Movie sales – including 4K Blu-ray – fell again last year, but if you're going streaming only, you're massively missing out

• Sales of discs, including 4K Blu-ray, fall for another year
• There was an overall decline of 23.4% year-over-year in 2024
• Subscription streaming services, such as Netflix, grew by 25.3%

Sales of 4K Blu-ray discs (our top format choice for testing the best TVs), Blu-ray discs and DVDs declined for another year in 2024, falling below $1 billion for the first time in the US. Digital movie sales also fell during that time, adding yet more woes for Hollywood studios.

As reported by FlatpanelsHD, the sale of physical media formats fell after a 23.4% year-over-year decline, which is a record low after a peak for physical media sales of $16 billion in 2005. The 4K Blu-ray format accounts for a growing portion of the declining disc sales, though it has seen its sales decrease every year since 2018. Digital movie sales, from places such as Apple TV, fell 10.2% from the previous year.

Interestingly, figures suggest that the home entertainment market is actually growing, up 25.3% from the previous year. That includes revenue from the best streaming services such as Netflix, Disney Plus, Apple TV Plus and more. At $57.17 billion, it is seven times larger than the US theatrical box office.

This news comes after a year of ups and downs for physical media in 2024, which saw Best Buy and Disney decide to cease selling and distribution of discs, only to be followed shortly thereafter by an agreement between Sony and Disney for the former to take over physical media distribution for the latter. LG also announced it would no longer manufacture 4K Blu-ray players, while retailers such as Fred Meyers and GameStop announced plans to stock 4K Blu-rays.

Are you missing out?

We here at TechRadar are fans of 4K Blu-ray as we use them to test TVs, including the best OLED TVs and even the best soundbars. That’s because playing a disc on one of the best 4K Blu-ray players lets you enjoy your favorite movies and TV shows with superior picture and sound quality compared to streaming.

When you stream from services such as Netflix in 4K, the quality level is actually closer to a 1080p HD Blu-ray. The average video bit rate for a 4K Blu-ray is 128mbps, whereas 4K streaming averages 18mbps, maxing out at 40mbps on services like Apple TV. When I tested Blu-ray vs streaming, however, the impact was felt most with audio: streaming services compress Dolby Atmos soundtracks, whereas the uncompressed version present on Blu-rays sounds much clearer and more powerful.

Another issue with streaming services is that you don’t ‘own’ the movies and TV shows they carry. I’ve consistently found examples of movies I enjoy migrating from one streaming service to another (usually ones I don’t subscribe to) or disappearing altogether. It’s an incredibly frustrating situation that doesn’t happen if you own a physical copy.

The last year was a rollercoaster for 4K Blu-ray and this doom-and-gloom news of falling sales hasn’t got 2025 off to the best start, but I still remain hopeful for 2025. Our readers have shown strong interest in 4K Blu-ray, so much so that we’ve launched a monthly roundup of some of the best 4K Blu-ray releases named the ‘Blu-ray Bounty’, with our latest edition from January 2025 available to read at the link.

For anyone fed up with rising streaming prices, or maybe looking to dip their toe into the world of serious home theater, 4K Blu-ray is an excellent option. If you’re only focused on streaming, you’re missing out on the wonderful world of 4K Bu-ray.

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