A midyear sales report by entertainment data company Luminate reveals that approximately half of Gen Z and millennials who purchased a CD do not own a CD player.This trend is driven by 'collection building,' where CDs have transitioned from functional audio formats to affordable collectibles.

The practice reflects younger generations' emphasis on aesthetic ownership and direct financial support for artists rather than just listening to music.K-Pop group BTS's 10th studio album, ARIRANG, was a significant seller, contributing to a 6.7% year-over-year increase in CD sales despite the genre's exclusion from analysis.This growth surpasses vinyl sales (2.4%) and signals a broader resurgence of physical media, with total U.S.sales of vinyl, CDs, and cassettes reaching 38.2 million units through the first half of 2026—a 7.8% increase.The report highlights that 60% of Gen Z listeners in 2026 prefer music from the 1990s and earlier, up from 18% in 2021.

Physical media purchasing habits have also shifted, with indie record stores remaining dominant but big-box retailers like Target and Walmart capturing about 30% of the market.

This trend underscores a nostalgic revival of physical music formats among younger audiences, who prioritize tangible ownership over digital convenience.