The Importance of Physical Media

I am a collector of all things physical media. CDs, vinyl records, DVDs, SD cards, rolls of film—you name it. I love the thrill of stumbling upon a random thrift shop in the West Village and finding that one The Smashing Pumpkins record I’ve been wanting for the past few months. Nothing beats the adrenaline of getting my roll of film developed and keeping the negatives to examine how the light hit the specific subjects I captured. 

For many, these practices may seem complicated and unnecessary in an age where everything is at the tip of our fingers online, but I enjoy going out of my way when the result is so emotionally rewarding. I love the feeling of turning off all the lights in my room, except the string lights above my bed, and putting my orange pumpkin-shaped It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown vinyl soundtrack on my record player as I look out the window at the city skyline. I feel so connected to the music I’m listening to in these moments; it’s as if the whole world around me has paused and it’s just me and the music. In our digital age, it is more important than ever that people continue to collect and distribute physical media. 

This is most relevant in the music world. As we have witnessed the rise of streaming services such as Spotify and Apple Music, songs have turned into items one simply rents out with a monthly subscription—a departure from the custom of owning a tangible copy of the art. This also makes art feel more impersonal since one feels like they don’t have a close relationship with an artist because they are just one artist in the dozens that compose their playlist.

This change has had economic consequences as well. Spotify pays artists 0.003 to 0.004 cents per stream, which has forced many small artists to divert their focus from authentic creation and instead move towards securing brand deals and sponsorships in order to provide an adequate living for themselves. Nevertheless, the median income for a US musician is still under $25,000 a year and many musicians speak to the fact that, since 2010, they have made less money whether it be through gigs or other means of income.

By purchasing an album on vinyl, you can support an artist directly. Vinyl records are flat disks with grooves that produce sound when spun on a record player. Though vinyl records have become antiquated in this age of streaming, they still serve as a great way to appreciate music with their rich audio quality and warm analog sounds. 

Vinyl records also promote listening to albums in the order the artist intended rather than on shuffled playlists like streaming services push for. One downside of vinyl records is the costliness that comes with its premium nature, but in a way, the costliness of vinyl—both the records and the player—forces us to really absorb and understand one album before just moving on to the next so quickly. CDs do serve as good alternatives however, for those who wish to start collecting physical media and connect with music on a deeper and more personal level.

For many who collect physical media, nostalgia heightens the experience of consuming art. Although this does not strike a chord with younger audiences, physical media can help the new generations to connect with the old due to their shared hobby. 

Another facet of physical media is the realm of film photography. Originating in 1855, film photography is the process of using light exposure to capture pictures onto a roll of film that can then be developed into physical photographs. Although some view film as restrictive due to the limited number of photos per roll, film actually forces people to slow down and be intentional with what they capture. With smartphones, we take advantage of the ability to take 30 pictures of ourselves posing in front of the same building, but with film the photo-capturing process is more special. One of my favorite rituals with my film camera is walking down the West Side highway on the Hudson River on a sunny day, just absorbing everything around me and taking pictures of what intrigues me. Not only does film capture simply a place or a person, but it captures memories.  

Film can seem daunting due to its occasionally expensive prices and complex machinery, but in reality prices and models vary. It is easy to dip your toes into film, whether it be through getting a disposable camera from Walgreens or getting a $40 point-and-shoot—a film camera with more beginner friendly features—from Amazon. Photos taken with film cameras result in higher quality images and cool rolls of film at the end, as the average dedicated camera is of higher quality than the average smartphone.

As time goes on, older methods of ingesting art, whether it be film or music, are disappearing. Even DVDs and DVD players, which were once owned by 80% of Americans in 2007,  have become obsolete, and stores such as Best Buy have ceased to sell them starting this year. We need to fight to keep physical media alive. 

Online, any song, any show, anything that resides on the internet can be stripped from users the second streaming services decide they no longer want it to be accessible. By continuing to buy and sell these pieces of physical media, we are keeping in rotation art that can, in the future, serve as portals into the past. 

Physical media may also be the anecdote for the short attention spans plaguing our fast-paced society. Listening through a whole album on vinyl or waiting to get film developed forces one to take their time, pause, and be aware of the art they are consuming. It allows us to connect to art on such a deeper level than would ever be possible through a screen. 

I encourage you all to go to your nearest record store or Target and pick up your favorite album or your favorite movie. Who knows? Maybe your BluRay copy of The Bee Movie or your vinyl record of Certified Lover Boy will be used to examine the pop culture of today.