MiniDisc: The Comeback of a Forgotten Format

In 1992, Sony unveiled what it hoped would be the future of personal audio: the MiniDisc. Encased in a protective plastic shell, this tiny 2.5-inch magneto-optical disc combined the convenience of cassettes with the digital clarity of CDs. Sony envisioned a format that would replace tape, rival the CD, and capture a new generation of listeners.

It didn’t quite work out that way. While MiniDisc became popular in Japan and found a niche in broadcasting and among music enthusiasts, it never managed to conquer the global market. By the early 2000s, recordable CDs, MP3 players, and eventually the iPod left MD in the dust. Sony stopped making players in 2011, and by 2013, the format was effectively dead. Or so it seemed.

In 2025, MiniDisc is enjoying an unlikely revival—a second life as a retro collectible and a statement about ownership in a streaming-dominated world.