LOS ALAMITOS, Calif. — Music has shifted considerably over the years with the introduction of new technologies. In the 60s and 70s, vinyl record albums were popular until CD use increased in popularity in the 90s and early 2000s. 

Today, we have streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music that make listening to music easy and accessible to most people. While Apple Music requires a monthly subscription, Spotify gives free access to albums. 

Despite these modern advances, young people worldwide have been encapsulated by the vintage vibes of older forms of physical media. While other forms of music, like handheld radios, were tossed aside for newer technologies, vinyl records and CDs have remained constants in the music realm. 

According to the Recording Industry Association of America’s 2024 year-end revenue report, last year was the 18th consecutive year of revenue growth for vinyl records, with forty-four million records sold and thirty-three million CDs sold. 

With the steadiness of music accessibility that streaming services provide, it is surprising that there has been such a rise in vinyl and CD ownership. 

One reason behind the obsession with physical media may be people’s desire to own their own music without the subscriptions or ads, and be able to support their favorite artists directly rather than through Spotify or Apple Music.

Spotify pays artists $0.004 to $0.005 per stream, according to Ditto Music, an independent distribution company that helps smaller artists release their music on bigger streaming platforms. This is stark in contrast to the amount of revenue artists receive from physical album purchases.  

Physical media also connects people across generations. Since Gen Z’s grandparents and parents grew up utilizing these forms of physical media, teenagers inherit belongings from family members who want to share a piece of their music culture. 

“I first got into collecting records when my grandma was going through a collection of old Elvis Presley albums my grandpa (had) collected for years. She gave all of them to me, and after that, I started collecting records from all kinds of genres,” Ellie Sutherland, a senior at Los Alamitos High School, said. 

Vinyls and CDs not only have sentimental value, but some say that physical media produces a better sound than streaming platforms, as high-quality pressings and CDs played on good-quality gear create a more detailed and real sound.

“I like vinyls because they not only sound better when played, but I like to put them on my wall,” said Natalie Cheng, a senior at LAHS 

Students also appreciate the appearance of records or CDs since many of them have interesting designs and display cover art more authentically. 

Many vinyl and CD albums also come with posters, inserts with song lists or lyric sheets that make listening to music more interactive. Vinyls also come in a variety of colors that add to the uniqueness and rarity involved in owning these forms of media. 

All in all, the unique qualities and bonding opportunities surrounding physical media make it especially appealing to younger generations, allowing it to stand the test of time despite rapid technological advancement. The enduring presence of physical media throughout the technological age ultimately reflects a deeper human desire to preserve history and maintain a tangible connection to the past.