Gen Z is driving the vinyl revival, but they’re not to actually listening to records. Futuresource Consulting’s Audio Tech Lifestyles report found that about 60% of Gen Z say they buy vinyl, which has fueled an 18% average annual growth in sales over the past five years. But here’s the twist: 40% of all record buyers in the U.S. don’t even own a turntable. Instead, 56% of Gen Z buyers say they’re drawn to vinyl for its aesthetic, with 37% using records as home decor. Experts call it “symbolic consumption”—albums as affordable art that signals fandom and personal taste. Artists like Taylor Swift have set a new standard with collectible variants as well, putting out multiple of the same record in different colors, and young collectors now rotate the displays of them on their walls by season. (CNN)
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