Lorde called out over "aesthetic" clear Virgin CD that won't play on stereo systems

3 July 2025, 12:30 | Updated: 3 July 2025, 12:50

By Sam Prance

Lorde is selling a transparent Virgin CD but it doesn't work on many CD players.

Did you order Lorde's transparent Virgin CD and haven't been able to play it? It turns out that you're not the only one.

Every album, Lorde opts for different physical release strategies. Lorde released Pure Heroine and Melodrama both in all formats. Meanwhile, she decided not to release Solar Power on CD in a bid to be "environmentally kind". In her fan newsletter, Lorde said: "No CDs this time. I didn’t wanna make something that would end up in a landfill in 2 years."

As for her new album Virgin, Lorde has released multiple vinyl variants and a clear CD. However, Lorde is now facing criticism after multiple fans have discovered that the clear CD doesn't play on many different CD player systems.

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Lorde's "Virgin CD (Clear Disc)" is currently selling for $13.98 on her website. It's described as: "Jewel case, 20 page full colour book with alternate non adult imagery, full transparency disc." There's also a disclaimer that says: "Note: This is a plastic product. All parts are recyclable including disc."

Since the album shipped, multiple fans have taken to TikTok to explain that they haven't been able to play the CD on their devices. In one viral TikTok, a fan called Elyxir said, "Whoever decided to design this, is a idiot because it's a clear CD. It means that cars can't read this CD."

Elyxir then explains that Walkmans can't play the CD and shows her car CD system refusing to even let her push the CD into it. The fan also criticised Lorde and her team for not selling other variants of the CD that work on old tech.

Elyxir's video has currently been viewed over 430,000 times. In the comments one person said: "if it's sold as a CD, and can't be played on a cd player then it's a faulty object."

Another wrote: "Funny to think Solar Power wasn't released on CD because Lorde was worried about plastic waste. Then this..."

In another viral video, a fan called Autumn shows that it doesn't work on their standalone stereo system. They stated: "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 too."

Their video has been viewed over 250,000 times. One fan commented: "They didn’t account for a cd to be read by a cd player??"

Another said: "Thats what happens when the only reason you release CD’s is for the aesthetics and as collectibles."

As it stands, Lorde is yet to address the controversy. We'll update you if and when she does.

What do you think? Did you order one of the transparent Virgin CDs?

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