DVD unit sales in the United States collapsed by 90 percent from their 2006 peak. The revenue from all physical media fell from 25 billion to just two billion dollars in the same period.
Key Takeaways
- Decline Trends: US DVD unit sales fell 90% from 2006 peak to 2022
- Physical media revenue dropped from $25B to $2B US 2006-2020
- Streaming overtook DVD rentals in US households 2010
- Global DVD market revenue peaked at $27 billion in 2006
- Worldwide DVD unit sales 2.5 billion in 2005
- Europe DVD sales €15 billion in 2007
- US DVD industry revenue $24.5B total 2004 peak including rentals
- DVD contributed 65% to US studio home entertainment revenue 2006
- Global DVD wholesale revenue $15B in 2005
- Global Finding Nemo DVD sold 40 million copies
- The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King DVD 30M units worldwide
- Shrek DVD sales exceeded 50 million units by 2010
- In 2004, US DVD unit sales peaked at 1.08 billion units generating $21.4 billion in revenue
- DVD household penetration in the US reached 81% by 2008
- US DVD rental revenue was $6.8 billion in 2007
US DVD sales and revenue collapsed after streaming overtook homes, shrinking physical video worldwide by decades.
Related reading
01 · Category
Decline Trends22 stats
01
Decline Trends: US DVD unit sales fell 90% from 2006 peak to 2022
02
Physical media revenue dropped from $25B to $2B US 2006-2020
03
Streaming overtook DVD rentals in US households 2010
04
DVD player ownership US from 85% to 40% 2008-2020
05
Global DVD market contracted 15% annually post-2010
06
Netflix ended DVD mailing 2023 after 25 years
07
US Redbox DVD rentals down 70% 2015-2022
08
Blockbuster stores closed all but one by 2014 due to DVD decline
09
DVD/Blu-ray US revenue $1.2B 2022 vs $18B 2011
10
Streaming services captured 80% video market share by 2018
11
UK DVD sales fell 50% 2015-2020
12
Global physical video sales down 75% since 2010 peak
13
Walmart ended DVD sales online 2021 accelerating decline
14
US DVD new releases sales 90% drop 2010-2022
15
Best Buy physical media dept shrunk 60% space 2015-2023
16
Pirate streaming reduced DVD sales 20% further post-2015
17
Europe DVD market revenue €2B 2022 vs €20B 2006
18
Japan DVD rentals down 80% since 2010
19
Catalog DVD sales now 70% of remaining US physical market
20
4K UHD Blu-ray niche but DVD legacy sales <10M US 2023
21
Amazon Prime Video subscribers surpassed DVD buyers 2015
22
Global DVD production facilities closed 50% since 2015
Interpretation
Decline Trends Interpretation
The DVD has staged a masterful retreat from cultural juggernaut to cherished niche, as the world, having collectively decided that a mountain of plastic discs was less appealing than an invisible, infinite library, traded its shelves for streams.
02 · Category
Global Sales30 stats
01
Global DVD market revenue peaked at $27 billion in 2006
02
Worldwide DVD unit sales 2.5 billion in 2005
03
Europe DVD sales €15 billion in 2007
04
Asia-Pacific DVD market $10B in 2010
05
Global DVD player shipments 220 million units cumulative by 2008
06
China DVD sales 300 million units in 2006
07
UK DVD market £2.1 billion in 2005
08
Japan DVD rentals ¥500 billion in 2007
09
Global DVD revenue share 55% of physical media in 2004
10
Latin America DVD sales $3B in 2008
11
Worldwide DVD household penetration 40% by 2010
12
Germany DVD sales €1.8B in 2006
13
Australia DVD market A$1.5B in 2007
14
Global pirate DVD sales estimated $6B loss in 2005
15
France DVD revenue €1.2B in 2008
16
India DVD market $500M in 2010 despite piracy
17
Global DVD/Blu-ray disc production 5B units/year peak 2007
18
Brazil DVD sales R$2B in 2009
19
South Korea DVD rentals KRW 1T in 2006
20
Global DVD market declined 10% YoY by 2012 to $18B
21
Canada DVD sales CAD 1.1B in 2005
22
Russia DVD market $1B in 2008
23
Middle East DVD sales $800M in 2010
24
Spain DVD revenue €900M in 2007
25
Italy DVD market €1B in 2006
26
Global DVD sales to drop 80% by 2020 from peak
27
Mexico DVD sales $600M in 2009
28
South Africa DVD market R1.5B in 2008
29
Turkey DVD sales $400M in 2010
30
Thailand DVD revenue 10B THB in 2007
Interpretation
Global Sales Interpretation
It was a glorious global frenzy where everyone briefly agreed to pay for movies on discs, blissfully ignoring the internet's impatient cough in the corner of the room.
