Physical Media Collectors Reject Streaming Algorithms for CDs, DVDs and Vinyl
A callout by The Guardian Community highlights a trend among readers who are turning back to physical media—such as CDs, DVDs, vinyl, and cassettes—to escape the confines of algorithm-based streaming. Ash, 52, from Cornwall, possesses over 5,000 records and CDs, expressing that streaming encourages more playlist creation than actual listening. CJ, 55, from Atlanta, resumed collecting physical media after HBO eliminated 200 episodes of Sesame Street in 2022, scouring flea markets for rare finds. Ruth, 67, from Michigan, has 5,300 CDs and opts for mail rentals due to unreliable internet. Antonio, 40, from Reading, purchases secondhand CDs to sidestep subscription fees. Quinn, 26, from Washington, collects cassettes to support musicians, while Tim, 61, in Stockholm, enjoys using a DVD player at his summer home. Sophie, 32, from Los Angeles, favors CDs and library DVDs for a less curated browsing experience.
Key facts
- Guardian Community readers described returning to CDs, DVDs, vinyl and cassettes to escape algorithmically curated streaming
- Ash, 52, a university lecturer from Cornwall, has collected more than 5,000 records and CDs from 1990 to 2009
- CJ, 55, a compliance manager from Atlanta, began buying physical media after HBO removed about 200 episodes of Sesame Street in 2022
- Ruth, 67, a retired professor from Michigan, owns 5,300 CDs stored in a walk-in closet and rents films by mail from a Seattle store
- Antonio, 40, a software engineer in Reading, buys one to 10 secondhand CDs twice a month from a charity shop
- Quinn, 26, a food delivery worker in Washington, began collecting cassette tapes last year to support bands whose shows he cannot attend
- Tim, 61, an academic in Stockholm, keeps a video projector from around 2010 and a DVD player at his summer house in the southern Swedish archipelago
- Sophie, 32, a librarian from Los Angeles, mostly listens to CDs and borrows DVDs from the library, saying she feels less controlled
Entities
Artists
- Ash
- CJ
- Ruth
- Antonio
- Quinn
- Tim
- Sophie
- Charday Penn
- Dylan Odedra
Institutions
- The Guardian
- Guardian Community
- HBO
- Sesame Street
- Spotify
- Disney
- iCloud
Locations
- Cornwall
- United Kingdom
- Atlanta
- United States
- Michigan
- Reading
- Washington
- Stockholm
- Sweden
- Swedish archipelago
- Los Angeles
- Seattle