My inner Y2K teenage self is freaking out! Wired headphones are chic again. I never needed a trend to tell me what to wear—or what to listen with—but it's satisfying to finally feel *validated.*
Nothing captures this revival better than Apple's classic EarPods. The white cords, the minimalist design—it's giving 2010s nostalgia. They're even as low as $17 on Amazon right now, and they perfectly embody the wired-headphone trend that's sneaking its way back into pop culture.
Keep in mind that this is the USB-C version. If you have an iPhone with Apple's proprietary lightning port, which includes the iPhone 14 line and older, you'll need to grab this model instead.
As the resident tech expert, the fall of wired headphones arguably occurred when Apple ditched the headphone jack, also known as the 3.5mm port, from the iPhone 7 in 2016. Bluetooth headphone sales exploded during this time, and conversely, wired headphones saw a sharp decline.
Well, times might be a changin'! If you've been paying attention to recent fashion weeks, you've probably noticed a familiar white cord reappearing among the street-style elite. With Emily Ratajkowski and other fashion tastemakers being spotted with wired headphones at 2025 New York Fashion Week and beyond, it's clear this retro tech is the new It-accessory.
Plus, it's highly likely people are beginning to see how wired headphones have an advantage over their wireless counterparts.
Look, I'm tired of my Bluetooth connection suddenly dropping without explanation (whether it's my AirPods Max or Sony WH-1000XM6). It's rare when it happens, but when it does, it sends me into a rage.
I'm over forgetting to recharge my headphones and finding out that it's sitting at 5%. And of course, I only have five minutes to spare before heading out the door.
I miss twirling my fingers around the cable that dangled from my ears and connected to my phone while waiting for the train.
TL;DR: No more pressing-and-holding a button to pair to your device, no more Bluetooth connection drops, no more charging—just plug in that bad boy and go about your day.
And as someone who had a pair of Apple EarPods, they sound decent: clean and crisp for the price. If you don't care for the white colorway, I recommend these brand-new Sony IER-EX15C wired headphones I've been testing for weeks. They're comfortable, come in fun colors, and offer balanced sound with clear mids—and just enough bass to keep music lively.
Sure, you won't get fancy extras like active noise cancellation—something the AirPods Pro 3, AirPods Max, and Sony WH-1000XM6 brag about—but honestly, that's a small trade-off when you're not dropping hundreds on headphones.