Lorde fans raise concerns about transparent 'Virgin' CDs

Updated July 3, 2025, 12:17 p.m. | By Music Reporter

Yes, people still use CD players in 2025, and apparently, the devices can't read Lorde's transparent discs.

Lorde poses outdoors at night with city buildings in the background — Lorde/ Instagram (@lorde)

Lorde released her fourth studio album, 'Virgin', last week to much excitement from her fans.

However, their joy was short-lived as some complained that the "cool" transparent versions of the album do not work on certain CD players.

The 'Royals' hitmaker released several album versions to celebrate the release, including clear CD and vinyl copies.

The clear discs are made from recyclable materials.

"So, my virgin CD doesn’t work in my CD player or in my stereo system," one X user said.

Another user complained: "My clear/translucent CD of virgin won’t play in my car!!! Like won’t even go in the CD player …. Anyone else?"

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My clear/translucent cd of virgin won’t play in my car!!! Like won’t even go in the cd player …. Anyone else?? pic.twitter.com/QF48ilqBcJ
— rowan virgin🧍🏻 (@hoIdenmcneil) June 28, 2025

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Another X user revealed that the discs appear to work in some devices.

“While it tends to work in modern drives, it doesn’t play in some types of car & home CD players. Note, while v cool, the product doesn't claim to be a ‘Compact Disc’ (& no standards logo). Rather, it’s marketed as CD ='Clear Disc'."

Lorde's website has sold out of the clear CDs, and many fans say they won't be returning them despite the apparent malfunction.

“Very cool looking (and I'm not going to return it), but doesn't work in three of my players. PC was able to rip, but the files are not great (distortion and clipping). Only Foobar has been able to play the ripped files and even then only after a restart. Very weird," a Redditor said.

The support team at Universal Music Group has reportedly offered a return for dissatisfied customers.

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A post shared by Lorde (@lorde)

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Lorde, meanwhile, is still on cloud 9 following the release of 'Virgin', which dropped on June 27.

"She is three days old. Favs?" she asked her fans on Instagram.

The New Zealand singer also shared some interesting facts about the album:

First song started (and second to last finished) was David.
Last song started was Clearblue. Last song finished was Broken Glass.
Hardest song was FD, to write, to produce, to sing. Kicked my a**.
We cut a song last minute because I thought it diluted the vision! One of my absolute favs that I wrote with Fabi. Couple really good B sides knocking around actually.
I had dreams of sampling ‘Morning Love’ for like 8 years, it’s so sexy and murky to me and I loved the contrast w the really organic fragile guitar stuff. Happened to be in the exact same key, meant 2 be.
I had constant constant insomnia making this album. I wrote most of the FD lyrics, CA first verse, Clearblue, and David second verse right before dawn.
My favourite sound on the album is a tie btw the ripping tremolo + icy vocal adlib at the end of David and the start of Hammer. People always thought the linked start and end of PH was intentional; it wasn’t, but starting and ending Virgin at the fountain was <3.

Lorde has shared three singles from the album, 'What Was That', 'Man of the Year' and 'Hammer'.

The 28-year-old is gearing up for the start of her upcoming world tour, 'Ultrasound'.

It begins in America, and the first four shows take place in Austin, Chicago, Nashville, and Columbus.

Lorde will also visit Canada and several parts of Europe.

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