When music, movies, and books were transferred into the digital sphere, we were promised easier access to any type of media entertainment. For a small subscription fee, you could watch your favorite movies, listen to your favorite songs, and even read your favorite books in the e-book format.
But are streaming services still the best option? Some folks say “nah,” as they have gone back to CDs, DVDs, vinyl, and print books. An interview on the show Subway Takes about this topic sparked a conversation between people online. Some claim that they’re fed up with everything being a subscription nowadays, saying that they want to own the media that they’ve paid for.
Cinephile Steven T. Hanley defended the importance of physical media in an interview with Subway Takes
Image credits: subwaytakes
“I’m just exhausted with the streaming platforms,” he said. “Every time I want to watch a movie, I need to buy a new subscription”
Image credits: Polina Kuzovkova (not the actual image)
Image credits: subwaytakes
He shared his hot take on the popular online series Subway Takes
@subwaytakes 🇬🇧Episode 199: Long live physical media!! Feat Deeper Into Movies 🇬🇧Subwaytakes in London #TubeTakes 🇬🇧 Hosted by @KAREEM RAHMA Shot by @Anthony DiMieri @Ramy Edited by AnthonyDimieri #podcast #subway #hottakes #subwaytakes #interview #nyc #streaming #dvds #cds #physicalmedia #films #movies #london #british ♬ original sound – SubwayTakes
Streaming service fatigue drives people to turn to forgotten physical media formats
Just some 5+ years ago, buying vinyl, cassette tapes, Blu-ray DVDs, and CDs was an exclusive club. Only collectors, enthusiasts, and hipsters still believed in the magic of physical media. But in 2023, there seemed to be a resurgence of love for the forgotten mediums, especially the movies.
Oppenheimer was a record-breaker in that sense. In its first week, the 4K Ultra HD version sold out at major retailers. Limited edition copies cost more than $200 on eBay, and Universal even had to release a statement saying they were trying to restock it as soon as possible.
Interestingly, the director of Oppenheimer encouraged fans to buy physical copies of the movie, echoing Steven’s sentiment. “We put a lot of care and attention into the Blu-ray version,” he explained. “And trying to translate the photography and the sound, putting that into the digital realm with a version you can buy and own at home and put on a shelf so no evil streaming service can come steal it from you.”
Have you ever felt the disappointment of not finding your favorite show or movie on any streaming platform? Because others have. David Lynch fans in the UK complained in 2023 that Eraserhead was nowhere to be found on the streaming platforms (whether that’s still the case, we’ll have to wait for our Briton Pandas to comment). Two years ago, it was the same situation with Wild At Heart in the US.
In a surprising move, HBO’s science fiction hit show Westworld has been taken off of MAX. You can now find it on Tubi and The Roku Channel, but when the news first came out, fans were outraged and critics didn’t really understand the move.
Then there’s the subscription fatigue. There are so many different streaming platforms and so much content on them that folks are starting to feel streaming fatigue. In a 2024 Ipsos poll, 57% of Americans admitted that the number of streaming services was overwhelming. The price hikes don’t help either, as people wonder why they should pay more for something they’ll never own.
Image credits: Thibault Penin (not the actual image)
Still, there’s no dramatic “resurgence” in physical media sales
So, is this just a fad, and are people doing it purely “for the vibes” and nostalgia, or is physical media really making a comeback? Well, yes and no. Vinyl sales, for example, are steadily increasing, even if only by 6.2% in 2024. In 2022, they even overtook CD sales for the first time since 1987. And in 2023, the UK saw its highest level of vinyl sales since 1990.
4K and Blu-ray are becoming more popular as well, but the general trend in DVD sales is that there’s still a decline. Those who want the highest quality experience usually buy 4K and Blu-ray, so demand for premium physical formats is growing. Still, subscription services, in turn, are experiencing continued growth.
The other side of the great physical media debate is reflected in the comments under Hanley’s interview on Subway Takes. Some folks believe that streaming platforms are still better than buying a bunch of DVDs and CDs and having them lying around the house.
Buying so many items of physical media can also be expensive. No one has done the math yet comparing the economics of streaming and physical media, but owning every single movie and TV show you’d like to watch can be a pretty serious investment.
People in the comments also pointed out how physical media doesn’t have an infinite shelf life. According to Sony, a DVD can last anywhere from 30 to 100 years, depending on how it’s preserved and whether it’s used frequently.
Will we really see the return of the video store? Perhaps not, but for now, collectors and enthusiasts can rejoice that their hobbies are getting so much attention. While the claims of physical media’s return might be grossly exaggerated, some arguments for it do make you think that perhaps streaming isn’t as utopic as it was made to be.
Image credits: Mick Haupt (not the actual image)
People flocked to the comments, agreeing with Hanley: “You can’t own digital. Physical media forever”
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