That's the conclusion the article came to, though without the potentially derogatory "hipster" label.

I buy cassettes and vinyl because it's a more complete sensory experience than just Spotify or MP3s. Listening to music then involves tactile feeling, not just audio. And the ritual of setting up to play a song adds something to the experience, too, even if it's more work than just hitting "shuffle" on your streaming service.

The vinyls are a billion dollar industry. Small compared to streaming, but definitely non-negligible.

https://www.riaa.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/RIAA-2024Yea...