Are CDs Making A Comeback?

A CD revival may be imminent, with sales in the US rising for the first time in nearly 20 years.

Figures published by the Recording Industry Association of America reveal the format jumped from 31.6 million units in the US in 2020 to 46.6 million in 2021, with revenue reportedly at $US584.2 million, up from $US483.2 million. It's the first time since 2004 that the format has seen a boost.

As Axios reports, it’s still a far cry from the format’s peak in 2000, when almost a billion CD albums were shipped in the US, but it’s a sign that physical music is well and truly making a comeback.

The steady rise of vinyl over the past 15 or so years has been well documented, with record sales reported across the UK and US at the end of last year.

Earlier this year, Pitchfork ran an article that attributed the CD’s rise in popularity in part to Gen Z, while also noting that some revisited the format during COVID for nostalgia-induced comfort.

Obviously streaming trumps all, with the Recording Industry Association of America’s latest figures revealing that paid subscriptions made up 57.2% of revenue in the US last year, totalling $US8.6 billion alongside $US1.8 billion for ad-supported streams.