Your Old Wired Headphones Are Cool Again - And It Makes Sense Why

What's old is new again, seems like a statement that rings true every decade. From music to fashion, hairstyles, even older mediums like vinyl and tech like boomboxes have become popular again in recent years. There's another technology that is finding its way back into the trend cycle: wired headphones. The world has virtually gone wireless. Most phones nowadays don't even have a headphone jack anymore. But the new generation is starting to push back, appreciating the simpler, analog days. 

The trend, like so many others, is being influenced by celebrity culture, with everyone from Anthony Edwards to Steph Curry, Drake, Harry Styles, and Zendaya being photographed wearing corded buds. The fact that these celebrities can clearly afford expensive wireless buds but choose to go wired speaks volumes. And there are logical reasons for this "vintage" trend. It's easier and more convenient to use wired buds. You can more easily share personal audio. There's less worry about losing them, no need to charge, and you'll usually get better sound quality with a good pair. But at the heart of wired headphones becoming cool again is the desire to disconnect. This generation is embracing lots of retro tech as a way to be more present, more in the moment versus the fleeting nature of our always-on society. Wired headphones join other products, like keyboard phone cases and instant cameras like the Instax Mini Evo, as proof that high-tech isn't always the answer.

Wireless is more convenient than wired headphones in some instances, like when you want to tuck away your phone, you're wearing a heavy jacket in the winter and don't want cords to get caught, or you're working out with machines or free weights. But wired earbuds have tons of advantages, too. They are convenient to plug in, pop in your ears, and go without worrying about pairing or charging. You can drape them around your neck and they aren't as easily lost. They're also significantly cheaper.

Wired audio usually provides better sound than wireless, especially if you're listening from a set that supports 16-bit audio from a USB-C cable. If you want to share audio with someone, as New York Magazine's December 2025 cover story showcased with celebrities like Ben Stiller and Karl-Anthony Towns of the New York Knicks, it's a lot easier with wired buds. It has become such a big trend that there's even an Instagram account called Wireditgirls that highlights women, celebrities, and otherwise, caught sporting wired earbuds and celebrates the return of the low-tech fashion trend.

The choice to go with affordable wired earbuds is a statement as well. Shelby Hull, who founded the Wired It Girls Instagram account, tells CNN that it signifies someone who is "unbothered to keep up with the latest tech trends," and it's also about indifference to expensive tech devices. That's a positive message, especially for a new generation. This teaches them the value of simplicity versus begging their parents to buy them the most expensive wireless headphones or new AirPods.

Since the same top trendy brands, like Apple, make corded buds, too, it's a great way to still show that brand awareness and loyalty while not spending hundreds of dollars on wireless buds or headphones. With celebrities who are known to influence fashion trends on board, including musicians like Charlie XCX and numerous athletes like Caleb Williams, it makes sense that young fans want to follow suit. Their reasons go beyond fashion, too, noting that they don't have to worry about them falling out, disconnecting, or the battery dying, and they're also secure with no chance of hacking to hear private conversations. At the simplest level, it's also about nostalgia for a different, less complicated, less connected time. For a generation that is increasingly looking for ways to disconnect, digitally detox, and go analog for a while, wired earbuds fit right in.