Vinyl, CD and cassette resurgence among Gen Z

Whilst some collectors and audiophiles prefer Vinyl for the sound quality from that media, I believe the resurgence generally across physical media is the benefit of actually owning the music, without having to pay a streaming subscription. It also is the biggest way aside from attending concerts to put money into the hands of the artists themselves, with many bands and performers being short-changed by streaming services on their creative content. With many CDs and cassettes being available for next to nothing for older titles, especially second hand, and the cost of living making households cut back on subscriptions, this is not overly surprising.

Nostalgia for many will be one driver on the resurgence of the Record, the fact that a record cannot be played on the go, you have to set aside time to get the record prepped, a quick wipe and a check over for scratches, then the placing on the deck and lowering the arm, to be rewarded with the rich sound that can even include that soft crackle. It's a different experience from online downloading of music or scrolling Spotify or Apple. It allows you to be more immersed in the music experience, I feel that people are looking for that more now than ever as an escape from the day-to-day grind. There is nothing like looking through a stack of records and enjoying the artwork on sleeves, finding that album you have not played in a long time, Viva la Record revolution..

Vinyl sales have been increasing over the last five years. Although streaming is clearly the main source of music consumption, many who love a specific artist or genre want something tangible to feel a connection. Music lovers will always want products that are tactile with artwork and a story behind it, so I don’t see volumes declining anytime soon.