Physical media is popular among Gen Z in one key way: DVDs. YPulse has debunked the claims that Gen Z is fueling a full vintage tech revival, but our data does show DVD / Blu-ray players are the top kind of vintage tech young people own, even if it’s a leftover from their parents’ basement. And now, both independent movie stores and Barnes & Noble are seeing an uptick in DVD sales—which appears to be Gen Z driven. DVD sales dropped more than 20% between just 2023 and 2024, but in 2025, that decrease slowed to only 9%. Meanwhile, sales of the cinephile-favorite Criterion Collection DVDs increased “significantly.” Even rentals are back in vogue, giving viewers more autonomy over their movie choices than streaming services, which constantly cycle through title ownership. For young viewers, endless choices on streaming have actually become fatiguing. Being more intentional in their media choices while also directly supporting creators or small businesses is, in contrast, feeling “rebellious.” (LA Times)
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