In the United States, CD sales experienced a significant surge during the first half of 2026, with a 16% increase compared to vinyl's modest 2.4% growth.According to Luminate’s 2026 Midyear Report, approximately 16.3 million CDs were sold between January and June, while vinyl sales reached 21.8 million units.

The report attributes this rapid rise to factors such as 'collection building,' 'price accessibility,' and a strong schedule of K-pop releases, including BTS’ successful comeback album ‘ARIRANG,’ which achieved 516,000 physical sales in its opening week.

Despite the popularity of vinyl, CDs remain a preferred format for younger consumers who view them as affordable merchandise rather than solely audio media.The physical music market is also growing alongside streaming services, with on-demand audio streams rising by 4.8% to 732.7 billion in the US.

However, concerns persist about how much of the industry’s revenue reaches working artists, with many professionals earning below £14,000 annually from music work.