Are the cassette tapes the new LP’s?

Records are super trendy these days. Some listen to it for the characteristic sound. The vast majority however, love to hold and own their beloved album. The more trendy they become, the higher their prices rise. Do you feel like you have missed the train? Well, let’s talk about cassettes.

Nostalgia

I won’t talk about the fact that the 80s and 90s are coming back, because it”s been known for about ten years now. Yes, retro is cool, so is everything from this time. Records got their glory back, retro video games and clothing too. Even toys. What’s next?

If you watch a movie from this era (f.i. Back to the Future) or movies that surf on the 80s wave (Guardians of the Galaxy), chances are high that you’ll see cassettes. Like, a lot of them. Even people who weren’t born back then are starting to feel a certain nostalgia.

Because cassettes are a really important part of the music history. They redefined the way humans consume music. For the first time, you were able to move while listening music, with the Walkman. You could take the bus or run around the block, listening to your favorite music. It was a game changer, even if it feels quite obvious now.

It’s becoming trendy

Since casettes are seen more often in movies these days, a certain hype has started. First, just the hipsters listened to casette tapes, who already influenced the vinyl revival quite a lot. But now, pop artists like Dua Lippa, Lady Gaga and Selena Gomez are also releasing their album on cassette. It adds credibility to the sparks of the trend. As a result, the cassette tapes sales doubled in 2020.

It just looks good

Why are people buying cassettes? For the item, just like the vinyl. People want to own the music, and a piece of history. It slows you down and makes you discover songs you haven’t heard before. Most of the time, you have to get through the entire album, just the way the artist intended it. On streaming platforms, you mostly only listen hits.

But, unlike vinyls, cassettes are bit more human in a way. The sound is not great and it’s aging faster. Some music lovers prefer tapes over the rest. They say it’s a more authentic listening experience because of the flaws of the casettes. Plus, when it’s broken, you can fix it yourself.

Finally, contrary to vinyls, cassettes are decorative. We are collecting cassettes at The Curious Picker, and it just looks wonderful. It’s smaller than an LP, and you can stack them more easily. It gives a great touch to a room or a living room.

No matter why you would like to do it, after this post, you may want to fill your shelf with old cassette, right?