When you were younger, did you ever see those big red kiosks while grocery shopping with your family? On them you would see maybe two or three of your favorite movies on DVD/Blu-Ray on the outside, that would try to get you to convince your parents to buy one for you. Nowadays, when you walk to a local store, when was the last time you saw them? Where have they gone? Another scenario is when you’re walking in a local Walmart or Target, and you walk past an aisle full of DVDs all stacked, like it hasn’t been touched. It makes you question, what has happened to DVDs? Or wow, DVDs still exist? Yes they do, although physical media has declined in recent years.Â
This decline has been caused by the rise of streaming services. Streaming has become the primary way to watch TV and movies. With many services such as Amazon Prime, Disney+, Paramount+, and Netflix, you can just click the “Play” button. This hasn’t just happened with movies; it is also a major issue for video games and music. It was reported that between 2021 and 2024, spending on physical media was cut in half and remained more than 85% below its peak. This has also happened with CDs and vinyl. In 2023, it was reported that they accounted for only about 11% of U.S. revenue, while streaming apps like Spotify and Apple Music dominated at 84%. While it is very convenient to play music with just a tap on our screens, the rapid growth of digital media has led us to lose our connection to the physical world. Not only that, but it also expresses a heavy reliance on digital. What if you want to listen to music, and Apple or Spotify isn’t working? Personally, seeing the posters, the thought, and the time that went into creating the vinyl gives me a connection to the artist.Â
While there has been a decrease, a recent study has shown that Gen Z has become so fixated on DVDs and vinyl that it has increased its revenue. In a Los Angeles Times article by Cerys Davies, it was reported that due to Gen Z’s streaming fatigue, physical media such as vinyl records, CDs, and DVDs have declined by only about 9% over the past two years, compared to a 20% decline over the same period. Not only that, but Forbes also reported that vinyl sales have surpassed $1B. Compared to last year’s numbers, $954M, you can see there has been a massive increase in sales. Hearing these numbers is insane to think about; at the same time, it makes me happy to see that others in my generation still share my love of physical media.Â
Overall, it makes me very happy to see that physical media is still being cherished. Having a copy of a movie, song, or album that’s precious to you means something. If that was deleted or taken away digitally, there’s no other way to get it back; having it physically means it’ll always have a special place within your heart.