Analogue Trend of 2026

We are talking about an interesting trend I did not see coming my way in 2026. Is this trend worth jumping on? Also Happy Derby week.

Here is a link to my other podcast-

https://open.spotify.com/show/6dTngjtXoqqBomtzGyzKFH?si=844243bde0a34891

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-simple-discussion/id1843198044

http://castro.fm/share/podcast/1e732887-adca-4052-afd4-4dbce3d1caf8

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:52

Hello, and welcome back to another episode of the Let's Talk podcast. I almost said my other podcast when starting this podcast, it's fine. It's been a hot minute since I have recorded an episode because the last episode I introduced for this podcast was me starting to work on the book report episode, which will be a really good episode, I will say. It's not gonna be as long as last month. April has been a pretty productive month, and I might have not had as much time as I thought to read. But summer is coming up. Maybe I will have some more time to read. Maybe May will be better. Who knows? I am hoping to finish my third book and get my thoughts on that book. So stay tuned. So far, all the books I have read for the month of April have been really good. And I hope those episodes have encouraged you to read. Yes, you have heard me correctly. I hope me putting out these once-a-month book reports are encouraging you guys to read because reading is a passion of mine, and I want to make sure I'm encouraging people to pursue the idea of reading. Another thing I want to mention as this episode is coming out, we will be two days out before the Kentucky Derby. Yes, once a year, Kentucky is known for one thing and one thing only: the Kentucky Derby. So when this episode comes out, it'll be two days from the Derby and one day before the Oaks. There's a difference between these both horse races. One is for female horses and the other is for male horses. That is all I'm gonna say, but the Kentuck the Kentucky Derby and Oaks are a big deal here in Kentucky once a year, the first weekend of May. I might go into detail about that in another episode this year or next year. I don't know. I don't have anything really planned to talk derby talk. So that is all I'm gonna say is we'll be X amount of days out from Derby and usually leading up to the Derby, the whole month of April is kind of a big celebration in Louisville and some parts of the state. There is usually a half marathon, a marathon thunder over Louisville happens. Hmm the weekend before the derby or two weekends before the derby. I know that's a big thing. People go and watch in Louisville, never seen it. I would hear about it from fellow friends of mine that I went to school with that lived lived in Louisville, and they would tell me about it. Which I was glad to hear their perspective because I've never been to it, and it was cool to hear about it. But before we dive into today, I can't talk into today's episode. Yes, I have tried a many of yummy things since the last time we talked last, and this time it's not all candy. Wow, that's surprising. Because I feel like I've been talking a lot about candy with it being after Easter and my love of Reese's. But some of the things I have tried that I would like to mention real fast before getting started was I tried a new rub style that they had at Wingstop just randomly. I heard about it through social media. A citrus flavored chicken, and it was really, really good. I forget what it was. It was something citrus. I am looking through my feed, don't mind me, on my social media because I posted about it. Funny story. The citrus moho rub from Wingstop. And I really liked it. I was afraid it was actually gonna be spicy, and it's one of their non-spicy flavors that is a limited, limited edition, and if you have a chance to try it, you should go and try it. Just gonna recommend that if you are a person that is looking for a flavor at the current moment when you go to Wing Stop. Highly recommend that. That I tried. Oh listen, sometimes things get you when you walk into Kroger. Yes, I did it again. It's like that, oops, I did it again. I wasn't as hungry, but I had been eyeing these and I am a good sucker for gold goldfish. Yes, you are hearing me correctly, goldfish. Because when you think of goldfish, you only think of just the regular cracker, like the cheese and cracker, kind of like they're kind of like a cheese it. But they halfway through my childhood came out with a graham cracker style goldfish that is really good, and so is their pretzel one, by the way. Love them, love them, love them. And I had been eyeing this one flavor for a while because for some for some reason, people have been getting on the butterbeer train. Hershey was the first this year to come out with butterbeer, Hershey Kisses. I did not get around to trying those. I heard a lot of people say they were really delicious. I'm sad I didn't try them, but I didn't get around to trying it. It was also a peat flavor this year. Also did not get around to trying that either. I was being nitpicky of what Easter candy I wanted to try for this year, and if it's around next year, I will be trying it because I only tried two new peat flavors a year, is what I'm deciding on right now because I don't want to overwhelm myself. But yes, butterbeer flavored things is the it thing this year, and so I had been eyeing these butterbeer goldfish crackers or graham crackers, and I had just gone to Kroger for I thought a 10 for 10 sale on a certain drink I wanted to stock up on. Missed the 10 for 10 sale on that, sadly, but that's okay, it's fine. Sometimes we should watch our dates on stuff and go at the appropriate time and not be a day or so late when getting it, which was the case for me, I will say that I was late to getting what I was originally going for. I still stocked up on that thing, but as I was walking, I was like, I need some new foodie food-ish items to try for this podcast. And so I grabbed I grabbed the butterbeer flavored graham