Physical music is recovering, with US CD sales rising for the first time in nearly 20 years

Data from the Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA) show that U.S. CD sales increased from 31.6 million in 2020 to 46.6 million in 2021 , the first increase since 2004. Correspondingly, sales increased from US$483.2 million in 2020 to US$584.2 million in 2021 .

“ CD sales have been declining for more than a decade, so it’s really interesting that they’re up slightly in 2021,” said Jason Lipshutz, senior director of music at Billboard .

Jamal Alnasr, owner of Village Revival Records in Manhattan , has noticed a growing interest in CDs during the pandemic .

One shopper at Village Revival Records noted that '90s fashion is having a resurgence on TikTok, as are CDs.

Lipshutz also speculated that the CD's resurgence could follow in the footsteps of vinyl records, which have seen steady growth in sales over the past decade, reaching 39.7 million in the U.S. in 2021 and bringing in $1 billion in revenue, according to the RIAA.

But when it comes to sales king, streaming is still the king. According to the RIAA , paid subscription revenue in 2021 was $8.6 billion, accounting for 57.2% of total music revenue ; while advertising-supported streaming revenue was $1.8 billion. Meanwhile, CD and vinyl record sales combined accounted for less than 11% of total revenue . Compared with the peak of nearly 1 billion in 2000 , CD sales in 2021 are still far behind. However, this warming trend is worth paying attention to.

When traveling, it is more appropriate to choose streaming media to listen to music, which is better than carrying a slightly bulky CD player. However, when you are at home, the disadvantages of CDs are weakened. CDs can provide sound quality that is basically the same as lossless music, while satisfying music lovers' desire to have the exclusive feeling of owning a physical entity. In comparison, vinyl records are more special and can provide unique sound quality.

In fact, in addition to the United States, the sales of CDs and vinyl records in the UK are also not to be underestimated.

Amazon brand acquirer Thrasio analyzed data from more than 18,000 sellers from SmartScout and found that traditional categories such as books, CDs and vinyl records are still big business for Amazon sellers.

Data shows that the average monthly income of sellers in the book, CD and vinyl categories is £227,000 and £234,000 respectively. These data show that it is not necessary to constantly look for new product lines or high-value goods to obtain a sustainable and profitable source of income. It is also a very good choice to operate some traditional categories well.

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