Despite the dominance of streaming, physical music formats remain firmly embedded in UK culture, with CDs continuing to outperform vinyl and even sparking household debates over what to play, new research from refurbished tech and physical media retailer musicMagpie reveals.
A nationally representative survey of 2,000 UK adults found that 59% of Brits still own and listen to physical music formats, including CDs, vinyl records and cassette tapes. Among them, CDs remain the most popular format overall, owned and used by 39% of respondents, compared with 26% for vinyl and 18% for cassette tapes.
The findings highlight that while vinyl maintains its cool factor, CDs remain the nation’s practical favourite thanks to affordability, sound quality and convenience.
CDs still dominate UK households
The research shows that CDs have particularly strong appeal among older generations, with almost half (48%) of over‑45s saying CDs are still popular in their households, significantly ahead of vinyl (27%) and cassette tapes (14%).
CDs are also driving significant demand in the resale market. musicMagpie reports that it has sold nearly one million used CDs in the first quarter of 2026 alone, underlining the format’s enduring commercial relevance.
Steve Oliver, co‑founder and managing director of musicMagpie, said:
“Even in a streaming-first world, CDs especially resonate with UK households because of their affordability and practicality. For many, they’re the perfect balance between sound quality, ownership and convenience.
“The demand for CDs is reflected in the fact that musicMagpie has sold nearly 1 million used CD’s in the first quarter of this year alone.”
Physical formats spark arguments at home
The revival of physical music is even making itself felt in domestic life. Nearly a third of Brits (29%) admit that choosing what CD or record to play has sparked an argument at home, with 16% saying these stand‑offs happen often or all the time.
These musical disagreements are most common among younger adults, with 55% of 25–34‑year‑olds reporting clashes over physical music choices, compared to just 11% of over‑55s.
Regionally, Birmingham emerged as the UK’s most argument‑prone city, where 39% of residents said physical music has caused disagreements at home.
Jon Miller, Chief Commercial Officer at musicMagpie, said:
“Despite the rise of streaming, physical music is far from dead. In fact, it’s enjoying a real revival. But this has brought back the age-old household debate of which CDs everyone wants to listen to.
“One way to keep the peace is to treat those differences as part of the fun. Test your musical compatibility by buying pre-loved CDs to find some potential common ground or find out what artists or genres are best to be avoided.
“And when collections (or clashes) start to grow, sorting through your CDs and passing on the ones you no longer agree on can help restore harmony, making space for albums you can compromise on.”
Regional differences reflect musical identity
The research also highlights clear regional preferences across the UK.
- Liverpool leads on CDs, with 38% of residents still listening to the format.
- Bristol shows the strongest vinyl preference, with 34% favouring records.
- London stands out as the UK hub of the cassette comeback, with 24% of residents still buying and listening to tapes.
These differences underline how physical music reflects both local identity and changing listening habits across generations.
musicMagpie’s best-selling CDs of 2026 so far show strong nostalgia effect
musicMagpie’s best‑selling CDs continue to be dominated by 90s and 00s classics, led by Green Day’s American Idiot, followed by titles from The Verve, Coldplay, Oasis and Adele – further underlining the emotional pull of owning music from formative years.
- Green Day – American Idiot
- The Verve – Urban Hymns
- Coldplay – Parachutes
- Oasis – (What’s The Story) Morning Glory?
- Adele – 21
- Guns ‘n’ Roses – Greatest Hits
- Madonna – The Immaculate Collection
- Robbie Williams – Greatest Hits
- Queen – Greatest Hits, Vol. 2
- The Beatles – 1
- Adele – 25
- Blur – Parklife
- Oasis – Definitely Maybe
- Arctic Monkeys – Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not
- Lily Allen – Alright, Still
- Foo Fighters – There Is Nothing Left to Lose
- Muse – Resistance
- Elvis Presley – Elv1s: 30 Number 1 Hits
- George Michael – Ladies and Gentlemen