Why are people buying so many CDs?

Luminate says 16.3 million CDs were sold in the US in the first half of 2026, up 16% year over year. The rise was fueled by K-pop releases, major albums like BTS' ARIRANG, collector behavior, and CDs' relatively low price; even excluding K-pop, sales still grew 6.7%.

The rebound suggests physical media is becoming less about playback and more about fandom economics, collectibles, and direct support for artists. As streaming dominates listening, CDs may find a durable niche as low-cost merchandise that helps labels and artists monetize superfans.