Physical media might be making a comeback in popularity, but that shouldn’t be the only reason to partake. There are a lot of benefits to having hard copies of things that you love, from music to TV shows and movies.
The Research
In the age of streaming, where things have gotten a bit out of hand regarding the companies providing those services, ownership of the entertainment we consume is unheard of. We, as a people, are being rented licensing agreements, that do not guarantee their permanence. It’s a fight between corporations and the consumers on who gets access to what. As long as you’re paying for a streaming service, it would seem that our corporate overlords have the last say.
In an article by Jill Duncan, it is stated that there are a number of reasons that people are shifting to physical media over digital. Some of the reasons are “the cost of streaming services, increasing acts of censorship, and concerns about long- term ownership of digital content”1. In Amazon’s case, users were frustrated knowing that there was no guarantee that the movies or shows they purchased, were actually theirs to keep. If the streaming service lost the licensing to one show, poof, that show is gone from the platform.
Not to mention, the distribution of shows and movies between various platforms. One streaming service might have seasons one through three of your favorite show, but the last two seasons are on a completely different platform. Oh no! Now to finish the show, you have to pay for another subscription.
This isn’t to say that physical media is overall easier. It can be difficult to find and acquire certain titles. Some streaming services have popular shows or movies that they have not released a physical copy of. Some musicians only release music to streaming platforms like Spotify or Apple Music. With games nowadays, buying a physical game is the equivalent to buying a physical licensing key (that pesky licensing thing again) without actually owning the game. Finding modern day media in their physical forms can be a struggle. Is that reason to avoid physical media all together though? Absolutely not.
My Personal Love of Physical Media
I grew up with VHS tapes, DVDs, and CDs. My Love for them is nothing new, but it did shut down a bit. There was a point in time where I was bamboozled by the “convenience” of streaming. Books,TV shows, music, movies… literally anything accessed by the internet. I saw minimalists and their clean, low-key, uncluttered spaces, looked over at my bookshelf stuffed with treasures, and tearfully decided minimalism was for me. Now if you’re crying about being a minimalist, then maybe don’t be??? I digress.
I donated a lot of my physical copies of things because a kindle and a smart TV could hold everything I had and more. It could hold everything, yes, but I no longer had the things that held memories for me. I tried really hard to not be attached to items, to value serenity and openness over maximalist values. That reminds me of the time I turned 11 or 12 and I got rid of all of my Barbies and the Barbie dream house I had. All because I thought I was too old to play with dolls. That was one of the biggest regrets in my life. Giving things away because I told myself I wasn’t allowed to have them anymore.
Now, as someone in their late 20s, I am fully embracing that lifestyle. Luckily, I had a friend a few years back who supported my need for tangible items and also had a decent collection of her own.
Binge watching people on Instagram go over their collections of physical media has been so refreshing. On a social media app that usually portrays nice and neatly put together people and spaces, seeing people with collections of things that bring them joy, made me so happy. Who else wanted a library in their house that looks like the one from Beauty and the Beast? I envy their collections of items, but it’s envy in the sense that I want to be their friend and share movies and CDs together (let’s bring back making mixtapes for our friends).
Final Thoughts
Physical media opens up the door for connection to others. Here’s to having movie nights with friends, complete with the super niche movie you picked up while thrifting. Not to mention, physical media overall is pretty easy to get at local thrift stores, or sites like Offerup or FB Marketplace. Just the other day, I saw Usher’s Confessions album at my local thrift store, which I obviously bought. It reminded me of an old friend singing Confessions pt 2 with me while we were working. I even thrifted a couple classics as well (Mean Girls is a classic, right?).
If spending money is off the table, look into supporting your local library and borrowing something. Absolutely need streaming? Check your local library. Love the idea of free? Check buy nothing groups in your area, ask a friend or a relative. But if you can, please please please, just get the hard copy.
It is also pretty sustainable to buy your physical items second hand! It diverts a lot of the waste that would be created from throwing away those old VHS tapes or DVDs, and putting it in your lovely and curated collection.
So go! Be free of streaming services where you can. I’m not telling you to dump your streaming providers, I’m not YOUR mom. I just want to open the floor to your thoughts on physical and digital media. Do you think there is a resurgence happening?