For the better part of the last decade, vinyl has been the face of music’s physical revival. But according to Luminate’s 2026 Midyear Report , another format is quietly making an even bigger comeback: the compact disc.

During the first half of 2026, CD sales surged 16% to 16.3 million units, soundly outpacing vinyl’s comparatively modest 2.4% growth. While BTS’ blockbuster album ARIRANG played a major role in the increase, Luminate found the resurgence extends well beyond K-pop. Even after removing BTS and the broader K-pop catalog from the equation, CD sales still climbed 6.7% year over year.

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The report also points to a broader boom in physical music. Total US physical album sales: LPs, CDs, and cassettes rose 7.8% through the first half of the year, reaching 38.2 million units.

One explanation may be changing listening habits among younger fans.…