One of the big stories of 2025–for those looking for something outside of the geopolitical arena–was the continued strength of physical media sales in the music industry. Sure, most people listen to music over a streaming service. Spotify is in little danger of folding. But in this golden age of Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, sales of records in the U.S. rose by 8.6% last year, hitting 47.9 million units. That means 2025 marked 19 year consecutive years of growth. And that’s not counting all the vinyl that changed hand in used record shops. We even got Tiny Vinyl, an all new record format designed to scratch the itch for exclusive single tracks.
Advantages of buying physical media for your music include indisputable ownership, fewer concerns about the music being AI-generated, the nostalgic kick of analog sound (at least in the case of records and cassettes), the tactile experience of handling your collection and collectibility.
It’s not just vinyl. CD sales weren’t as strong as expected last year, but they are still on the rise in some markets. Out of nowhere, cassette tape sales were on fire, with sales more than doubling in the first quarter of 2025 while going on to hit numbers not seen in 20 years.
This renewed interest in physical media has led to a boom in the hardware needed to actually play the various formats. Of course turntables and record players have been popular choices for years now. Read my regular Record Roundup feature and you’ll see a nonstop parade of new turntables being released by traditional audio brands like Technics and Sony along with relative newcomers making a name for themselves in the world of vinyl like Andover Audio and Canada’s Fluance.
However, I was caught a bit off guard to see the wide range of new products being released in 2025 to play old formats.
Revo rolled out the B77 MK III Stereo Tape Recorder, a reel-to-reel player/recorder that the company says is “manufactured to the highest quality standards as an audiophile masterpiece and visual work of art and stands for demonstrable sustainability like no other audio product.”
We Are Rewind unveiled its take on a classic 80s boombox, complete with cassette deck and VU meters. The GB-001 also offers Bluetooth wireless, pumps 104 watts out of its four drivers and has a rechargeable battery.
If you’ve got an itch to slap on an old-school Sony Walkman, but you’d rather have a minimalist, modern take on it, We Are Rewind is also selling portable cassette players in a range of bright colors (bring your own headphones). Don’t have anything to play on it? The company will also sell you a 10-pack of blank tapes!
Finally, in what might just take the cake as peak 2025, Mixx Audio released a turntable with a platter that conceals–wait for it–a hidden CD player. Not all modern technology is jettisoned though, because you can wirelessly connect this turntable/CD player to your Bluetooth speaker. Modern music fans, even those filled with nostalgia, don’t live on analog alone.