Lorde’s new album, “Virgin,” has sparked frustration among fans—not because of the music, but due to issues with the album’s physical format.
The singer’s crystal-clear CD, promoted for its recyclable design and sleek aesthetic, reportedly does not function in many CD players, according to numerous social media posts. TikTok users have shared videos attempting to play the translucent CD, only to experience errors or silence. “Seems like they didn’t account for this,” one fan wrote, noting, “My new Lorde transparent CD doesn’t work in this stereo! Seems like older models with older sensors won’t play it. Pretty disappointing, I know it was for an aesthetic, but at least press it on normal CDs.”
Lorde’s website lists only one CD version—the clear, recyclable edition—which is currently sold out. While multiple vinyl variants of “Virgin” are available, CD collectors currently have no alternative.
Fans on Reddit also reported similar issues. One user wrote, “Tried to put the disc into my car CD player and it didn’t register at all. I tested another CD and it worked, so it’s definitely the disc.”
A TikTok creator hypothesized that the clear CD’s lack of a printed label layer might confuse older optical sensors, which rely on reflections and light patterns to read discs. So far, Lorde’s team has not publicly addressed the issue.
This design choice, while artistically striking, has led fans to call for a more traditional CD pressing, particularly for an album anticipated to have lasting significance.
“Virgin” was released on June 27, marking Lorde’s return with a new, ambient-influenced sound.
On June 30, Lorde shared the album artwork and insights into the album’s creation on Instagram. She revealed that “David” was the first track she began and one of the last she completed, while “Clearblue” was the final track she started. The song “Favourite Daughter” was the most challenging to finish. “Hardest song was FD, to write, to produce, to sing,” Lorde shared. “Kicked my a–.”
Recently, she teased unreleased B-sides and hinted at a future deluxe edition, which could provide an opportunity to release a more playable CD format.