crackers. I am glad I did because they were so good. I actually liked them. The goldfish brand did a phenomenal job trying to capture the feel of what butter beer tastes like in food form. I feel it's the hardest flavor to accomplish, and they did a good job. I would highly recommend getting it if your grocery store still has them. Highly, highly recommend. It's in a fancy bag compared to the regular bags goldfish are in. So yes, go get yourself some butter beer flavored goldfish. Something else I also tried that I grabbed, which was very interesting. I'm kind of was like, I was hesitant of grabbing this because I'm a very big sparkling ice drink person. You will learn this about me because I have said in previous episodes I don't drink soda anymore. I would rather prefer to drink sparkling drinks. And sparkling ice has teamed up with different candy brands in the past to make drinks. They did Starburst for about two years, and I didn't much care for those. I thought they were too sweet, but I didn't like them, they just were not my forte. And so I was like, I'm never gonna try another candy brand try to be putting drink form by sparkling ice after that experience. Well, lo and behold, I was walking around Kroger yesterday the other day, and I saw that they had done life lifesavers. The hard candy, you it's one of those that you don't automatically bite down on, and you just it keeps you keeps you busy for a little bit and can keep your mind at focus. And they had some interesting flavors. They had a green apple and cherry that stood out to me the most, and a strawberry. The strawberry didn't catch my interest because of after the experience with Starburst, I was like, no, I'm not gonna drink this, but the green apple I was interested in because I am a big bloom, sparkling drink person, and I was like, okay, I like the sparkling bloom flavor. How bad could the lifesaver green apple be? And I am here to say it is just as good. I would go buy more because I enjoyed that flavor really, really well. It wasn't too sweet, it was like the perfect amount, and I would recommend it to people because I'm like, if you like apple flavored things, this was it. It was really good. Highly, highly enjoyed it. Y'all will enjoy it too. Haven't tried the cherry one I bought yet. I'm curious to see how that one goes. I will give an update on that one in the next episode. I get around to recording. I don't know. It will be interesting to see how it tastes. But so far the lightsaber ones have been better than the Starburst ones. Some people like the Starburst ones over the regular flavors, but we'll have to wait and see. I was hoping they would turn the grape lifesaver into a flavor and they did not, that would have been good as well. For my opinion. But let's move into today's topic, which is an interesting topic, by the way. I how did I come across this topic? Because it's one of those topics I never thought I would be talking about on this podcast, but it just crossed my mind. I am looking through my podcast really fast to see how I heard about it. Because you know how you follow someone even though you don't listen to all their podcast episodes. Sorry I'm admitting it, but it's true. But there was an episode that came out by another co-worker of mine at another radio station in another state, but is a part of the same media company as me. I'm not gonna share that media company just for my privacy. And they put a podcast episode out about going analog in 2026. I'm like, why did they want to make an episode on this? Like, how big of a trend is this going analog? Because I really didn't know much about this analog trend. I knew there were people that were pretty big gung-ho on physical media from listening to other podcasts to some of the people I have gotten to work with during my time in college of internships. One person was a very big deal of having physical DVDs. He was very adamant about it. I didn't work with him closely, but I followed his podcast and learned through his podcast that he does it with another buddy of his. So I was like learning about how big of a deal that was back in the fall of 2023. Yeah. And then I worked with another person that you have heard repeatedly on my A Simple Discussion podcast that I bring on constantly because he is one of those that says yes to any opportunity, I ask him. And he's a big person on physical DVDs and vinyl, and is very much a fan of physical media to a degree, and he's even talked about this on his radio show, and we will be hearing from him in an upcoming episode. Maybe when this podcast hits 250. I can't give details. You will have to wait and see when that episode comes out. I can't wait to tell you about that episode, and he has actually asked to be on this podcast once I told him about this podcast. So, yes, I had talked to people about physical media, and I was like, how big of a trend is this analog. And I was doing some research of how did this trend come to be, especially for the year 2026, and uh in all the articles I have read before I recorded this episode, like I read through a couple of the articles I picked when I was making my outline for this episode the other day, was saying a lot of it has to do with AI, people trying to find their creativity while AI is technically taking over the world, it feels like at times, is the what I was getting from the articles I was reading because AI seems to be taken away from our creativity, we seem to like be so dependent on technology as we don't know a life before technology, and there's been a lot of studies coming out about this as well, and I even talked to people while I was still in college before 2026, it was between 2022 to 2024 range. I talked with somebody about this trend of why I chose to not go the TikTok route, even though I am pursuing the media world of I get I get a little fussed at why I choose not to go the TikTok route. Well, I'm here to say it. TikTok rots your brain. And some of these articles I was reading was talking about how people will spend