Zoomers cancel Spotify and return to MP3 players

MP3 players, popular in the 2000s and once considered outdated, are trending again. Videos on TikTok and Instagram are garnering hundreds of thousands of views as users share their discoveries: some have revived 18-year-old iPods, others have revived Sony Walkmans, while some have purchased new 64GB players and are delighted with the ability to store 12,000 tracks without ads or algorithms.

American blogger Simonalisa recently noted in a post that she’s clearly not the only one unwilling to pay around $100 annually for a premium subscription, opting instead for an MP3 player. Her post received over 11,000 likes, with commenters sharing memories of burning CDs and exchanging playlists offline.

For some, MP3 players evoke nostalgia for the 2000s; for others, they represent savings and an escape from intrusive algorithms. «Propaganda I’ll never fall for: Spotify Premium,» declared one user. «I burn playlists onto CDs because I’m tired of Spotify’s algorithms,» noted another. Some received players as «inheritance» from siblings or parents, while others suggested Spotify should release its own «retro player.»

This trend coincides with the rising popularity of physical media. In 2023, vinyl sales in the UK reached a 33-year high; CDs and cassettes also gained momentum. Experts speak of «streaming fatigue»: music is increasingly presented as algorithmically curated background noise, while listeners seek a sense of control and «physical ownership» over their collections.