CD and vinyl sales posted a notable comeback in the United States during the first half of 2026, according to figures released this week by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Physical formats led much of the momentum, with CD revenue climbing 58.6% and vinyl rising 17.7% compared with the same period a year earlier.
Taken together, physical music revenue jumped 25.9% in H1 2026. The gains came as the broader U.S. recorded music industry generated EUR 5 billion in the first six months of the year, an increase of 6.9% that outpaced inflation.
Streaming Still Leads the Market
Despite the headline growth in retro formats, the RIAA emphasized that every major revenue category expanded, describing a healthy and increasingly diversified marketplace. Digital distribution remained the largest source of income for the industry.
Streaming generated EUR 4 billion in H1 2026, up 4.7% and holding its position as the top revenue driver. Within that segment, paid subscriptions grew 6.4% to reach EUR 3 billion, while free, ad-supported streaming rose 3.7% to EUR 774 million. The data indicates that the surge in physical sales is not coming at the expense of digital platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube Music.
What Is Driving the Physical Revival
The RIAA framed the physical resurgence as continued fan enthusiasm for experiencing music in different ways across a varied marketplace. Special edition re-releases and remasters on CD and vinyl have become increasingly common, giving collectors and longtime fans additional reasons to buy tangible copies.
The trend echoes shifts seen in adjacent entertainment categories. In the TV and movie space, some consumers frustrated with streaming services have begun rebuilding home media libraries by purchasing DVDs and Blu-rays. A similar sentiment has emerged in video gaming, where the high-profile dispute over Sony PlayStation digital game ownership prompted some players to reconsider how they buy and keep games.
While the physical boom does not amount to a rejection of streaming, the combined figures point to a market where multiple formats are growing at once. U.S. recorded music revenue reached EUR 5 billion in the first half of 2026, with physical formats accounting for the fastest-growing category.
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Image: tomshardware.com
