CD sales are on the rise again, a first for 17 years

Year-end statistics, provided by MRC Data, indicate that sales of compact discs (CDs) reached 40.59 million units last year. This is an increase of 1.1% compared to the 40.16 million units sold in 2020.

The pandemic as a springboard

Last year, the COVID-19 pandemic brought several milestones to the music industry. Indeed, in the United States, overall music consumption grew 11.3% year-over-year. And this, thanks to a 12.6% increase in on-demand audio streaming.

The year 2021 also marks the first year in which CD sales have recorded an increase since 2004. Note, however, that in 2004, revenues from this format were much higher than they are today.

2021, year of vinyl

Last month, vinyl had its biggest sales week since at least 1991. MRC Data has around 2.11 million vinyl albums sold. Thus, for the first time in the history of MRC Data, sales of vinyl albums exceeded those of CDs. Vinyl album volume increased 50.4% from 2021 and ended the year with 41.7 million albums, compared to 40.6 million for CDs.

The penultimate week of December marks the first week in which vinyl sales exceeded 2 million copies since 1991. MRC Data has 2.11 million albums sold, probably thanks to the holiday season.

Some artists stand out

According to Billboard, this rise in popularity of CDs is due to a few artists who have exploded in sales, namely Adele, Taylor Swift and BTS. With a total of 898,000 units sold, Adele’s new album 30 was the best-selling CD in the United States. It is also the best-selling vinyl album of the year 2021. Still according to Billboard, “if 30 hadn’t been released in 2021, total CD sales would have been down year-over-year.”

Taylor Swift takes second and third place with her recently re-recorded versions of Fearless and Red. They sold 263,000 and 237,000 copies respectively. Finally, in 2021, BTS’ Map Of The Soul: 7 and Be albums, released in 2020, sold 1.03 million CDs.

Together, the three bands account for 7.1% of all CD sales in 2021, Stereogum concluded.