In the late 2000s and early 2010s, the ownership of physical media, such as CDs, DVDs, and vinyls, was abandoned for the practicality of streaming services. The process of going out to rent a DVD for movie night was a hassle, and clicking a button on the screen to play the same movie was easier. Similarly, playing a song on a handheld device was easier than taking the time to put on a CD or a vinyl record. A lot of people donated their collections of physical media to places like Goodwill or Value Village, as they were not imagined to be needed anymore.
Streaming services have recently been taking movies and shows on and off platforms, making it impossible to keep track of where your favorite movies are, and removing the accessibility of being able to watch them easily online. If, on the off chance, the movie you want to watch is on a streaming service you have, it could be hidden by a paywall, where you either have to buy a whole new streaming service to watch it, or buy the movie or show itself. Nobody wants to be doing all that just to watch a movie. A lot of people have turned to illegal pirating sites to watch their favorite shows, but this isn’t an easy option because it is not only illegal but also often ends up giving your device viruses. As for music streaming services, all of them have ads. Nobody wants to listen to the same four ads between songs, which sometimes aren’t even what you want to listen to but are forced upon you by some evil CEO.
All of this has led people to go back to owning physical media. Physical media provides access to the same movies and music without the hassle of trying to track it down and fistfighting seventeen different ads. Also, physical media often supports the artist more; when you buy vinyls and cds there is always a chance you get nice bonuses such as posters and lyric books within the packaging of the product. Making a more personal connection with the artist and the music that you wouldn’t get from playing something online. As for shows, you are able to watch them whenever you want and often get bonus content from the director, as well as cut scenes and bloopers from filming, things you would not be able to get on a streaming service.
Physical media is also really easy to get if you have the patience to take the time to go and look for it. A lot of DVDs and CDs end up in thrift stores and can be bought for $2-7 dollars, making it super accessible and more affordable than most streaming services, which are typically anywhere from $8 to $25 monthly. And once owned, they can be played any time without ads, payment, or aggressive and needless searching.
The only downside of physical media is that it isn’t portable or usable without the proper player, which is an issue that can be easily solved. A lot of old DVD and CD players can be found in thrift stores, and more reliable ones can be bought inexpensively on Amazon. Compared to spotty streaming services, it is a better alternative for most people. All of these qualities have led to a significant rise in physical media, because for most people it is the better solution.
