For many individuals, the comfort of possessing tangible copies of beloved films and music provides a sense of security, free from the unpredictability of streaming services and algorithm-driven recommendations. Others cherish the nostalgic experience of interacting with physical formats, such as vinyl records and cassette tapes.
We spoke with several people about their decision to revert to CDs, DVDs, vinyl, and other traditional media in an effort to escape the confines of algorithmic content curation. Here are their insights.
Ash, a 52-year-old university lecturer from Cornwall, initially welcomed streaming services but has since moderated his enthusiasm. He remarks, “Algorithms offer good suggestions, but it often feels like you’re only catching small fish, or lesser-known bands. Discovering new music through magazines and artist recommendations requires more effort, but it feels more rewarding.” Recently, he has shifted back to purchasing and enjoying physical media, amassing a collection of over 5,000 records and CDs from the late 1990s to 2009. “Streaming felt liberating for someone like me, who has a broad music collection and back issues. I stopped buying music and turned to streaming,” he explains. However, he notes, “I found myself spending more time creating playlists than actually listening to music, which made me lose the experience of enjoying an entire album and the physicality of music. I engage with records as a deliberate activity, while streaming often feels more passive, like background noise rather than an art form.”
CJ, a 55-year-old compliance manager from Atlanta, decided to return to physical media after noticing her favorite shows disappearing from streaming platforms. “In 2022, HBO removed around 200 episodes of Sesame Street, which made us realize that any media we wish to keep could vanish without warning,” she states. “As the saying goes, if you can’t hold it, you don’t own it, and we strongly believe in that principle.” CJ and her family scour flea markets and secondhand shops for elusive shows and films, alongside continuing to buy CDs. “When access to media can be abruptly cut off, it’s logical to reclaim ownership of what you can, ensuring it won’t be taken away.”
Ruth, a 67-year-old retired professor from Michigan, found herself disenchanted with Spotify and other streaming services for various reasons. “I wanted to own my music and support artists, so I now possess 5,300 CDs, which have their own dedicated closet,” she shares. “To me, owning my books, music, and photographs—without relying on iCloud—has always felt normal and increasingly wise.” She also rents physical films via mail from a Seattle store, explaining, “Living in a rural area with unreliable internet means that streaming is often interrupted, making it difficult to watch movies without disruptions.”
This past summer, Antonio, a 40-year-old software engineer from Reading, began purchasing secondhand CDs from a charity shop to reduce his reliance on music subscription services. “I’ve established a ritual where I buy between one and ten CDs twice a month, depending on availability,” he shares. “I wanted to eliminate the need for a subscription and the associated price increases, plus I no longer have to share my personal data with a company. Nowadays, we unknowingly give away so much of our information to large corporations, so I’m eager to minimize that wherever possible.”
Quinn, a 26-year-old food delivery worker from Washington, began collecting cassette tapes last year and quickly developed a passion for the medium. Due to his work schedule, he has limited time to attend concerts. “Purchasing tapes from bands allows me to engage with and support them, even if I can’t see them perform live,” he explains. “I appreciate the limitations of the format, the process of interacting with the tape and equipment, and the personal touch of sharing music by physically handing over a tape instead of sending a Spotify link. My transition to this format reflects my desire to actively seek out content rather than have it presented to me.”
Tim, a 61-year-old academic residing in Stockholm, noted that his children enjoy watching films on older formats. “In Sweden, many people own summer houses,” he explains. “Ours is located on the mainland, a 45-minute drive from Stockholm, and features a video projector from around 2010, a DVD player, and a collection of DVDs that my older kids watched when they were young.” He finds joy in the experience of setting up to watch a film, saying, “The biggest treat for my younger children is when we finally connect the cables, select a DVD, and endure five minutes of ‘coming soon on Disney’ before starting Shrek or whatever we choose.” Tim adds that many of the “aged DVDs” require cleaning due to years of sticky fingerprints. “I appreciate this transitional phase between digital and analog, and the slow process of setting up for a movie. Next, I plan to explore my partner’s childhood VHS collection.”
Sophie, a 32-year-old librarian from Los Angeles, occasionally streams music but primarily listens to CDs. She often watches DVDs from her collection or borrows them from the library. Sophie expresses her discontent with algorithms, which influenced her decision to favor CDs and DVDs. “I find algorithms to be limiting and prefer the ability to choose what I engage with instead of having content dictated to me,” she states. “The tactile experience of handling a physical copy of music or film is irreplaceable.”
