Physical media has seen a rise in popularity in recent years with the help of Gen Z. Buying physical, tangible media represent a small revolution against modernization that sees different forms of media resorting to digital and streaming services. Cassette and VHS tapes, vinyl records, CDs, DVDs and Blu-ray discs: they all play a different role, as they allow younger audiences to experience the technology of years past while still consuming the same forms of media available online. However, the one thing that these forms of media have that differs from their digital counterparts is their quality.
Music on physical mediums won’t buffer while you listen, unlike streaming music from services like Spotify and Apple Music. Movies played through DVDs have better sound and picture quality than any streaming service has to offer. Also, buying physical media means that you have complete ownership of it. You don’t have to wait for a movie to come to a streaming service to watch it if you have it on Blu-ray; you can watch it whenever you please.
Buying physical media not only helps the consumer by giving them a high-quality and reliable product, but also helps the artist and creator of the media. According to TuneCore, streaming music on Spotify, for example, gives an artist about three-tenths of a cent per stream. That amount means a single song would have to be streamed hundreds of times for the artist to make a single dollar. Buying a CD or other form of physical music media results in a higher payout for the artist. The exact figure depends on whether they are an independent or signed artist, as well as the contract stipulations. So, while it does cost more for the physical copy of your favorite album compared to streaming it, more of the money will go directly to supporting that artist rather than the streaming site.
Recent data shows that physical media is on the rise as well. According to the Los Angeles Times article “DVDs are the new vinyl records: Why Gen Z is embracing physical media,” physical media sales declined just 9% in the past year. While the word “declined” paints the totals in a negative light, it is significantly better than the drops of over 20% in 2023 and 2024. Physical media isn’t the only thing on the rise either with movie tickets also seeing significant improvements. People are returning to the theaters in order to see new movies first rather than just waiting for the releases to appear on streaming sites.
While the days of Blockbuster and Redbox are far behind us, physical media is making a mounting comeback against the digital overlords. People are returning to the ownership and higher quality that it has to offer, acting as a simple form of rebellion against digital fatigue. The physical media bubble never truly popped; it was just lost for future audiences to discover and enjoy once again
