Gen Z Is Ditching Streaming For Physical Media - Here's Why

Streaming services that allow us to watch movies and TV shows and listen to music may seem like they dominate the media marketplace, however, Gen Z is leading the charge in pushing back against them. The way they're doing that is by focusing on physical media instead, such as DVDs/Blu-Rays, CDs, and even vinyl record players — and we have our list of the best record players for audiophiles.

There are multiple driving reasons for this switch to physical media, according to a Fortune report. Streaming services continually raise their prices, your favorite TV show may switch between one service and another without notice, and you have to pay extra to avoid watching advertisements. Gen Z seems to be done with this. According to Beresford Research, Gen Z is defined as anyone born between the years 1997 and 2012. Many are adolescents and young adults just beginning to make their own decisions on what they want to watch and where they want to spend their money.

Gen Z is the most likely generation to only use streaming services temporarily, such as just for one show while it has new episodes and then cancel afterwards. They also are less likely to stay loyal long-term to a single streaming platform. This constant churn is resulting in more rapid adoption of traditional physical media.

When it comes to watching movies or television shows, there are clear advantages to physical media. You don't have to worry about having an internet connection to sit down and play a disc in a DVD or Blu-ray player. If you're looking to purchase a Blu-ray player, we have our list of ones to avoid. Depending on TV quality and the specific streaming app, Blu-ray discs also have a better picture.

There's the issue of movies and TV shows traveling between streaming services. For example, you may have Disney Plus for one show in particular, only to find out it later has moved to Netflix. This forces Gen Z to have to keep up with the changing platforms for shows they enjoy. When you purchase a show on a VOD platform, there's also the problem that you don't technically own it, because it can be removed at any time. These aren't problems with physical copies.

Cost is another big factor, and pricey streaming services can hit Gen Z wallets hard. Here are a couple examples. When Disney+ started in 2019, its basic plan was $6.99 a month. Now prices start at $12.99 a month. Apple TV started in 2019 at $4.99 a month, and is now $12.99, as well. It's scary to think what the cost could be in another few years. 

Gen Z has not dropped streaming services entirely, and that's likely because they still have some positives over traditional physical media. There's certainly convenience. You don't have to go to a video store to find a movie and see what they have in stock, you can just browse a place like Prime Video and rent without leaving your home. That makes it a bit better for days when its heavily snowing outside, when your plans change last minute, or if you live in an area that doesn't have much by way of physical media stores.

There's also the upfront cost of switching to physical media. For streaming services, you just need your TV and the internet. For watching physical movies, you need a DVD/Blu-Ray player or something that plays discs. You also need to purchase them outright and build up your collection, which costs money and takes up space in your home. If you're looking to go from streaming music to vinyl records, those take up quite a bit more space with their larger size and the size of the record player.

For Gen Z consumers interested in physical media but not wanting to ditch the convenience of streaming, there are some free streaming services and apps worth checking out. While streaming probably won't ever go away entirely, Gen Z has found comfort, and perhaps less stress, by giving physical media a chance.