Digital fatigue is showing up in our music consumption — and Gen Z is ditching streaming for vinyl crackle

The Crosley C65 turntable on a table top and the Gadhouse MIKO cassette player being held in two hands in front of a blue background — (Image credit: Tom's Guide)

The best way to listen to your music is actually 50 years old. There are more and more people investing in analog listening and embracing retro in their lives.

This is despite streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music, giving us all the music in the world right at our fingertips. I suppose sometimes having algorithms throw music at you doesn't feel entirely authentic. So, could nostalgia be the death of music streaming? Not even close.

The shift to analog listening

Crosley Tribute Radio in gray color photographed on a blue background — (Image credit: Tom's Guide)

I'm one of the people who have been collecting records and opting to use my turntable at home, and for me, this is a direct result of digital fatigue.

Digital fatigue occurs when a combination of screen time, digital communication, and information overload creates emotional and physical exhaustion, often exacerbated by the stress these factors cause. And in a global environment where most of our jobs rely on digital applications, this is tricky to deal with.

A study from Lokalise found that 56% of U.S. workers say tool fatigue, which is the fatigue specifically caused by applications and software, negatively affects their work every week, and this can ultimately have an impact on general wellbeing. And Gen Z, which I am a part of, logs the highest amount of screen usage per day.

So when I'm done with a long day at the computer, I like to fill my evening with less of the digital and more of the analog. That means I spend a lot of time reading physical books, and get to sort through my vinyl collection to pick out the album for the day. I feel like I have more control over what I'm doing with my time, and have more say in what I listen to.

Put your records on

Crosley C65 turntable and bookshelf speakers photographed in front of a blue background on a brown table. — (Image credit: Tom's Gudie)

After recently testing the Crosley C65, I started to think about when I bought my first turntable. I was so excited. It seemed like this magical thing that would transport me back in time — and it did.

I didn't even take it home; I went straight to my grandad's house to show him my purchase, and he pulled out all of his old vinyls, including the entire Beatles discography, and we listened to countless records while he talked to me about how everything worked.

He taught me how to care for the vinyls and what music sounded best. But more importantly, it showed me that taking care and time to switch the side of the record, or carefully select my next album, was a process. It's far more considered than just hitting play on your phone screen.

According to a Luminate report, in 2023, Gen Z were 27% more likely to purchase vinyl than other music consumers. I can relate to this as, stepping away from the screens, even if it's just to listen to music in a different format, and actively spending time in an analog space can lend some relief to life stressors.

Rewind that tape

Gadhouse MIKO retro style cassette player photographed in front of a blue background. — (Image credit: Tom's Guide)

The vinyl revival has been on our radar for some time, with people investing in new records and buying second-hand. But in recent years, cassette tapes have seen their own significant resurgence.

Whether it's to grab the latest collector's release from artists like Taylor Swift or The 1975, or picking up a cheap tape from the charity shop, we're seeing more and more people invest in the humble cassette.

I also recently tested the Gadhouse MIKO cassette player and had a whale of a time using it. It gave me the chance to dig out all of my dad's tapes, pass judgment on his music taste in the '80s, and get some serious listening done.

This was the perfect way to disconnect while listening to music, as the crackle of the tape lends itself to that white noise, which can be incredibly relaxing if you're trying to unwind (no pun intended).

So, I'm going to continue using the analog music revival as a way to unwind and decompress when screen time becomes too much. And although it won't count towards my listening time and Spotify Wrapped, I'll appreciate listening to old records and tapes from my family much more.

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Ashley is a staff writer on the the Reviews team at Tom’s Guide. She has a master’s degree in Magazine Journalism from Cardiff University and a BA in Journalism, Media and Sociology. She has written for titles including Women’s Health UK, writing health and wellness stories, and Virgin Radio UK, specializing in entertainment news and celebrity interviews. She has reported on a variety of topics including music, literature, motorsport, entertainment and health. She has previously reviewed live music events, books, and wellness products but discovering the top audio equipment on the market is what she does best. When she is not testing out the latest tech, you can find her either curled up with a cup of tea and a good novel or out hiking.