iPods are having a moment with Gen Z, millennials

Younger generations are going Y2K on a lot of things, be it low-rise jeans, shows like Suits and Girls, or wired earphones. But the iPods take center stage as the most back-in-style item.

Despite Apple officially discontinuing the iPod line in 2022, secondary markets like eBay and Facebook Marketplace are seeing a massive surge in demand for iPod Classics and Nanos. 

Internal data shows search interest for these retired MP3 players jumped as much as 25% throughout 2025.

Why?
Experts note that demand is largely driven by millennials and Gen Zs seeking a digital detox.

Cal Newport, author of Digital Minimalism, states that older technologies are often a “single-purpose” experience. Unlike smartphones, which bombard users with notifications and algorithmic suggestions, the iPod offers one service: playing music.

The Harris Poll executive Libby Rodney says young users are embracing “friction-maxxing,” which is the intentional choice of manual processes over algorithms.
Phone bans in high schools across the US are also driving a revival of retro gadgets, with students turning to iPods, CD players, Walkmans, and even cassette players as workarounds.