Since the mid-2010s, fewer and fewer new cars have been decked out with CD players. In-dash stereos are instead usually equipped with the long-standing car radio and some kind of media playback option, such as auxiliary or USB inputs or a digital infotainment system like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. But with CDs having a resurgence, along with physical media more generally, it’s easy to wonder why automakers are ditching players by the roadside.
Surprisingly, some automakers still offer new cars with CD players, although it’s increasingly rare. Subaru and Lexus are two of the last makers barely hanging on, with the Forester making waves when it gave up the ghost and removed CD players in 2024. Lexus still provides CD players for a few of its models, including the IS. According to Motor trendthe inclusion of a CD player for the IS isn’t based on any “consumer feedback or insights” — it’s because the range hasn’t been refreshed since 2013.
The music industry has changed a lot since 2013, and consumer choices reflect that. In the years since then, the demand for streaming and CDs has essentially switched, with streaming becoming the much more popular option. Cars are made to suit consumer needs, which helps automakers sell more units, so companies have shifted to cater to streaming instead. This change in consumer priorities was made particularly clear when Subaru informed Which? that the Forester would drop its standard CD player in 2024 to bring the SUV in line with the maker’s other product lines.
CDs are still popular, but streaming is more mainstream
Car CD players are still popular. Over in the United Kingdom, the Digital Entertainment and Retail Association told Which? that 15% of drivers listen to CDs while driving. In the United States, they accounted for a revenue of over $540 million in 2024 (per the Recording Industry Association of America). But even though people still use CDs, even more people use their successor: streaming services. Spotify alone has more than 250 million premium subscribers, which doesn’t account for those using the free tier or subscribed to other services.
Streaming is a hugely popular, convenient option that gives music lovers access to a massive library of tunes through the internet at a relatively low cost. Understandably, it’s tough for physical media to compete with it on a purely practical level. Plus, with streaming, you don’t have to worry about lugging around bagfuls of jewel cases or pulling over to try and switch albums. As a result, cars are kitted out with everything you need to stream efficiently instead.
Some vehicles have systems like Android Auto that allow you to connect your phone directly to your stereo to play music from streaming platforms like Tidal, Spotify, or Apple Music. Others take a more analogue route by allowing you to connect your phone or media player using an auxiliary cable with the device’s headphone jack. Since so many people already use or can easily access music digitally, prioritizing streaming options allows brands to appeal to a wider audience.
How to make the most of your CDs on the road
Although the days of loading up your car’s CD changer with “Best Ofs” and homemade mixtapes before a long drive are entering the rearview, there are still a couple of ways you can enjoy your physical media collection on the road. You’ll just need a car stereo that you can connect to external media or storage devices and a disc drive. If you’re dead-set on using your CDs, you can pick up a portable CD player with an auxiliary output or Bluetooth or a USB disc drive to operate directly through the car stereo. It’s far from an ideal scenario, though, as some systems won’t be compatible, and even the slightest dip in the road could lead to skips or even scratched discs. If you remember carrying around a Sony Discman, then that probably won’t come as any surprise to you.
Alternatively, you can take your collection with you by digitizing it. It might seem a little counterintuitive — you won’t be playing your CDs directly in the car, after all — but doing so will help to protect your discs from damage while giving you access to your music anywhere. You can digitize your CD collection by loading it into your computer’s disc drive and importing the data into media software like iTunes. This is called “ripping.” Your computer might not have a disc drive built-in, in which case you’ll need to grab an external one (just make sure it’s writable). Once you’ve imported your CD’s files, you can load them up onto a USB drive and stick it into your car’s USB port, if it has one. You should be back to enjoying your physical music collection while daytripping in no time.
