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Gen Z Is Bringing CDs Back, but They’re Missing One Important Piece of the Puzzle

According to new data, CD sales are on the rise, and there seems to be a direct correlation with what Gen Z music fans are listening to.

By Stephen Andrew Galiher

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Believe it or not, the CD—yes, that CD— is having a resurgence. In fact, new data reveals that Gen Z seems to be buying up the outdated music format without even having a way to play it.

The info came to light in Luminate’s 2026 Midyear Report. While vinyl has been the big physical media item for over a decade, compact discs are making a huge comeback. In the first half of 2026, CD sales jumped 16 percent, to 16.3 million units. This notably soared past vinyl’s growth of only 2.4 percent.

Among artists who had a direct impact on the resurgence of CDs, K-Pop icons BTS’ 10th studio album, ARIRANG, was a big seller. However, Luminate also found that, beyond K-Pop’s overall influence, CD sales still........

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