Nearly 60 per cent of Gen Z were buying vinyl in 2025, even though almost 30 per cent of respondents didn’t own a turntable, according to Whathifi. The fact that nearly 60 per cent of Gen Z were buying vinyl in 2025, even though almost 30 per cent of respondents didn’t own a turntable, suggests a compelling shift in how a younger generation values music, moving beyond mere auditory consumption. The act of acquiring physical media, even without the immediate means of playback, highlights a deeper appreciation for ownership and curated collections.
Despite 42 percent of Americans fully embracing the shift to digital, according to Statista, physical media sales registered year-on-year growth in 2024, according to Whathifi. This marked the first such instance in over two decades. This growth continued into 2025, with a substantial slowdown in decline, driven by formats like vinyl and 4K Blu-ray, creating a bifurcated entertainment market.
The complete obsolescence of physical media appears less certain, suggesting a future where niche physical formats and their associated communities will continue to coexist and even thrive alongside digital streaming. The emerging trend of physical media's less certain obsolescence indicates a deliberate pursuit of tangible, high-quality, and curated experiences that digital platforms often fail to deliver, fundamentally altering the perceived value of entertainment ownership in a digital world for collectors.
The Unexpected Comeback of Tangible Formats
US vinyl sales hit $1 billion in 2025, according to Whathifi, a figure that contrasts with the overall decline in physical media sales. A significant proportion of these sales came from Gen Z customers, underscoring the format's renewed commercial viability. The $1 billion in US vinyl sales in 2025 confirms vinyl's appeal extends beyond a niche market.
4K Blu-ray sales saw a 12 per cent rise in 2025 compared with 2024 in the United States, as stated by Whathifi, a figure that contrasts with the overall decline in physical media sales. U.S. viewers spent 12 percent more buying titles on 4K UHD in 2025 than they did in 2024, according to Latimes, a figure that contrasts with the overall decline in physical media sales, according to Latimes. The 12 per cent rise in 4K Blu-ray sales in 2025 and the 12 percent more spent by U.S. viewers on 4K UHD titles in 2025 highlight a consumer preference for superior visual and audio quality that streaming often compresses or compromises.
