At a moment when people have more time and a desire for new routines, it's perhaps not surprising that vinyl is making a major comeback. While the cult of vinyl has been rising for some time, people are using the pandemic to double down on their love of retro records.

Specialty outlets in Japan are seeing boosts in sales driven by an interest in cassettes. This boom is being driven by nostalgic Gen Zers, who appreciate both the mindful act of listening to a physical piece of music and the quality of ‘organic’ sounds, in contrast to digitally edited tracks.

Spotify, SoundCloud, Deezer, Apple Music, Tidal – all offer playlists that are curated to users’ individual preferences. But are we taking notice of the music we consume on a daily basis or are algorithms pushing us into echo chambers that dramatically alter our tastes to enjoy more of the same?

Bopdrop is an app that enables social music sharing through integration with Spotify and Apple Music, where users post one song per day. The platform appeals to Gen Zers who are seeking more human ways to find music, share music, and build their identities as music fans.