hours on TikTok and just be in that doom scroll. And I'm gonna say it TikTok's not the only one, but a lot of these articles were putting TikTok as the main one. I'm gonna say Instagram is just as bad as TikTok because a lot of these social media sides are copying TikTok to a little bit of a degree, and nobody realizes that. And I talked about how did I hear about this? It it I've just been slowly hearing about getting back into physical media to somebody in my company making an episode on this. Okay, the next thing I wrote down is what is being considered analog. This is a hard thing to hit on because of it kind of fits into another trend that is kind of being interwoven with the analog, analog trend of 2026 that people are not talking about. And that it's being called the granny trend as well. That's kind of being interwoven with the analog trend, is most of these analog activities that All these articles I was reading that were pop culture based talked about was stuff that your grandparents did back in their day. Some of them being crocheting, knitting. Painting wasn't mentioned, but I would probably sit painting in that. Needlework. Like needlepoint is being considered a grandma trend. So in quilting, like any kind of arts and crafts that you can think of is being considered a grandma trend. And also, people are also moving away from physical media of listening, or not physical media, digital media of listening to music on your phones or computers and stuff to owning Walkman's cassette players to even a record player. And I have a story about record players, is I kind of got onto the record player train late 2024, early 2025, and it had to do with the fact of who you hang out with. And if the people you're hanging out with talk how cool record records are, more than likely you're gonna wanna have a record player. Yeah, that never happened. That didn't happen, and I just asked for it for Christmas. But it was who I was hanging out with, was like, maybe you should go get a record player. I had multiple times I almost went and bought a record player in 2025. That is how tempted I was to buy a record player because everybody was talking about how great record players were, and that's also being considered an analog trend for this 20 for the year 2026 that was mentioned in the articles I was reading. And a lot of people think I will not use it. I have used it a couple times already, and I've only gotten it out of its box less than a month ago. Less. Because I was waiting to get a dresser to put it on because it's trendy to put it on like some kind of cool surface, and I had seen a lot of people putting it on a dresser, and that's how the vibe I was going for when I was looking for a dresser, but a lot of people were like, Why do you want this for Christmas? I'm like, Well, that's what I want, and I think it'd be kind of one of those cool things to have. And people said, You're not gonna use it. Well, I have used it, it's really cool, and it has a cool sound to it, and I've enjoyed the sound, and it's a good quality sound. And I remember I went to a job interview, and what it was something that was brought up was how I got a record player. I'm not ashamed of asking for a record player, but should it have been brought up in a job interview? Probably not, but if you're gonna talk trends, that is one of the trends that is up and coming. And I am glad I'm on that train, and that's just for music. And since this analog trend is up and coming, we're seeing record shops popping back up, they were dying, actually. If you did not know, and then now there's more popping up because people are wanting record players and listening to these mus this music through a record player. What is something else that has led to people wanting to get off social media? Not every day is perfect for myself when getting off social media. Some days I do better of staying off while other days are not good. What is another trend people have been doing? Reading, and that is why I do a book report every month. Hate promoting myself that way, but it's true. Reading was another one mentioned that people are doing is they're turning to physical books and away from digital ways. I do both, I'm gonna be honest. I don't mind doing both, and I I think it's great. Both trends are amazing. What because since reading's coming another trend, it's also leading to bookstores not closing. Barnes and Noble is probably doing the best out of all the bookstores, plus indie bookstores, which I love. Now there has been some downsides with people going into the analog train from what I was reading, is people are posting about it a lot on social media, and a lot of these people who were publishing articles had some feelings like maybe we shouldn't be posting about all these analog trends on social media when you're trying to get away from social media for a time being. Do we need to be posting everything on the internet when I was reading these articles? Was making me scratch my head when I was reading these and it was being brought up. I was like, should this be brought up per se? I don't know. I'm the one still figuring social media out as it is. And social media is one of those hard topics you can never figure out because you're trying to please people, and it's hard to please people, and you're trying to keep up with trends. It's like, so what do we post and not post? Is the next great question. And it seems to be a way also for people to buy unnecessary things. I also read in one article, and that people are buying unnecessary bags when they could just use a bag they already have, is what I am I was also hearing in one of the articles was people were buying unnecessary things. And I have some some mixed feelings on that comment. Because sometimes if you're starting a certain thing, is you need certain products to start this trade. Because if you're gonna be doing knitting, you need the supplies for knitting. Maybe don't go overboard and buy a small amount, is what I'm gonna recommend. Or the same with