Streaming services are the primary way a lot of people consume their media of choice, whether that be music or TV shows or movies. Not everybody is on board, though, and some who are are getting tired of it. Regular price increases and limited streaming libraries have some consumers returning to physical media, preferring vinyl and CDs and DVDs and more, objects they can hold and own without fear of losing access, over streaming options.
Companies are more than happy to support this wave: Whatever you might be into, each month brings a slew of new releases that has something for everybody. Some stand out above the rest, naturally, so check out some of our favorite physical media releases of March below.
Killers Of The Flower Moon (4K and Blu-Ray)
Few disc announcements created as much excitement in the physical media community as the Killers Of The Flower Moon 4K did. For those that invested in an earlier Italian release, I don’t know what to tell you other than you might want to upgrade your copy. The release continues Criterion’s fruitful collaboration with Martin Scorsese, which now includes 10 releases. I speak for most film fans when I say that I hope these releases continue indefinitely.
The release is incredibly thoughtful, right down to the stunning alternate cover art from Osage artist Noah Kemohah who specializes in using bones and earth from his people, a beautiful book of photographs and essays, tons of special features including two new documentaries, and, of course, the gorgeous film, which will ultimately be remembered among Scorsese’s best. It’s even one of those extra thick releases that stands out on your physical media shelf. As it deserves.
Get it here.
Digital Underground — Sex Packets (35th Anniversary Vinyl Reissue)
When Shock G passed away in 2021, the knee-jerk reaction many had was to remember him for his work with Digital Underground, specifically the always-fun song “The Humpty Dance.” The tune comes from the group’s 1990 debut album Sex Packets, which is a hip-hop classic beyond its most memorable hit. The project just got a physical rerelease, in both CD and vinyl formats. On vinyl, it comes pressed on 180-gram light blue-black on clear splatter vinyl, and it comes with “A Tribute To The Early Days,” which was previously only available on cassette versions of the album.
Get it here.
Destroyer — Destroyer’s Rubies (Vinyl Reissue)
This past January, Uproxx’s Steven Hyden made a big list of 2006’s best indie albums, and Destroyer’s Rubies ended up ranked at No. 2. Critics loved it when it came out, too, and it remains one of the most storied projects in Destroyer’s discography. Now that it’s two decades old, Dan Bejar is celebrating with an anniversary edition. It comes pressed on some lovely clear vinyl with a red swirl, and on top of that, it includes the vinyl-exclusive, 23-minute bonus track “Loscil’s Rubies.”
Get it here.
Zootopia 2 (Limited Edition Collectible Steelbook, 4K and Blu-Ray)
If you have any young ones at home and are building a physical media collection with them in mind, the Zootopia franchise needs to be among your discs. This might be the most impactful new bit of IP from Disney in the last decade, and the latest adventures of Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde lived up to the hype with their Indiana Jones-esque second bow. Audiences have sure responded, to say the least, coming extremely close to 2 billion dollars in box office globally.
Disney steelbooks are known for both their collectibility and their cool add-ons, and this Zootopia 2 release is no different. Filmmakers Jared Bush and Byron Howard give viewers a behind-the-scenes look at Disney animation, there’s a cool feature about the voice cast (Welcome Ke Huy Quan!), a drawing lesson, and my favorite, a Shakira music video. Her gazelle performances are so core to Zootopia, they bring me a great amount of joy. Plus, the steelbook case will help your disc endure the hundreds of times you’ll be watching this with your family. Consider it an investment.
Get it here.
Dead Again (4K and Blu-Ray)
I love when we get to shine a light on a great film that is under the radar for most viewers, and 1991’s Dead Again absolutely fits in that bucket. Kino Lorber have, ahem, reincarnated the film for this new 4K edition, which looks great and could give the movie a new life. The film has great pedigree, directed by recent Oscar winner Kenneth Branagh (Belfast) and starring his then-wife Emma Thompson along with Andy Gracia and Robin Williams. The movie shows that he could handle Hitchcockian tension as well as he has proved with both Shakespeare and Agatha Christie over the years.
The release is taken from a scan of the original negative and features commentary from Branagh. One thing that really stuck out to me on this watch was how many great LA locations were used in filming, especially as the film take place in both the ’40s and the ’90s. So if you haven’t seen it, this is absolutely worth checking out as it looks better than it ever has before.
Get it here.
Ryuichi Sakamoto — Opus (Vinyl Reissue)
Between his work with Yellow Magic Orchestra and as a film composer, Sakamoto is one of Japan’s biggest music legends. A few months before his 2023 death, he gave one final performance, which was captured in the concert film Ryuichi Sakamoto: Opus. The album version of the project would go on to earn a Grammy nomination, and now it is the subject of a physical reissue. There’s the 2-CD digipak and the 4-LP vinyl edition, the latter of which comes pressed on heavyweight 45 RPM records. There’s also a collector’s booklet that has credits and insightful liner notes.
Get it here.
Band Of Horses — Everything All The Time (20th Anniversary Edition)
It’s widely known that “The Funeral” is a huge song, but in case you missed it, the track is currently approaching half a billion streams on Spotify. That number will surely get a lift this year as Band Of Horses’ Everything All The Time celebrates its 30th anniversary. (The album was the one that beat Destroyer for No. 1 on Hyden’s list, by the way.) The group has made it easier to observe the occasion with an anniversary reissue. It’s a great one, coming with an additional LP of bonus tracks, which includes unreleased songs and a demo version of “The Funeral,” among other goodies.
Get it here.
Deltron 3030 — Deltron 3030 (25th Anniversary Deluxe 4-LP Box Set)
Del The Funky Homosapien popped up on Saturday Night Live recently, do perform his iconic “Clint Eastwood” verses with Gorillaz. Fans know he was also in the group Deltron 3030, whose self-titled debut album was beloved upon its release in 2000. The gold-certified project is celebrating a quarter-century of the project with a huge 4-LP box set. Aside from the original album, it comes with the project’s instrumentals, too. On a related note, a few months ago, the trio also released a 14-minute video about the making of the album.
Get it here.
Johnny Blue Skies & The Dark Clouds — Mutiny After Midnight
Sturgill Simpson is going all in on his Johnny Blue Skies moniker: A press release for the recently announced album Mutiny After Midnight doesn’t even mention Simpson’s real name. He’s also going decidedly old-school with the release of the new project. While streaming tends to be the way many music fans consume music, this project is only available on vinyl, CD, and cassette (and it was on YouTube but for just a brief spell). And the bet quickly paid off, as the album debuted at No. 3 on the charts, showing both an entheusiasm for the project and the effectiveness of such a release strategy. Music you can touch just sounds better.
Get it here.
Bruno Mars — The Romantic (Vinyl)
There’s just no going wrong with Bruno Mars. He’s one of the most feel-good artists out there and he kept those vibes going on The Romantic, which features the No. 1 single “I Just Might.” Bruno’s classic-yet-modern sound is a natural fit for vinyl, and he has fans covered. In an edition exclusive to his webstore, the package even includes a velvet sleeve.
Get it here.