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CD Sales Growth Outpaced Vinyl in the First Half of 2026

Vinyl may still dominate the conversation, but CDs are making the biggest gains. CD Sales Growth Outpaced Vinyl in the First Half of 2026 Alex Krinsky

Vinyl Sales Surpass CD Sales for the First Time in 34 Years

It’s been a long time coming, but now it’s officially official: vinyl sales have surpassed CD sales in the US. According to a new report from The Recording Industry Association of America, vinyl records accounted for $232.1 million of music sales in the first six months of 2020, whereas CDs have only brought in $129.9 million. This is the first time since 1986 — 34 years! — that vinyl has outsold CDs. Physical sales overall dropped by 23% in the first half of this year, likely because fewer people are leaving their homes, nevermind to visit music stores. However, CD sales declined by 48% whereas vinyl sales started to climb, particularly during the week of Record Store Day “Drops” when 802,000 records were sold. Unsurprisingly, digital sales continued to decrease by 22%, accounting for $35...