
