Why Are iPods Making a Comeback?
“I want my own music library not the entire world’s music library.”
emwhitenoise is a monthly essay exploring the future of music through the lens of fandom, technology and culture—from Emily White, a music product builder and Spotify and Billboard alum.
To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a subscriber. 5% of subscription revenue is donated quarterly to music related charities. This quarter’s donation went to Give a Beat, a California nonprofit offering DJ, music production, and educational programs in youth and adult correctional facilities. Our $250 donation = 3 months of music mentorship for a formerly incarcerated individual. Thank you subscribers!
Over three years since Apple discontinued the iPod, and almost a quarter-century after Steve Jobs first introduced it on stage, the iPod is quietly making a comeback:
Google searches for “iPod” have spiked over the last year, driven in part by students scrambling for alternatives to smartphone bans in classrooms.
Total sales of refurbished iPods have grown an average of 15.6% per year since 2022 according to BackMarket.
“Vintage” iPods sold out at Urban Outfitters for $349 each. Original iPod classics can sell for thousands on eBay.
Youtube is full of recent videos like “i stopped streaming music and got an ipod instead” and “Using this iPod for 30 Days Changed My Life,” alongside entire channels dedicated to modding and restoring old devices with new storage and bigger batteries (DankPods has 1.8M subscribers).
TikToks of young people obsessing over their iPods have millions of views:
Tiktok failed to load.
Enable 3rd party cookies or use another browser
Who Has an iPod, and Why?
To understand what was driving the renewed interest in iPods, I surveyed 70+ people currently using an MP3 player.
I was surprised that a large share of respondents (40%) started actively using their current device within the past year; another 26% started only 1-3 years ago:
26% of respondents now use their MP3 player instead of streaming services.
39% have modified, customized, repaired or refurbished their device.
And beyond Gen X and Millennial nostalgia, 32% of respondents were Gen Z.
The reasons respondents cited for using iPods were consistent:
Portable and distraction-free listening
Ownership and control
Intentional listening
Nostalgia and emotional connection
Frustration with streaming, algorithms, and phones
Looking for a modern iPod alternative? Sleevenote is a handheld square music player with full screen album art, artist-supplied additional sleeve art and a beautifully minimal user interface. Modern specs include Bluetooth, USB-C and of course a headphone jack. The Sleevenote team has prototyped a Day One Edition available to Pre-order now (UK/USA), which includes access to the exclusive prototype owners’ Discord. In partnership with Sleevenote.
More than Y2K Nostalgia
I keep my own old iPods (a silver Classic and purple Nano) as shelf trophies in my office. They are by far my most-commented-on items in any Zoom call. I assumed the resurgence in interest in iPods was mostly driven by nostalgia and aesthetics.
But the more iPod owners I spoke to, I learned it’s actually something more interesting: iPods are a practical solution to digital overwhelm. A reaction to the infinite, frictionless, algorithmic slot machines in our pockets.
Compared to our smartphones, the iPod is mercifully stupid:
No ads.
No wifi.
No notifications.
No algorithmic feed.
No feeling of picking up your phone to listen to music, but ending up five scrolls deep on TikTok wondering, “How did I get here?”
Freedom from the Phone
When I asked people what motivated them to start using an iPod again, the most common responses were practical: the battery lasts a long time, it’s small and lightweight, and you don’t need an internet connection to use it:
“I want to own more of the music I love but I also wanted a music player that wasn’t connected to the internet for long walks and unplugging”—Christina Casillo (burger diva), Brooklyn
“I like having a dedicated music device for long trips so I don’t always have to rely on my phone.”—Keith Walpole, NYC
It was also viewed as a form of “digital detox” by some listeners:
“It’s healing to use something that is not connected to the internet, isn’t plagued with software updates or subscription services. Something tangible and well designed that just does one thing, and does it well.”—Max, Europe
“I think there’s real value in segregation of devices, especially when our current smartphones are connected to the online casino that is social media”— Chris Dalla Riva, Hoboken. Chris wrote about his own experience restoring his old iPod recently:
“I want my own music library not the entire world’s music library.”
When the unlimited choice of streaming starts to feel like no choice, the simplicity of a finite library and a click wheel feels radical:
“I wanted to regain a sense of agency over the music I listened to, bring back some intent to an art form that’s near & dear to my heart.”—Jason Dorn (analog evenings), Alberta, Canada
“Complete control over song names, featured artist groupings, and genre naming. Knowing that I own the album if it gets removed from streaming.”—Eddie Caamano, Atlanta
Intentional Listening
At a moment when younger audiences are less likely to discover new music, but simultaneously craving community, taste and meaning, the iPod represents a shift back towards intentional listening:
“I got into the habit of saving one song from an artist and would never listen to anything else. But when you buy a CD, you listen to the whole thing, in order, the way the artist wanted it to be consumed. I love how it has changed my relationship with music!”—Stella Triebsch, Atlanta
“I wanted my daughter to have a more personal connection to music than just listening to what I listen to, and a more direct relationship that choosing from infinite options on Spotify.”—Tomas Leach, Spain
The Time Capsule
“I love the little guy. Its scratches and dents resemble my scratches and dents. We’ve been through a lot together and we’re still going.”—Bryan Veronneau, Maine
“It’s tiny and purple and reminds me of fun filled days from when I was younger. Basically it has character and makes me feel nostalgic.”—Charlotte Botterill, UK
“I use it as a time capsule. Songs that I always revisit, albums that remind me of that time, poorly labelled Limewire downloads. It’s like listening to a record, it comes with nostalgic value.”—Sarah Wilson, Melbourne
A Pendulum Swing
For many, the iPod is a reaction and rebellion to the frustrations of modern life:
“Everything is for rent through subscriptions, and nothing is ours anymore. It seems like a way to fall back in love with music again, which has always been a rebellion to the everyday monotony of life.”—Eddie Caamano, Atlanta
“The limitless choices of streaming aren’t exciting anymore.”—Anonymous, England
A device with no internet and a finite library might look like a step backward, but it provides something that infinite streaming and social feeds don’t: the ability to curate your own personal music world and focus on listening, uninterrupted.
Fans returning to iPods are telling us they want a more direct, personal and intentional connection to music. Or as one anonymous iPod owner put it: “I want my own music library not the entire world’s music library.”
Thanks for including me in the article! Super exciting to see people moving back to iPods. I thought I was the last person still using one!
I’m searching high and low for my own iPod Video that I received as a gift in 2005. It needs a battery but after doing a battery replacement on an iPhone and an iPad I feel like I can handle it. The kits are cheap.
But I am also looking forward to receiving my Sleevenote Day One. It’s technology worth supporting. Very glad to see the mention here!