The Story of How I Got Hooked on 8cm Singles - The Amount of Excitement Music Brings from Tiny Discs

Lately, I am really into collecting 8cm singles.
Those who hear “8cm CD” and immediately know what it is might be in the minority today. When most people think of a CD, they imagine the standard 12cm disc, but as the name suggests, an 8cm CD is a compact disc that’s a size smaller, and it was primarily circulated in the 1990s.

Left: standard CD (12cm), Right: 8cm single

At that time, 8cm CDs were the standard for singles, and many hit songs that energized music programs and ranking charts were contained on these small discs.
However, the situation began to change in the 2000s. The shift to maxi singles (12cm size) progressed, and 8cm CDs gradually disappeared from the market. There were several reasons for this, mainly issues with player compatibility, limitations on recording time, and production cost concerns.
Even so, in recent years, amid the Showa and Heisei retro boom, 8cm singles have been gaining attention once again. Not only are they attracting old people looking for nostalgic relics of the past, but also younger music fans who are increasingly drawn to the warmth of physical media.

The Trigger for Collecting 8cm Singles

The reason I started collecting 8cm singles began with the fact that a certain artist’s song was not available on subscription streaming services.
No matter how much I searched, I couldn’t find it on any streaming platform, and it wasn’t included on any CD albums. Yet, I desperately wanted to listen to that song. While researching, I discovered that it had been released as a coupling track on an 8cm single, and I decided to purchase it to see how it would go—that was how it all started.
When I held it in my hands for the first time, it was smaller and cuter than I had imagined. The case had a unique vertical “tanzaku” shape, which is completely different from today’s CDs. The size, fitting in the palm of my hand, somehow felt like it symbolized the “joy of carrying music with you.”
From there, before I knew it, I gradually started expanding my collection.

Discovering Songs Not Available on Streaming or Albums

The greatest charm of collecting 8cm singles is, of course, encountering audio sources that can only be heard on one source.
Singles often contain coupling tracks or songs not included on albums. Moreover, at the time, it was common for artists to give singles special arrangements, so listening to the single version alongside the album version can often create a very different impression.
For example, Miho Komatsu, known for theme songs for Detective Conan. Although her songs have recently become available on streaming services, the official karaoke tracks have not been released digitally. These can only be heard by buying the single CDs.
Additionally, even for the same song, the single version may feature slightly different mixes or arrangements, or re-recorded vocals, allowing listeners to sense the era from subtle audio details. Listening with attention to the choices of arrangers and engineers at the time feels like opening a time capsule of sound.

Compact, Affordable, and Easy-to-Collect

Another charm of 8cm singles is their ease of collection.
In the second-hand market, depending on condition, many can be purchased for just a few dozen to a few hundred yen, making them beginner-friendly.
Furthermore, their small size means they don’t take up much storage space, and arranging them together on a shelf does not feel cramped.
The vertical oblong package design is particularly notable. Artist photos, bold typography, and the unique colors of the era allow you to feel the time period just by looking at them. It is also recommended to display a favorite single using a smartphone stand or photo frame.

Arranging them in your room creates a mini “Showa and Heisei museum” atmosphere.

Playback Requires a Little Extra Effort? That’s Part of the Charm

If there is a single drawback, it would be the playback environment.
Some modern CD players cannot play 8cm discs directly.
By using a ring-shaped accessory called an “adapter”, you can play 8cm CDs in a regular CD player without any issues.
Even if an adapter is not included, it is easy to obtain one through online stores or second-hand shops, so there’s little to worry about.
This little extra effort is part of the fun. “Enjoying the process of listening” is one of the true pleasures of 8cm CDs.
Unlike streaming, where you can listen with a single click, this makes it natural to develop a deeper attachment to each individual disc.

⇒ List of CD Players

Reliving the Joy of Searching for Music in the CD Era

Finding a favorite disc feels like a treasure hunt.
What does the jacket look like? What songs are included? You check by holding it in your hands.
This experience of searching might have been the real appeal of CD culture.
Collecting 8cm singles can lead to encounters with unexpected artists or songs.
Small discoveries like finding out an artist released a song you didn’t expect or finding an incredible arrangement of a song that wasn’t on the original song really rekindles your passion for music.

8cm CDs Capture “The Era” Itself

Not only the music, but 8cm singles also preserve the culture of the time through their packaging and printed materials.
The fashion and makeup in artist photos, logo designs, the texture of paper jackets—all of these serve as valuable records of the 1990s.
They can be seen as emblematic of the era when CDs as a medium shone the brightest.
Especially for fans of ’90s Japanese music, simply holding an 8cm single conveys the air of the time.
Even if you weren’t part of that generation, you can live that excitement of opening the jacket and the tension of pressing the play button—experiences people at the time enjoyed firsthand.

Summary — The Big Charm Packed in a Small Disc

I’m not from the 8cm CD generation, but I’ve been completely captivated by the sense of “music” that these tiny discs convey.
The physical presence that streaming can’t offer, the little effort required before playback, the thrill of opening the packaging…
All of these turn the act of listening to music into a special moment.
If you’re interested in ’90s Japanese music or analog-style media, I highly recommend picking up an 8cm single.
The one disc you happen to discover might enrich your musical journey in ways you never expected.

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