Several of my daughter’s friends now collect CDs and DVDs because they want to own their media instead of trusting that a streaming service will always have it.
All those boxes of our own CDs taking up space in our garage...Gen Z has decided they’re cool again.
I looked up the numbers, and the comeback is real. U.S. physical album sales increased 6.5% in 2025, with 33.8 million CDs sold. Then CD sales jumped another 16% during the first half of 2026, reaching 16.3 million units.
Apparently, what’s old is new.
And that’s happening inside my own community too - The Female Musician Accelerator.
Back in 2020, when shows and tours disappeared overnight, many of the women I worked with suddenly had more time to write.
We wanted to serve them based on what they actually needed during that bizarre season, so we created the FMA Songwriters group.
The members received songwriting prompts and deadlines, then shared lyrics, rough drafts, and acoustic demos with women they knew and trusted.
They also used our step by step release process to take those songs beyond the writing stage. They recorded and released a lot of wonderful music during a time when it would have been very easy to put their entire music careers on hold.
We thought we were simply creating something useful for the pandemic. But it turns out we stumbled onto something that has made a lasting imprint on our community.
I was reminded of that when I recorded the podcast episode celebrating the 11 year anniversary of the Female Musician Accelerator. So many of them talked about the fruits of the FMA Songwriters group in combination with our marketing and productivity programs.
Dawn talked about finally making time for songs she had written over the years:
“The 90 day plan enabled me to focus on the many songs I’ve written, so I put plans into motion to record them. Now I’m currently in the studio.”
Colleen said the friendships and musical collaborations were the best part of her experience. She and Carol have recorded several tracks together and became close friends in the process.
Gia described what happened when she combined her music with our release process:
“I’ve released 21 original singles and an album. I went from not knowing where to start to actually building a career.”
Those stories reminded me that the songwriting group was never only about answering a prompt.
It gave women a reason to put songwriting on the calendar, share the unfinished version without apologizing for it, and continue until there was something ready to record and release.
And friendships and collaborations were a result too.
That's important because building the business side of a music career can easily crowd out the reason we started doing all of this in the first place.
There is always another email to write, booking contact to research, piece of content to create, or mysterious tech problem that was definitely working yesterday.
Before you know it, songwriting has been shoved to the bottom of the list again.
FMA Songwriters is back
Beginning Monday, members who choose to participate will receive songwriting prompts with clear deadlines and a dedicated space to share what they’re creating.
Every quarter, we’ll gather for a Song Circle where members can play what they’ve written, hear what other women are working on, and talk about the experiences behind the songs.
The year will culminate in an annual member showcase where we can celebrate what everyone created together.
And hey, if you’re a little competitive like I am, seeing someone else post her new lyrics or rough acoustic demo can be exactly what makes you sit down and work on yours. It's those little nudges that move projects forward.
Participation is completely optional, and there is no extra charge.
FMA Songwriters is simply another awesome perk of joining the Female Musician Accelerator.
The larger purpose of The Female Musician Accelerator is still front and center:
To help mature female musicians become artists people recognize, remember, and seek out. We help you build a devoted fanbase around your distinctive combination of music, message, lived experience, and values, without chasing algorithms or dealing with patronizing bro energy.
Inside FMA, you’ll get support to:
- Clarify your artist message and brand so the right people understand why your music is for them.
- Build a fanbase that carries forward from one release to the next instead of starting over every time.
- Use our step by step process to plan, release, and promote your music without posting 24 hours a day.
- Create email, content, and social media systems you can maintain around work, family, and a full life.
- Find grants, better gigs, collaborations, and income opportunities that fit your talents and priorities.
- Bring your goals, questions, and roadblocks to live coaching instead of spending three weeks second guessing yourself.
- Put the work into practice through monthly workshops, Get It Done Weeks, templates, planning tools, and community accountability.
- Keep creating inside the returning FMA Songwriters group.
FMA Songwriters kicks off Monday, so this is the perfect time to come inside.
Always in your corner,
<3 Bree
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