crocheting or needlework, like don't go overboard. Like there's someone I watch on my reels on YouTube, and it's like she has this huge collection of needlework, and I'm like, is she gonna get through all of that? Was my curious question every time she's buying needleworking things? It's like maybe she should finish her projects before buying new ones. I understand you might be in a different city and want those. Like, maybe buy one or two, not like 10. It felt like she was buying a cajillion from what I was seeing on social media. I know I should not be judging people, but it's what we see. I know I shouldn't, but it makes you wonder if this person who wrote the article is right is don't go overboard with stuff, use what you have. And it's probably the same with books, but something I've been learning because I'm slowly also went into the book talk world because books are considered an analog trend of 2026. As I know people say, well, don't buy too many books. Well, you can buy a book in the moment and not feel it when you get around to it. I'm gonna be honest, for someone who's a book nerd as well. I have bought books, and when I get around to it, I'm like, I don't want to start it, I want to read something else, and it's good to have options. So people who are not book people do not come at the book people, as one thing is some sometimes we need um our moments of choices, but I also want to go into the definition of what I learned through a website that I read of a definition that Google spat out for me of what the analog trend is. The analog trend is defined as a movement towards embracing physical and tactile experiences over digital ones. Over digital, it's not anti-technology, that's still the foundation it's built upon, but there's more intention behind the use of technology and the way we move through the digital landscape. I would say that is the best way to describe this trend because we're in a world where we're surrounded with technology and we're trying to find ourselves, and finding ourselves is sometimes the hardest thing to do when you're surrounded by technology and trying to fit in in the world, and hopefully, with people stepping back from technology, maybe we'll find our inner selves again, is hopefully what this trend is gonna do. Another thing, what I wrote something else down other than these websites, I thought I did. No, I didn't. Is I hope with this analog trend that is going on that people will turn back to local radio and not use Spotify or Apple Music as much, and that you will be supporting your local radio stations. I'm just putting that out there because that is something I would like to see people do because then we can save local radio as a whole, because local radio is trying to survive these big music companies that are taking away from them. And more than likely, your local radio station has an app you can download and turn on the radio radio, and then you can turn off your screen screen and just listen while you work on a project. Because we would really, really like your support. Because I think radio can be considered another analog trend because radio has been around longer than our phones, and they need to be supported. So please, please support your local radio. We will love your support. We really would. So support your local radio on top of supporting local indie bookstores, craft stores, you name it, because honestly, I'm a big supporter of this analog trend, by the way. I never thought I would be saying this. I'm a big supporter of it. If it's a way for me to pull off a technology for a couple hours a day and not have my eyes glued to a screen, yes, I am guilty of having my eyes glued to the screen for way, way too long some days with doing a lot of editing work with running two different podcasts. I think I spend a ton of time editing when really I don't. I'm being honest with y'all. You want honesty, I'm being honest, and so if it's a way for me to pull off the screen and read to some capacity, that's what I'll do. I've also seen a rise in mahjong, and that could probably be considered an analog trend as well, because you're socializing with people while learning to play a game that came out of one of the one of the parts of Asia I can't remember off the top of my head that's being called or considered analog as well. I've heard it's a hard game, but I'm wanting to learn how to play it as well. And then just just playing board games and socializing off of social media media can be considered analog. A lot of places I also read in the articles are slowly becoming technology free from what I've been hearing as well, which I thought was cool to hear about. So it does not hurt to unplug for a little bit of your day every day, and you don't have to be posting everything you do, and that this can be a good trend to do on a budget. You just have to watch how much you want to spend on it. If you're wanting to go into reading, there are cheap bookstores you can go to. Barnes and Noble has sales on books. You just have to watch how much you're willing to spend, maybe get X amount of supplies, and it lasts you for a while before you go buy more, is what I'm gonna recommend to you guys as you're looking into this trend for 2026. And 2026 is not over, and if you're struggling with how can I handle this trend, just use what you got first before you buy anymore, is what I've read in these articles that I've learned. And that maybe just going out and socializing with friends at a coffee shop or a restaurant, seeing what's happening in your local town, if they're having a mahjong night, go to that and learn a little bit. Go play games with your family. These are just some of the recommendations I have on the analog trend. I am still learning as much as you guys are, and adult coloring books is another good one. So if you're a big supporter of this, I support you. I'm not gonna go completely analog, but I enjoy going analog just a little bit every day. I hope you have enjoyed today's episode. I'll see you next time. Bye.