PHOENIX — Young music lovers are trading streaming playlists for spinning records, fueling an unexpected resurgence in vinyl sales that's breathing new life into decades-old music stores.
At Stinkweeds record shop on Central Ave. and Camelback Rd., 21-year-old Jose Antonio Espinoza represents a growing trend among Generation Z shoppers who are choosing physical media over digital convenience.
"On vinyl it feels more like an experience for sure," Espinoza said.
His journey to the locally popular record store started when he discovered music through an unlikely source for vinyl shopping.
"I've heard a song or two on TikTok," Espinoza said.
Despite being digital natives with unlimited streaming access through platforms like Apple Music and Spotify, Gen Z consumers born between 1997 and 2012 are driving the vinyl revival. According to an International Audio Tech Lifestyle study, vinyl sales have grown an average of 18% over the past five years, with 60% of Gen Z purchasing vinyl records and nearly two-thirds buying them within the past year.
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Zach Willekens, head buyer at Stinkweeds, says young customers have always been their primary demographic, but today's shoppers arrive seeking modern artists and often leave with retro finds.
"A lot of new stuff like the pop artists like Chappell Roan, Olivia Rodrigo, Taylor Swift of course, they're super into '80s throwback as well and '90s throwback, these kids are listening to Soundgarden and Nirvana," Willekens said.
"The kids teach us more about music than we teach the kids these days," he said.
While digital streaming offers endless catalogs for a monthly fee, young vinyl enthusiasts are drawn to the 12-inch album artwork, printed lyrics as the artist intended, and the opportunity to directly support musicians. The format also creates shared experiences across generations.
Kelly Otjen, a mother of two teenagers, appreciates how vinyl collecting bridges age gaps in her family.
"For me it's kind of cool to see my kids, they're shopping vinyl. They're in love with vinyl too. We add to our collection through their interest and we're turning them on to things we grew up with and some things that came before us," Otjen said.
In an increasingly digital world dominated by streaming and artificial intelligence, Gen Z's embrace of vinyl reflects their desire for authenticity. The physical act of dropping a needle on a record provides a tangible connection to music that digital downloads can't replicate.
Espinoza may have entered the store seeking a song he discovered on TikTok, but he left with Fleetwood Mac's "Rumours" – an album nearly half a century old.
"It's always really cool to see young people come together to find a passion in a third space, it's not home or school, here you can find a sense of community," Espinoza said.
The vinyl resurgence demonstrates how Gen Z continues to surprise, choosing analog experiences in their digital-first world and proving that some trends truly are timeless.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
