By Alicia Tyler on July 9, 2026 Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Gen Z’s analog obsession isn’t really about nostalgia

By Alicia Tyler on July 9, 2026 Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

The analog economy is booming, but Gen Z isn't chasing nostalgia. Here's why younger consumers are paying more for analog experiences.

Vinyl records are spinning again. Film and digital point-and-shoot cameras are back in fashion. Paper planners, fountain pens, and watercolour kits are finding new homes with consumers who grew up with smartphones as an extension of their arm.

The trend has become so widespread that it’s earned its own name: the “analog economy.” And it’s not just hype. In Canada, sales of vinyl and other physical music formats climbed 34.5% between 2021 and 2023, reaching nearly $85 million, even as CD and digital download sales continued to decline.

While it’s easy to mistake the movement for nostalgia, that explanation falls apart when you consider who’s driving much of the demand. Gen Z never experienced the pre-digital world they’re supposedly nostalgic for.

The real reason analog endures

So what’s really at play with the analog economy? According to values expert David Allison, founder of the Valuegraphics Project, the answer has less to do with technology and more to do with human psychology.

“We only make any decisions about anything because it gives us more of what matters most to us,” Allison says. “And what matters most is what our values are.” That subtle distinction reframes the entire conversation.

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