03 · Category
Revenue Stats26 stats
01
US DVD industry revenue $24.5B total 2004 peak including rentals
02
DVD contributed 65% to US studio home entertainment revenue 2006
03
Global DVD wholesale revenue $15B in 2005
04
US DVD retail revenue breakdown 70% sell-through 30% rental 2007
05
Warner Bros DVD revenue $4B in 2006
06
Disney DVD home video $3.5B revenue 2004
07
Universal DVD sales revenue $2.8B global 2005
08
Paramount DVD revenue $1.5B US 2007
09
Sony DVD revenue $2B worldwide 2006
10
Fox DVD home entertainment $1.8B 2005
11
MGM DVD revenue $800M peak 2004
12
DVD profit margins for studios averaged 30% in 2003-2007
13
US DVD rental revenue per disc $2.50average 2006
14
Global DVD licensing fees to studios $10B annually mid-2000s
15
Blockbuster DVD rental revenue $5B peak 2004
16
Netflix DVD revenue $1B from subscriptions 2007
17
DVD accounted for 80% studio profits early 2000s
18
US DVD sell-through revenue $12B 2005
19
International DVD revenue for US studios 40% of total home video 2006
20
DVD video-on-demand precursor revenue $500M global 2008
21
Retailer margins on DVDs 25-30% US 2005
22
Catalog DVD revenue 35% of total US 2010 $4B
23
Blu-ray transition cost studios $1B in DVD cannibalization 2009
24
DVD advertising revenue tie-ins $300M US 2004
25
Global DVD packaging revenue $2B industry 2006
26
US DVD revenue per capita $70peak 2005
Interpretation
Revenue Stats Interpretation
The DVD was the golden goose of Hollywood, laying a $24.5 billion egg in 2004 and single-handedly funding the industry's blockbuster addiction with profit margins so plump they made executives weep with joy, until streaming came along and turned the whole buffet into a takeout menu.
More related reading
04 · Category
Top DVDs27 stats
01
Global Finding Nemo DVD sold 40 million copies
02
The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King DVD 30M units worldwide
03
Shrek DVD sales exceeded 50 million units by 2010
04
Gladiator DVD sold 17 million copies in first year US
05
Ice Age DVD 20M units globally by 2005
06
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone DVD 25M US
07
The Incredibles DVD 18M units worldwide
08
Monsters Inc DVD 20M copies sold
09
Spider-Man DVD 10M units first week US 2002
10
Titanic DVD re-release 5M units in 2005
11
Star Wars Episode II DVD 5.5M first day US
12
Finding Nemo first week DVD sales 8.5M US
13
Despicable Me DVD 10M units globally
14
Toy Story 3 DVD 15M copies
15
Avatar DVD 12M units first month 2010
16
The Dark Knight DVD 7M US first week
17
Kung Fu Panda DVD 8M units
18
Pirates of the Caribbean DVD 12M worldwide
19
Iron Man DVD 6M US 2008
20
Up DVD 10M units Pixar's best seller
21
The Hangover DVD 5M first week record comedy
22
Twilight DVD 3M first day US 2009
23
Mamma Mia DVD 6M UK/Europe
24
Slumdog Millionaire DVD 2M units global
25
Juno DVD 1.5M US indie record
26
No Country for Old Men DVD 1M units
27
There Will Be Blood DVD 800K units
Interpretation
Top DVDs Interpretation
While Shrek's swamp may have sold the most DVDs, the true lesson here is that families with kids, epic adventures, and a talking fish named Nemo reliably conquered the global living room, proving that home entertainment's holy trinity is animation, spectacle, and something for everyone to quote.
05 · Category
US Sales30 stats
01
In 2004, US DVD unit sales peaked at 1.08 billion units generating $21.4 billion in revenue
02
DVD household penetration in the US reached 81% by 2008
03
US DVD rental revenue was $6.8 billion in 2007
04
In 2010, US DVD sales volume dropped 13% to 800 million units
05
Blockbuster Video rented 800 million DVDs in the US in 2005
06
US DVD software revenue hit $18.6 billion in 2006
07
By 2015, US DVD sales fell to 222 million units
08
Redbox kiosks dispensed 1 billion DVDs in the US by 2013
09
US DVD catalog sales accounted for 40% of total in 2012
10
Netflix DVD rentals peaked at 1.6 billion discs mailed in 2008
11
US DVD new release sales dropped 50% from 2006 to 2016
12
In 2003, DVD players in 50% of US households
13
US DVD revenue share was 60% of home video market in 2005
14
Walmart sold 20% of all US DVDs in 2010
15
US DVD sales generated $16.8 billion in 2007
16
By 2018, US DVD unit sales were 44 million
17
DVD rentals via mail declined 20% YoY in 2011 US
18
US DVD sell-through market was $10.5 billion in 2004
19
75% of US households owned a DVD player by 2006
20
US DVD sales to international markets from US studios $2.5B in 2005
21
In 2002, US DVD rentals hit $4.5 billion
22
DVD accounted for 90% of US physical video sales in 2007
23
US DVD Blu-ray combo sales rose 25% in 2012 to 15M units
24
Target stores captured 15% US DVD market share in 2009
25
US DVD sales volume 943 million units in 2005
26
By 2020, US DVD sales under 20 million units annually
27
DVD player shipments to US homes 28 million in 2003
28
US catalog DVD sales $7 billion in 2008
29
2014 US DVD rental revenue $1.2 billion
30
DVD share of US video market 72% in 2004
Interpretation
US Sales Interpretation
The glittering empire of DVD sales, which at its peak made renting a movie feel like a national pastime, ultimately proved to be a breathtakingly short-lived golden age before streaming pulled the rug out from under it.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Margot Villeneuve. (2026, February 13). Dvd Sales Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/dvd-sales-statistics
MLA
Margot Villeneuve. "Dvd Sales Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/dvd-sales-statistics.
Chicago
Margot Villeneuve. 2026. "Dvd Sales Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/dvd-sales-statistics.
Sources & references
90 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level