John Lewis said searches for CD players are up 96% since July, while another report on trends in music and film this year found that CD sales are up 16%. With this in mind, we asked music fans why they favour discs over other formats, and if it is a new preference or a lifetime habit. Andrew Wales, 67, from London, owns “well over 10,000” CDs.
The [size of the] CD format allows me to own the number I own despite living in a two-bedroom flat and not a country mansion, so that’s another bonus.” Much of the classical music Wales buys and listens to is available only on CD. LPs were becoming increasingly shoddy, both in terms of pressing and presentation, and their limitations meant that often or not songs or tracks were included on the CD release, but not on LP. There are still cases where that happens today.” That said, Wales also owns “about 2,000 LPs”, “a few hundred cassettes” and an increasing number of Blu-rays.
By the time I was like 18, everything had started to shift away from physical media.” Her return to physical records started with the vinyl trend a few years ago. But after having a baby, we found we really weren’t listening to our records much any more – they were too bulky and inconvenient. My father-in-law gave us one of his old CD players and now we use that every day.” A CD collection helps with the “paradox of choice” that streaming brings, she says.
I find it a much more satisfying way to engage with music. Plus, no autoplay or AI-generated playlists are being forced on me.” “I bought my first CD in 1988 and have been collecting ever since,” says Neil Cumming, 53, from Gloucester. Everything from classical, folk, rock, blues …” Cumming buys CDs mostly to support musicians.
I buy CDs directly from them when I can, which means they get a bigger share of my money than they would if I streamed their music. I enjoy the ritual of selecting a CD and putting it in the machine – it is a nicer experience than just pressing play on an app.” Not that he’s anti-streaming. But in the evening, with a mug of tea or a glass of whisky, I find the experience of a CD more satisfying.” “I am drawn to the narrative and aesthetic arc of an album,” says Asha Varadharajan, 65, from Toronto.
I’ve never been a fan of music as white noise in the background, unless I’m boogying while vacuuming.” Varadharajan has owned her CD player since 1999, “which allows me to listen to five CDs at a time in any order I choose, building my own narrative arc as I listen. Streaming makes music ephemeral. I think algorithms make everything predictable, but everybody’s taste is kind of random.” It helps that CDs are hard to damage, she says.
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