Blast From The Past: Retro Tech Rules as Nostalgia Drives Music Trends

 

We fondly reminisce about the era when iconic devices like the Apple iPod and Sony Walkman dominated the scene. Now in 2024, they seem like relics from a bygone era. Yet, intriguingly, our research reveals that these vintage gadgets continue to garner significant monthly search interest.

We decided to analyse the sales data and current monthly searches and increases from 30 of the most popular music tech products from back in the day. The results reveal the world’s most popular music tech of today as well as which ones are experiencing the highest growth in demand. 

The iPod and Sony Walkman Overtake Amazon Echo 

The Apple iPod, king of the 2000s, is still the most searched-for music tech device of all time, with an average monthly search volume of over 1.6 million and a staggering 400 million sales. Despite being discontinued in 2022, the iPod's legacy lives on, proving its enduring popularity as a symbol of the digital music revolution.

Ranking third place is the iconic portable cassette player, The Sony Walkman, garnering an impressive 220 million global sales and still getting 250,000 monthly searches, despite ending production in 2010. 

Searches for ‘Record Players’ have increased by 76% compared to last year

Analysing product types, the study highlights a trend in vinyl resurgence with two turntables making the top 10. This includes the iconic Victrola Record Player which was at its height of popularity in the 1950s and the modern turntable Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Evo featuring in 8th place.  

Analysing the fastest-growing music tech devices based on search volume trends, the study reveals vinyl record players are the most expensive category with searches for the Victrola Record Player and the Crosley Turntable increasing by 150% respectively. 

Headphones on the Rise, Reflecting Mobile Listening Growth

Headphones are on the rise, with Beats by Dre and Campfire Audio Honeydew making the top 10. This reflects the growing trend of people listening to music on the go and the increasing demand for high-quality audio experiences.

Retro tech could earn you up to £4,500

Not only are retro music devices iconic, but they can also earn a significant amount of money if ever considering selling. From the top 10 most popular music tech, three of the retro devices could earn up to £4,500 with a first-generation Sony Walkman for sale at £2,200. 

The classic Apple iPod could also earn a hefty sum of up to £1,500 for the original model, and a Victrola Record Player could earn up to £800. 

Peter Fealey, Founder of A2D2 says: The resurgence of retro tech isn't just nostalgia, it's a sonic rebellion. Music fans are rediscovering the magic of analogue and the tactile joy of physical formats. While convenience reigns, there's an undeniable hunger for warmth, texture, and soul in our music experience”.

Revealed: The World’s Most Popular Music Tech

Rank

Device

Category

Height of Popularity

Search Data (monthly)

1

Apple iPod

Portable Media Player

2000s

1,642,340

2

Beats by Dre

Headphones

2016

898,650

3

Sony Walkman

Cassette Player

1990s

249,620

4

Amazon Echo

Speaker

2020

217,570

5

Winamp MP3 player

Portable Media Player

2000s

202,870

6

Victrola Record Player

Vinyl Record Player

1950s

103,090

7

Amazon Echo Dot

Speaker

Current

98,130

8

Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Evo

Vinyl Record Player

Current

20,450

9

Campfire Audio Honeydew

Headphones

Current

16,860

10

Tribit StormBox Micro speaker

Speaker

Current

15,690

 

The Fastest Growing Music Tech Devices 

Rank

Device

Category

Search Trends (Increases)

1

Victrola Record Player

Vinyl Record Player

82%

2

Crosley Turntable

Vinyl Record Player

68%

3

Apple HomePod mini speaker

Speaker

67%

4

Nest Audio smart speaker

Speaker

55%

5

Tribit StormBox Micro speaker

Speaker

45%

 

Methodology 

  • Keyword data was gathered using keywordtool.io 
  • 30 popular music tech products were analysed, looking at search volumes and increases as well as sales data
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