By: Jesus Mirabel

The “vintage” look is on the rise again. This time, with a special twist. The vintage aesthetic has always been one that is widely admired due to its unique properties. Some enjoy the sturdy electronics, others enjoy old artwork, older clothes, and, more recently on the rise, physical media. Cassettes, CDs, and records have begun selling at a higher rate than before and are filling the shelves and walls of students at the MRHS, but why is such an outdated system slowly gaining popularity compared to other modes of listening, such as Spotify? 

   Compact Disc (CD) players provide a more early 2000s feel, with many enjoying the small and portable functionality of a 12 cm disk that can store music and memories in general. 

   “I like my CD player because I can use it to listen to music, and I prefer being able to hold a memory in my hand rather than having it stored on my phone,” senior Raeya Murugesh shares. 

   As of now, the most popular version of physical media is records. 12-inch PVC discs have made a comeback after sitting dormant in the basements of so many minds until today. Within the last 10 years, records have begun to outsell even CDs and generated $1.4 billion in 2024, the highest annual income brought home by vinyl sales ever. The popularity of vinyl has risen so high over the years that major retail stores such as Target and Walmart have brought them back out onto shelves. 

   “I like the actual mechanics of how the grooves make the noise, and I think the imperfections of the sound quality, like the occasional sputters, give it a warmer feel when actually listening,” senior Stella Pantazonis adds. 

   On top of that, students enjoy being able to actually hold their own music in their hands. 

   “I think that records are special because you can actually see the album cover in a square format and display them on your wall,” junior Siya Macias brings to the table. Though, of course, some are still fans of the digital wave.  “I like listening to music on my phone because it feels really convenient to just hit a play button and have whatever I want coming from my phone,” sophomore Tonye Georgewill claims. As well, students also enjoy having a singular subscription rather than having to pay for each individual album of interest.

   “I don’t mind paying subscriptions because everything is at your fingertips; otherwise, I’d have to buy everything individually, and that seems like an eyesore in itself,” Aayush Dhorte shares.

   Regardless of what choice students make, music serves as a popular hobby for many students. Whether it’s students collecting new tracks in their digital library or adding more to their own collection of physical goodies, music embeds itself as a valuable resource for students as a tool to focus and a way to relax.