In recent years, vinyl, CDs and DVDs have made a comeback as Generation Z has embraced physical media.
The purchase of discs and records has been steadily declining for nearly two decades. That trend has changed, however, and BYU students have joined a growing number of young adults in discovering the importance of owning their media.
Myrna Layton, the performing arts librarian at the Harold B. Lee Library, reported that physical media checkouts have increased over the past three years. This trend was most notable with DVDs and vinyl records.
Layton explained that in 2025, 50% or more of all physical media was checked out by young adults compared with 30% or less between 2021 and 2023.
Layton said she felt students were realizing the costs of a digital age. As a result, they have been making the most of the library's hands-on, or tactile, experiences. From sewing, bookbinding and laser cutting in the Makerspace to perusing the large collections of physical media, students have found a renewed love for the physical world.
Sarah Bledsoe, the general manager of 3hive Record Lounge, said that the local record shop had also experienced an increase in young adult customers in the last few years.
“I felt like we had a pretty even mix of Gen X, Millennials and Gen Z in the shop. But lately I have seen a bigger surge in Gen Z,” Bledsoe said.
Bledsoe noted that while there was a rising interest in vinyl among the younger generation, and it was clear that they had taken a special interest in CDs.
“I feel like it really has taken off in the past five years; it's wild,” Bledsoe said.
Nathanael Strickler, a student at BYU with a passion for collecting DVDs and Blu-rays, began collecting after his sister gifted him four of the Avengers movies on Blu-ray.
Strickler acknowledged that people explore physical media for different reasons, but he felt they stayed for what it represents.
"Ownership is such a precious commodity that we don't think about very much," he said.
Strickler said that physical media brings permanence and stability to an increasingly hyperactive and transient society.
"I think there is a growing sentiment, especially among younger people, about rebelling against this idea that we can't own anything," Strickler said.
To Strickler, ownership is a “precious commodity” that many young adults never experience.
A similar sentiment was shared by Scott Osgood, another BYU student who collects physical media.
"It just feels cool to have ownership of the thing that you have," Osgood said.
Streaming services and digital libraries typically only allow the purchase of a license rather than permanent ownership.
Joshua Wittle, a film major with a passion for physical media, recounted the moment he realized buying movies digitally meant purchasing a license to access the movie, not permanent ownership.
"I felt okay and content because I was like, 'Oh, I have this digital library where the movies are purchased, so it's mine.' But it wasn't until about 18 months ago that I learned those are revocable licenses. Even though I've technically purchased the movie digitally, I don't own a digital copy. I just own a license to stream it," he said.
He continued by explaining that “services can discontinue (the movie) altogether ... and you can't do squat about it.”
Roger Layton, the library communications manager at the HBLL, said that people have begun to recognize the lack of control they have with digital media.
"I think, at least in the past, people just assumed that when they bought digital media, it would be there. But I think we're increasingly aware that things disappear,” he said.
Not only can movies and music be taken off of streaming platforms, but they can also be altered after publication.
“Digital media … can be changed at any time because the movie is just on a server,” Wittle said.
Darl Larsen, a BYU professor in the Department of Theatre and Arts, said that buying physical media is the only way to ensure permanent access to any digital work in its original form.
“Physical media allows you access to ‘original’ works — even controversial ones — that can’t be changed by modern studio meddling,” he said.
Beyond ownership, the experience surrounding physical media has also drawn the attention of young adults. Many collectors say that physical media offers a unique experience that streaming cannot.
From artwork and bonus features to scouring yard sales and thrift stores, students and experts alike have said that physical media is surrounded by a sense of adventure and discovery.
"For a lot of people, I think they just like the hunt," Bledsoe said.
To Strickler, the experience of collecting and sharing movies with his friends was a big reason he continues to stand by physical media.
"It's something I'm pretty proud of," he said.
Osgood shared that because physical media exists beyond a screen, collecting has helped him appreciate the media he consumes at a deeper level.
“It puts more value on it for me because I have it, I can touch it, I can feel it. It isn't a very big thing, but it also gets me to interact more with the physical world,” he said.
While Strickler appreciates streaming for its “discoverability” and convenience, he said he has come to love what physical media provides.
“You can have the convenience of streaming, with all its downsides of the impermanence, but you can also have something pretty instantaneously. With physical media, you get something more permanent and personal,” Strickler said.