The world of digital media is ever expanding thanks to platforms like Apple Music, Spotify, and more; there really isn’t a need for physical media anymore. If that’s the case, why are people still buying things like DVDS, vinyl records, cassettes, and CDs? Perhaps it’s a culture thing. Vinyl record and cassette sales increased by 19.2% from the same period (the holidays) in 2018 from 2017; according to Vinyl Factory.

This generation finds nostalgia and interest in how old media works. Nostalgia is a big part of today’s culture with it being pushed in the movies and TV shows we watch on the regular. With shows like ‘Stranger Things’ and movies like ‘Mid 90’s’, it give us a window into what technology and media they used in the 80s and 90s. This is whats known as  “The Retro Fad Effect”.

To some, it may even sound better; which in all honesty is not an argument, it’s a fact. Audio is often compressed when being converted to MP3 for you to listen on a phone, tablet, or even radio. With vinyl records being a lossless format, nothing is lost when audio is being pressed into the record. It makes it sounds as good as the producer or band intended. Even if there is an occasional crackle or slight hiss from the record, that only imprints to your memory for the record.

With this trend, you often are able to find new music. Whether it be current or old, the hunt often is an experience of what they can find in the stores and what they’re still looking for. This isn’t possible when streaming on Apple Music. To some people, it’s just music. Everyone can have it, everyone can listen, everyone can share. There are some people, however, who like thoroughly experiencing the music.

The experience for them is opening the wrapper, taking it out of the sleeve, and actually touching the record. This is what most people pay for when they buy vinyl records. Record shops also aren’t just for shopping; they are for the people to connect and discuss the music. Along with discussions, vinyl fans tend to hangout to listen to albums together and share new and rare finds.

I wanted to see why teenagers have resorted back to collecting physical media, so I asked the student populous. When asking a group of 87 students, 14 percent admitted to collecting physical media. Some reasoning I heard was that they like the nostalgia of collecting even if it’s new; saying that it’s a cool aesthetic even. Some people like listening to vinyl opposed to streaming because it takes them even farther away from the digital world and they can listen and relax without having the weight of social media in the background of their phone. Students also suggested that purchasing records and other media from the artists is a better way to support if you thoroughly enjoy the artist  instead of just streaming. So, many reasons would suggest that the vinyl record trend is not dying anytime soon, and that’s just due to the unrelenting support of you, the fans.