iPods Return as People Seek Relief From an Overwhelming World
A device many people once tossed into a drawer is finding its way back into pockets. Shoppers are picking up used iPods, from the click-wheel Classic to the Nano, to enjoy music without carrying the full weight of a smartphone everywhere. Interest in search trends and resale markets is rising, even though Apple discontinued the iPod line in 2022.
The appeal is simple. An iPod does one thing: it plays music. For many users, that focus is the whole point. Some see it as a way to counter digital overload. Slowing down and avoiding constant multitasking may help people regain their attention span.
Resale platforms are already seeing the shift. eBay searches for the iPod Classic rose 25%, while searches for the iPod Nano increased 20% between January and October 2025 compared with the same period in 2024, according to data shared with Axios. Google Trends also recorded a surge in interest for older iPod models over the past year.
For many buyers, the device helps create boundaries with their screens. One buyer told Axios they wanted to take a walk with music but without “20 notifications,” while another described pressing play, with no ads or apps, as a mental reset. The renewed interest reflects a broader cultural shift. Libby Rodney, chief strategy officer at The Harris Poll, describes it as a move toward more hands-on experiences instead of algorithm-driven convenience. With an iPod, users load their own songs and live with the choices they made.
Streaming still dominates listening habits, which makes the iPod’s return feel more cultural than commercial. Luminate reports global on-demand audio streams reached about 5.1 trillion in 2025, with roughly 1.4 trillion in the United States alone. At the same time, not all of the renewed interest is nostalgic. As schools tighten smartphone restrictions, some students are turning to older devices like iPods to listen to music during the day while staying within phone rules.
A small repair-and-modification market is also growing around the devices. Shops replace aging batteries and storage, while some sellers offer upgrades such as USB-C charging and expanded capacity. Customized models with up to 2TB of storage are now available, appealing to collectors and daily users alike.
The click wheel is not about to replace smartphones, but for people who want to separate music from the noise of the internet, the old MP3 player still does what it always did best: it puts listening first.
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