From “Buying CDs to Support Your Favorite Artist” to “Listening to Your Favorite Artist in the Morning, Afternoon, and Evening” The “CD-CLR4J” Rechargeable CD Clock Radio Goes on Sale Today, August 18

Even in the age of digital distribution, domestic CD sales exceed revenue from streaming subscription services, totaling an estimated 168.6 billion yen. We propose a new lifestyle that brings CDs back into people’s daily routines as something to “listen to.”

2026.08.18 10:00

合同会社AZworks、ソナタ株式会社

AZworks LLC (Location: Sagamihara City, Kanagawa Prefecture;Representative: Satoshi Nakagawa) today, August 18, 2026, released the “CD-CLR4J,” a rechargeable CD clock radio that not only stores purchased CDs but also offers a lifestyle where users can wake up to their favorite songs or voices in the morning, take it with them wherever they want to listen during the day, and fall asleep listening to their favorite voices at night.

The distributor is Sonata Co., Ltd. (Location: Koriyama City, Fukushima Prefecture; Representative Director: Yoichi Kanno), and the retailer is “EIGODEN Rakuten Ichiba Store.” The price is 19,800 yen (tax included), with an initial shipment of 1,000 units scheduled to be shipped on a first-come, first-served basis.

充電式CDクロックラジオ「CD-CLR4J」

Rechargeable CD Clock Radio “CD-CLR4J”

■People Still Buy CDs. How Has the Environment for Everyday Listening Changed?

While the focus of music listening has shifted toward smartphones and streaming, CDs are still purchased on a large scale in Japan. According to the Japan Record Association’s estimated domestic sales figures for 2025, CD sales totaled 168.619 billion yen.This figure exceeded the 137,736 million yen in sales from streaming and subscriptions. (*See “Source of Market Data”)

People still buy CDs today. However, their reasons for purchasing, playback environments, and daily listening habits are changing.

Today, CDs offer value not only in listening to music but also in “ownership”—such as supporting favorite artists, obtaining purchase bonuses, and collecting album covers and disc designs.

As the primary platform for listening to music shifts to smartphones,

・People don’t have CD players at home that are ready to use

• It’s a hassle to transfer audio files to a computer or smartphone

• People keep purchased CDs as part of their collection

Against this backdrop, some people find it difficult to create opportunities to listen to CDs on a daily basis.

Sonata Co., Ltd., which has been selling English language learning materials and CD products for many years, took note of this shift. Rather than letting CDs remain merely “something to buy and collect,” the company sought to create a product that people would actually listen to in their daily lives. Together with AZworks LLC, Sonata planned and developed the “CD-CLR4J.”

使いやすさと様々な用途に使える構成

User-Friendly Design and Versatile Functionality

■ From “Buying Your Favorite Artist” to “Listening to Your Favorite Artist”

The CD-CLR4J proposes “Listening to Your Favorite Artist,” a way to enjoy the CDs you’ve purchased and stored at various times throughout the day—morning, afternoon, and night.

You can set CDs, FM radio, USB flash drives, microSD cards, or built-in sounds as your alarm source.

If you set the alarm to coincide with the program’s broadcast time, the FM radio will automatically start playing at the set time.

With Bluetooth reception support, you can play music streaming services, radio apps, podcasts, and more through the unit’s stereo speakers.

Equipped with a 5000mAh rechargeable battery and a carrying handle, you can use it wherever you spend your time—whether it’s your bedroom, living room, or study. As long as it’s kept away from water, you can even take it outdoors.

You can set a sleep timer from 10 to 90 minutes; once the set time has elapsed, playback of CDs, FM radio, and other sources will automatically stop.

You can stream audio from CDs, FM radio, USB flash drives, and microSD cards to compatible Bluetooth earbuds or headphones.

The CD tray features a transparent window, allowing you to see the CD as it plays.

Instead of having to choose between CDs and streaming, you can enjoy the CDs you own, the radio, and music from your smartphone—all with a single device. The CD-CLR4J transforms CDs from “things you own” back into “things you listen to” as part of your daily life.

大切なCDを、音だけでなく目でも楽しめる透明窓を採用

Features a transparent window so you can enjoy your cherished CDs not just with your ears, but with your eyes as well

本体の左右側面に5Wステレオスピーカーを格納

5W stereo speakers are built into the left and right sides of the unit

ワイドFMもタイマー設定により自動でラジオがオン

The radio automatically turns on via a timer setting, including for Wide FM

■Over 20 rounds of prototyping and fine-tuning to ensure clear voice intelligibility

Planning for this product began in January 2026, and development took approximately five months. Starting with prototype verification, we conducted over 20 rounds of prototyping and fine-tuning regarding sound quality, usability, and feature configuration. We devoted particular attention to ensuring the clarity of vocals, radio talk, readings, and language learning audio.The device features 5W-rated full-range speaker units on both sides and is equipped with a passive radiator to enhance bass response. We fine-tuned the sound to achieve a balance between vocal clarity and rich, full-bodied sound. Additionally, to ensure ease of use across a wide range of age groups, the main control buttons on the unit are labeled in Japanese.

充電後は電源コードを外し、聴きたい場所へ持ち運べます

Once charged, simply unplug the power cord and take it wherever you want to listen.

■Comments from the Product Development and Sales Team

Yoichi Kanno, Representative Director, Sonata Co., Ltd.

While streaming has become more convenient, there are still many people today who cherish their CDs—whether as part of supporting their favorite artists or as educational materials. We want people to do more than just store those CDs on a shelf; we want them to listen to them more often as part of their daily lives—whether waking up in the morning or before going to sleep. Sharing this vision with AZworks LLC, we proceeded with the planning and development of this product.Rather than forcing users to choose between a CD and a smartphone, we aimed to create a product that allows users to easily enjoy CDs, radio, and smartphone audio all in one device.

■Product Overview

Product Name: Rechargeable CD Clock Radio

Model Number: CD-CLR4J

Release Date: August 18, 2026

Price: 19,800 yen (tax included)

Initial Stock Quantity: 1,000 units

Color: White

Main Supported Audio Sources: CD, FM/Wide FM, Bluetooth, USB flash drive,

　　　　　　　　 microSD card

Main Features: Bluetooth reception and transmission, 2 alarm channels, sleep timer,

　　　　　　　　 Remote Control

Battery Capacity: 5000mAh