Car manufacturers are turning their back on seven million music fans in the UK by removing CD players from new cars, according to digital entertainment and retail association ERA.
Commenting on new data from Which? reporting that no new cars in the UK now include a CD player, ERA CEO Kim Bayley said: “With 15% of the UK adult population reporting that they listen to CDs in their cars, this is a remarkably short-sighted move by carmakers to stop fans listening to the music they love.”
In the latest edition of ERA’s long-term consumer tracking study conducted by Fly Research 15% of the UK adult population reported that they listen to music on CD in their cars, slightly fewer than the 16.6% of people who listen to CDs at home.
While the latest figures on CD listening are down on five years ago (2019: 27.6% in-car and 31.2% in-home), it still amounts to around seven million individuals. That equates to around 20% of the 34.5m people with active driving licenses.
The lesson of vinyl is you should never write off a music format
Kim Bayley
While CD sales have been on a sharp slide for the past 20 years – down to 11.4m in 2023 from their 2004 high point of 170m – recent years have shown signs of a rebound. Vinyl sales have been growing for 18 years and there are signs that CD could be set for a return to growth.
“Carmakers seem to be looking through the rear-view mirror when it comes to CD,” said Bayley. “The lesson of vinyl is you should never write off a music format. Even today 50% more people say they listen to music on CD as on vinyl.
“Taylor Swift is leading the way. The 172,000 CDs sold in the UK this year of her latest album The Tortured Poets Department is more than the three biggest-selling cars in the UK last year combined. Car manufacturers should listen to the Swifties and give the CD another chance.”
PHOTO CREDIT: Getty/Jittawit21
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