Dig out those wired earbuds from the back of your drawer because the iPod, once considered a relic of a simpler time, is making a full-blown comeback. Young people are snapping them up in growing numbers, drawn to the idea of a device that does exactly one thing and does it well. Apple officially discontinued the iPod in 2022, but it seems nobody told Gen Z, who are now leading the charge to bring it back. This unexpected revival is part of a much larger shift away from the all-in-one smartphone toward older, single-purpose technology.
The numbers behind the trend are hard to ignore. Google Trends data shows that interest in searches for the original iPod and the iPod Nano grew significantly over the past year. According to internal eBay platform data, searches for the iPod Classic rose by 25 percent and searches for the iPod Nano climbed 20 percent between January and October 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. On top of that, the refurbished device marketplace Back Market reported that iPod sales grew at an average rate of 15.6 percent per year over the last two years.
Even Tony Fadell, the former Apple engineer widely known as the “father of the iPod,” believes the device deserves a second life. “I think there are smarter ways to make AirPods that have an iPod in it. That’s why I think they should bring back the iPod,” Fadell said in a recent interview. His comments reflect a broader sentiment that the core appeal of the iPod never really went away. It simply got buried under layers of apps, notifications, and infinite scrolling.
Liam James Ward, CEO of the British creative studio Something Something, which has worked with artists including Billie Eilish, said he has been paying close attention to the iPod’s resurgence. “The iPod revival is something I’ve been watching closely, not just academically but practically,” Ward explained, noting that his studio has increasingly incorporated iPods and wired headphones into marketing materials. “That’s because we knew that aesthetic resonates strongly with our audience,” he added. Ward also spoke personally about his own habits, saying he uses a basic phone on weekends and purchased an iPod so he could keep listening to music while stepping away from everything else his smartphone demands.
@mahmoud.slm29 iPod is the best invention there is. #fyp #viral #ipod #retro #nostalgie ♬ original sound – Blxdez⚜️
Digital fatigue sits at the heart of the story. Katherine Esters, who grew up during the rise and fall of the original iPod, recently picked up a classic model for around $100 and uses it whenever she wants to disconnect. “Sometimes I just want to go out, take a walk and listen to music, but I don’t necessarily want to receive twenty notifications,” she said. Cal Newport, author of the book ‘Digital Minimalism’, put it plainly when he pointed out that with an iPod, the only thing you can do is listen to music. Daniel Burrus, a futurist and technology analyst quoted by QZ, agreed: “A dedicated music device is a simple and clear tool. There are no notifications, no endless feeds, and no vibrations constantly urging you to react.”
@nikki_kurz What color iPod did you have?! I’m ready to pop in the earphones and sew to my best playlists from 2010 #nostalgiacore #ipod #analog ♬ What Dreams Are Made Of – Hilary Duff
Theresa Bertrand, from the communications firm Zeno, described the iPod as offering something that has become genuinely rare. “The iPod turns music listening back into a conscious act, rather than background noise,” she said. She added that at a time when every screen is a portal to work, headlines, and distractions, younger people are carving out smaller and more intentional digital spaces. “The iPod represents a tool that serves you, rather than a platform that shapes you,” Bertrand concluded. Shaughnessy Barker, a Gen Z listener, captured the feeling simply: “When I play my music, with the sole purpose of listening to it, without ads, apps and distractions, I feel like my brain resets.”
@nowandnear my recent obsession 🎧ྀི #ipod ♬ home resonance but its midwest slowed – taiko!
The revival also carries a strong streak of nostalgia. Natalie Constantine, who received a used iPod Nano as a gift last Christmas, spoke to a broader emotional current: “Gen Z and young adults face a lot of uncertainty and it’s often hard to be optimistic about the future.” Ward drew a parallel to the resurgence of vinyl records, noting that “streaming has made all music available everywhere, and paradoxically, that abundance has made music less valuable.” For Gen Z, Burrus added, older technology frequently functions as a deliberate style statement, one that signals being “intentionally offline.”
@allantr0nics no one, right ?? better use a iPod Classic #ipod #ipodclassic #apple #2000s #spotify ♬ Tainted Love – Instrumental – Re-Recorded – Soft Cell
None of this means streaming is going anywhere. On-demand audio streaming in the US hit 1.4 trillion streams in 2025, up from 1.3 trillion the year before, and the two worlds can clearly coexist. Ward summed up the staying power of the movement well: “Whether expressed through iPods, vinyl, or something else, the need for focused and dedicated music listening won’t disappear.”
@meaghanranee My music taste in 2009 was top tier!! 🙌🏼😭 #millennial #dancing #ipod #funnyreels ♬ original sound – meaghanranee
The iPod was first introduced by Apple in October 2001, with Steve Jobs famously describing it as putting “1,000 songs in your pocket.” At its peak, the iPod line included models such as the Classic, Nano, Shuffle, and Touch, and it transformed both the music industry and Apple itself. The device played a key role in the company’s transformation from a computer manufacturer into a consumer electronics giant. The last model ever produced was the iPod Touch, discontinued in May 2022, bringing an official end to more than two decades of iPod history.
If you still have a dusty iPod sitting in a drawer somewhere, now might be the perfect time to charge it back up and share your thoughts on the great iPod comeback in the comments.
