Cassettes, compact discs, and film are regaining popularity in Russia. According to the "Check Index" analytical center, technology that was recently considered to be completely displaced by smartphones and streaming is returning to shopping carts – and interest in it has been growing for several years now.

CD players saw the biggest increase. In the first eight months of 2026, their sales grew by 16% year-on-year and by as much as 51% compared to 2024. Cassette recorders were bought 10% more often, film cameras by 12%, and vinyl players also by about 10%.

Marketplaces also confirm the trend. On Wildberries, CD player sales in the first half of the year grew by approximately 1.5 times, and music cassette sales by 46%. At the same time, retro technology itself is gradually becoming more expensive: the median price of a cassette recorder reached 12.5 thousand rubles, and a vinyl player 26.7 thousand rubles.

The "Check Index" attributes this growth to a broader trend towards retro aesthetics, which is actively being embraced by zoomers, among others. Old formats are no longer bought solely out of nostalgia – for some of the audience, physical media, mechanical buttons, and film are becoming a distinct way to listen to music, take photos, and stand out.

A similar trend is happening abroad. Manufacturers are once again releasing boomboxes, film cameras, typewriters, and even landline phones, but they are adding Bluetooth, USB-C, cloud services, and other modern features to the familiar design. As a result, retro technology is returning not as a museum rarity, but as a new fashionable category.