Gen Z isn’t buying vinyl records because they’re obsessed with sound quality or chasing nostalgia. Many of them are buying records because, frankly, they can’t afford much else in lieu of decor.
As rent eats up paychecks and big milestones stay out of reach, vinyl has quietly become one of the few ways young adults can personalize their space without spending thousands of dollars. For a generation priced out of homeownership and long-term upgrades, a colorful record sleeve hanging on the wall gets the job done.
Vinyl as Affordable Art
About 40% of U.S. record buyers don’t have a way to play them, according to industry analysts. Instead, they’re using vinyl as decor: rotating albums by season, matching color palettes, and treating records like collectible prints that also happen to come with music.
Still, vinyl records aren’t cheap. The average new record now costs around $33, and limited-edition releases regularly climb to $70 or more. Compared to framed art, furniture, or renovations renters aren’t allowed to make, though, records look like a bargain.
Small Indulgences Are Taking Over
For previous generations, money in your 20s and early 30s went toward houses, weddings, and permanent furniture. For Gen Z, those milestones are often delayed or off the table entirely. That changes how people spend.
Instead of saving for things that feel unreachable, younger adults are leaning into smaller, tangible rewards — a latte, a concert ticket, or a vinyl record that makes their living space feel intentional. Some see it as reckless spending, while Gen Z views it as redirected spending.
The Industry Noticed … and Leaned in
If you’ve noticed a resurgence in vinyl in stores lately, that’s not by accident. Artists and labels have helped push vinyl from a music format to a collectible. Taylor Swift, in particular, turned albums into multi-piece art projects, releasing multiple variants of the same record with different colors, artwork, or bonus content.
Some Gen Z buyers are also getting strategic, shopping secondhand at local record stores, hunting for deals on resale platforms, and thrifting albums for under $10, making this hobby even more affordable.
Now if only they could find a secondhand record player.
More on Cheapism
- 11 Things You Should Never Buy, According to Gen Z —The spending power of Gen Z will continue to shift the global narrative, but we’re already seeing a distinct shift in what they’re buying and what they’re deciding to forego.
- 15 Gen Z Habits That Boomers Absolutely Hate — A generation gap has always existed, but it may be more obvious now than it’s ever been.
- 14 Reasons Bosses Are Quickly Firing Gen Z Hires — Why are bosses so unimpressed with the latest generation to join the workforce? As you might expect, it’s complicated.
