Gen Z is the first generation to have grown up with full access to the Internet from birth. For many teens and young adults today, entertainment is intrinsically tied to phones, computers, and iPads. Members of Gen Alpha are especially affected by the presence of technology to entertain themselves; the term “iPad baby” captures the essence of how many toddlers and young children amuse themselves. The 21st Century is essentially defined by its technological progress, where phones and laptops are essential items to carry every single day. The question that arises from the abundance of tech in the 2020s is whether or not its prevalence will last. Are the younger generations growing sick of doomscrolling and moving towards the physical world?
CDs and vinyls are coming back into style across younger audiences. It’s rare to see a musician release an album without releasing it on vinyl as a merch option; even pop artists like Sabrina Carpenter, whose audience is entirely young women and older teens. As a generation that takes music seriously, collectors of CDs and vinyls often describe an audio quality unique to physical music, one that cannot be found on Spotify or Apple Music. Even if this quality is not necessarily better than what a modern iPhone can deliver, it feels more authentic, grounding, and calming than having to look at a screen to access music. It allows the listener to feel more mindful when choosing what to listen to– especially since once a CD is selected, the whole album has to play before another album can be inserted. There is a permanence and commitment to music found in the physical discs that phones and computers cannot replicate.
As much as Gen Z audiences love Pinterest, who doesn’t, really? Another way physical media charms younger people is through printed and framed photos. Having a boyfriend for an iPhone wallpaper or a widget that shows pictures of a friend group are nice, of course, but there’s something about coming home to a bedroom surrounded by pictures of family and friends that makes a space so much more personal and cozy. From hand-selecting the perfect frame to having a high quality picture printed, the entire experience of physically handling photos is intimate in a very real way. It doesn’t necessarily have to be photos; a favorite art print, junk journal scraps, and even doodles can all be hung on a wall to make a space brighter. The personal touch prints give to a space offers a tactility that younger generations sometimes forget about.
Sometimes, things that are old are left behind to rot in the pursuit of hot, new commodities. Today, younger generations are searching for a reprieve from lengthy screen time and doomscrolling, opting instead to listen to their music on CDs and stick photo booth strips on their walls. The constant push for tech to be brought into every aspect of life is putting stress on the generations who have never known a world without it. Perhaps all Gen Z wants are quiet, peaceful moments to themselves, free from any obligation to post something for everyone to see. The intimacy of framed photos with loved ones and listening to a favorite album on vinyl far outweighs the satisfaction of having a cool Spotify Wrapped or a good Instagram layout. When the lights go out and no one is around to see, the truest form of satisfaction comes from knowing how to be yourself without making it a performance. Physical media provides this same satisfaction for the generations who only know how to perform.