Source: The Verge
After two decades of streaming dominance, physical media is becoming a deliberate consumption choice rather than a default format. Fans buy CDs because they perceive them as a more direct revenue stream to artists than streaming payouts. Younger listeners are willing to accept friction—shipping delays, storage requirements—to feel they're participating meaningfully in an artist's economics, not just moving the needle on a playlist algorithm. The resurgence is a rejection of the streaming model's opacity around compensation and a calculated use of outdated technology as a loyalty signal.