After decades of streaming and digital, music fans are going back to the old ways – National

Somewhere in a box in my crawlspace was a silver, first-generation iPod Nano, which was my gateway drug into the world of Apple. It's probably hidden away with the first-generation iPod Touch. I have two old-fashioned iPods sitting on a shelf in my home office. One is a red and white U2 special edition purchased in October 2024. Next to it is a white 4th generation unit that I somehow acquired about 10 years ago and was the first to have a touch-sensitive click wheel.

Elsewhere in the house, there are two DVD players that we no longer use, and a Blu-ray player that has been disconnected due to infrequent use. And back in the crawlspace is a circa-1995 Pioneer LaserDisc machine and the huge cache of 12-inch disks it used. I steered them away from pure nostalgia. I think it's a museum item that will never be used again. See you then…

Music fans, especially Gen Z, are becoming a bit disillusioned with new digital methods. We're tired of having to have apps and subscriptions for everything, and there's a movement afoot to go back to a simpler time. Not only have vinyl sales increased by double digits every year since 2008, but CD sales are also gradually stabilizing after years of decline. And these days, there's a growing interest in CDs, Blu-ray discs, and the old-fashioned iPod. what happened?

Psychologists point to the fact that nostalgia tends to spike during times of economic and political uncertainty, both of which are in abundant supply thanks to the Trump era, Ukraine, the lingering fallout from the coronavirus pandemic, and a dire economic outlook. We are looking for something that will remind us of the good old days.

vinyl

The resurgence of vinyl has been endlessly debated over the past decade. People want something that will be theirs forever: a tactile representation of the music they love. Comes with artwork, liner notes, and lyric sheet. They can brag to their friends how many meters/cubic feet of their home is devoted to an ancient and highly inconvenient form of music storage. Turntable? No need. According to one survey, 50% of record buyers do not own a record player. If you want to listen to music, you can stream it and keep your records intact forever.

1:54
Record Care Tips: A record store owner shares the best ways to keep your records in good condition.

cassette

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While there's no technical need to go back to the days of cassettes to listen to music—does anyone even have a functioning cassette player anymore?—they find a second life as souvenirs, collectibles, and trinkets. Luminate, the official counter for music-related merchandise for sale, doesn't publish weekly sales of cassettes in its stores, but while cassettes are included in the category label as “other” (only 3,300 “other” products have been sold in Canada so far this year), many more cassettes are being sold off the books by independent and DIY artists. Because production costs are low, young artists can earn a decent profit by selling their live shows. This is the audio equivalent of supporting a band by buying a t-shirt.

1:36
Artists use cassette tapes for musical experiments

iPod

Apple discontinued production of the last iPod on May 22, 2022, ending 21 years of production of the device. Considering the attention the iPhone received, it was surprising that the iPod lasted as long as it did. But now, Millennials and Gen Z are starting to use older iPods and finding used players online and in stores.

current trends

There's a certain romanticism to this, similar to what we saw on cassette mixtapes. Fire up your old iPod and you might find music from a bygone era when life was simpler. These are attempts to regain autonomy in the age of algorithms.

With the right cable, you can transfer music from your computer to your iPod without having to subscribe to a streaming music service. Millions of people post iPod tips and tricks on social media using hashtags like #iPod. Some independent Apple stores and gadget repair shops will also be happy to assist. However, they don't make iPods anymore, so be prepared to pay more than the old list price.

DVD and Blu-ray

Anecdotes from existing video rental stores suggest that the number of Gen Z customers is slowly increasing. Subscription fatigue among streamers is a big issue, and a return to physical media is helping to stem the decline in physical sales. There's no danger of Blockbuster coming back, but don't throw away your DVD or Blu-ray boxes just yet. If you don't use it, sell it. There are also buyers.

wired headphones

Lost your earbuds? Tired of having to charge them all the time? Is the battery worn out and can no longer be charged? Tired of the lag that comes with some features? Do you want to listen to lossless digital files? Do you subscribe to conspiracy theories about harmful radiation caused by Bluetooth connections? In that case, your best option is headphones with wires. And even though smartphone makers have ditched the headphone jack (we're looking at you, Apple), the desire to rewire is growing.

Have you noticed that many TikTokers are using wired headphones? They have become a new hip fashion aesthetic and an attempt to bring back some of the Y2K lifestyle. It may also be cheaper and more reliable. No need to charge.

What's next?

I hope there will be renewed interest in linear cable TV. Tired of constantly paying more for your subscriptions to multiple services (Netflix, Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Paramount+, etc.) every few months? And as more streamers consider adding commercials, they're considering whether they really need to subscribe to every streamer. After all, by adding commercials, you've basically reinvented network TV. It's no wonder that more and more people are watching free YouTube videos on their laptops, phones, tablets, and smart TVs.

As for everything else, remember that storing things for posterity or future use is not hoarding.

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