Resurgence of Physical Media: Is It Making a Comeback?

As a 90’s baby, it seems like I’ve seen a complete evaluation of technology and how media (i.e. music, books, shows, and movies) is consumed. When I was a kid, movies were watched on VHS and music on cassette tape. As I got older, those were ditched for CDs and DVDs. Finally, we’ve come to streaming, which is how we consume media now. And as for books, we’ve evolved from getting our content physically to on an iPad/ereader.

While scrolling through TikTok I came across people who have been ditching streaming to revert back to content consumption that I grew up with. For some, it’s ditching the Kindle to go back to physical copies of books so they actually own the copies. Some people have downloaded music from CDs to an iPod to simplify their devices. For others, it’s to cut back on their streaming services to save money — all too important during this crazy period of financial uncertainty.

For TikTok content creator Brittany Hotte, it was to just use less internet data. Hotte is a local Connecticut content creator, who discusses several different subjects — including searching for DVDs. Over the course of the last six months or so, she began scouring her local thrift stores looking for seasons of her comfort shows such as Friends and Gilmore Girls, as well as movies to stream in the efforts to reduce her Internet bill.

“I don’t subscribe to as many streaming services and I pay for the cheapest plans with ads,” Hotte said. “I honestly think it’s more freeing because I don’t have unlimited choices on what to watch. I don’t get decision fatigue as much!”

Hotte managed to not only thrift her DVDs, but also portable and regular DVD players as well. One of the things that had drawn me to her page was following along with her physical media journey. To score at the thrift store, she recommends going at least once per week.

“They are putting new stuff on the shelves everyday so there is always a chance you can find something great,” she said.

She also advises to thrift carefully when it comes to buying DVDs or any physical media. For example, she said she always checks DVDs for scratches before deciding whether or not to buy them.

“I don’t want to risk losing the money on a DVD that skips,” Hotte said.

However, there are many more reasons to revert back to physical media. Back when I was younger, music was consumed either by riding in the car or when I said down with my Walkman. Now, I can pop in an AirPod and listen to music whenever — at the gym, at work, or whenever I’m crocheting or writing. That consumption of media made it less about being background noise — whether it’s music, a television show, or a movie, and more about the actual experience of consuming it.

That being said, streaming and digital media comes with one major downfall that does not sit right with me even to this day. I’m talking about ownership. Earlier this year, Amazon announced that Kindle users would not be able to side load their books, meaning that they can only access their content on a Kindle device or a Kindle App versus anywhere else. For someone like me who has thousands of books on their Kindle device, this is something that I’ve really had to think about, as I realized that these books are not truly mine.

Of course, I believe that there is one huge reason why digital media has come to be so popular in the first place — convenience. I myself am one of those people who would rather have many books loaded onto my Kindle then pop into Barnes and Noble to get a paperback. I stream the albums that once spun around in my Walkman. I can stream thousands of shows and movies with a little tap of my finger.

I cannot deny that I am a contributor to this digital modern world that we live in. I am one thousand percent part of the problem, and I am not someone who thinks that they are holier than thou.

That being said, I can be a part of the solution. When my Kindle goes, I’ll look into getting a Nook again is one way to take back my power — or even utilize my local library. I can also consume media mindfully. And of course, I’ll take the time to savor some of my favorite albums with the static of vinyl in the background.