When was the last time you flicked through a real magazine? Or listened to an album from start to finish without skipping a single track? In a world where everything is instant - instant streaming, instant news, instant notifications - it’s no surprise that many of us are quietly craving something slower and more intentional.
That’s why we’re seeing the slow return of physical media and ‘old school’ formats: magazines, vinyl records, physical books and even CDs.
The Stats Don’t Lie: Physical Media Is Growing Again
For years, the story was that physical media was dying. Magazines, newspapers and physical records were declining. But the numbers in 2024–2025 are telling a very different story.
Music is leading the charge. Vinyl continues its long-running resurgence, with the UK seeing a 10% increase in LP sales, reaching some of the highest levels in decades. Vinyl isn’t just a collector’s novelty anymore, younger listeners are driving demand just as much as long-time fans. Even wired headphones are cool again. It’s a full-blown analogue revival.
Books are holding their ground, too. Despite the convenience of Kindle devices, physical books still outsell e-books in both the UK and globally. Many readers (including Gen Z) prefer print for immersion, focus and escapism. Far from fading, print’s appeal is proving enduring rather than nostalgic.
Magazines and newspapers are finding new life. A wave of niche, intentional, design-led titles is breathing energy back into the print world. The UK has seen a rise in specialty magazine launches, and print magazines still reach over 20 million UK adults every month. These publications aren’t trying to compete with the speed of digital - instead, they offer something digital can’t: slow, curated content designed by humans, not algorithms.
Across the board, physical media is quietly (but confidently) finding its place again.
So… Why Is This Happening?
It’s not just nostalgia that’s driving this trend of going more analogue.
1. We’re exhausted by endless digital everything
Between email, TikTok, WhatsApp, Instagram and BBC News, most of us are deep into digital overload. We consume everything on screens -work, news, entertainment, even rest. Physical media gives us something our devices can’t: the ability to focus on one thing without being pulled in seventeen different directions.
2. Ritual over convenience
There’s something grounding about sliding a vinyl out of its sleeve, choosing a magazine from the coffee table, or turning pages that aren’t backlit. Physical media allows us to romanticise consumption and turn it into a ritual. Rituals slow us down. And slowing down feels good.
3. Tangibility makes things feel meaningful
A record collection. A shelf of books. A stack of well-thumbed magazines. These things become physical markers of our tastes, memories, and identity in a way Spotify playlists never quite manage. This collectibility factor (especially among Gen Z) is driving the revival.
4. We want curation, not chaos
Online feeds are built to be chaotic, dramatic and scroll-stopping. Print magazines offer the opposite: carefully selected stories, thoughtful photography, and a reading experience designed by humans, not algorithms.
The Bigger Picture: A Shift Toward Slow, Intentional Living
If you zoom out, the return of physical media fits perfectly into a bigger cultural moment. People are craving fewer choices, less noise, more quietude and heightened real-life experiences. It’s the same reason digital detox breaks are growing. It’s why mindfulness apps appear on everyone’s phones. It’s why you probably dream about throwing your phone in a lockbox. Physical media gives us permission to consume slowly, instead of scrolling mindlessly.
How To Lean In to Physical Media
You don’t need a huge vinyl collection or a tower full of magazines to incorporate more physical media into your routine.
1. Listen to one album from beginning to end
No shuffling or skipping. Listen to artist’s intended journey. Lily Allen’s recent album drop is a great example of a story from start to finish. If you don’t have a vinyl or CD player, stream the songs but pop your phone in another room.
2. Pick up a magazine that genuinely interests you
Travel, design, wellbeing, nature - choose something that feels nourishing for you. Sit with your phone in another room and indulge in it. Something beautiful about newspapers, magazines and books is that there’s a natural end. No infinite scroll or an algorithm pulling you deeper.
3. Make physical media part of gifting
A vinyl of someone’s favourite artist or a print subscription is thoughtful and personal. It’s something they can keep that displays part of their personality in their home.
4. Buy a weekend newspaper
Make reading the news something enjoyable rather than stressful. Buy a weekend newspaper and browse stories at your leisure rather than when they decide to send a harrowing push notification.
In a world obsessed with instant access and infinite choice, physical media feels refreshingly… limited. In the best way possible. Dust off the record player, find your old CD collection, pick up a magazine. Let yourself sink into something slow, tangible and beautifully offline.
