Why We’re Still Buying Books and Vinyl in 2025

 

...and why it’s actually smarter than ever

I read a few articles this week as I fell into a rabbit hole searching for release dates, and now I can’t stop thinking about why people, us included, are all so drawn back to physical stuff. Actual books. Vinyl. The tactile. Real things we can hold.

There’s real science behind this. First up, reading comprehension. Studies show that people absorb way more information from paper than from screens; like up to six or eight times better comprehension when reading prints over e-readers or screens. Almost all quality studies point the same way: your brain remembers more from paper.

Also, handing someone a physical book reduces stress. A classic study from the University of Sussex found reading just six minutes of anything you enjoy can lower stress by 68%. Better than music, better than tea or a stroll. Slows your heart rate, eases your muscles. Not woo woo either..  actual science.  

Then there’s vinyl. Here's a stat I couldn’t stop thinking about: half of people buying vinyl records don’t actually own a record player. They’re buying vinyl as collectibles or art, something to hold in their hands, display, treasure, post on socials, rather than just stream. 

That tells me it’s not nostalgia. It’s a shift. Under 30s are driving more of this than ever before. They’re picking vinyl not because they lived through the ‘80s.... because clearly they weren't born yet, they are buying it because they want these objects in their home spaces. They treat them like art or a collectors piece. 

So what does that mean for us at PR&B? It’s not just a trend. It’s a movement. People want permanence. They want shelves that tell a story, bookshelves full of weight and texture and cover art. They want vinyl they can touch. To flip it over. To feel something real.

And when they come into the store or email us later and say “I dug out my old records, got a turntable, and now I’m hooked again”, it’s the same story. They’re replacing things they lost. They’re building meaning, not stuff. Not endless scrolling. Not digital walls that vanish in a click.

And the best part ... well to me anyway... you haven't rented them.  You OWN it.  It's yours and not dependent on the internet, on that streaming service surviving. If you look after it you will always have it...  

So that’s all I had. Just needed to write it down. This echo chamber lately, handing customers a new arrival, unpacking a box, hearing six or seven stories a week that begin with “I almost threw this out", makes me feel like we’re living in the middle of something bigger. Something slower, something tactile, something honest.

In a world of endless files and fleeting content...
Books and records don’t vanish in the cloud.
They sit there. On your shelf. Waiting.

If you’re also chasing a bit of the tangible... you know where to find us.