Are Cassette Tapes Really Making A Comeback?
Sales of cassette tapes have been increasing over the last few years, but does that really mean the era of the Walkman set to make a return? When you crunch…
WESTPORT, CT – FEBRUARY 08: (EDITORS NOTE: Image has been converted to black and white.) In this photo illustration, a cassette tape which could once be purchased at RadioShack is shown on February 8, 2015 in Westport, Connecticut. RadioShack, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last Thursday, represented an older era of home electronics and consumer items. Despite numerous attempts to keep with the times, the home electronics retailer couldn’t compete in an era of Amazon and Apple. RadioShack was started in 1921 to supply equipment for amateur or ham radio enthusiasts. At its height, the company grew to have thousands of stores throughout America, parts of Europe, and South America. (Photo Illustration by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
(Photo Illustration by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)Sales of cassette tapes have been increasing over the last few years, but does that really mean the era of the Walkman set to make a return?
When you crunch the numbers, you might be surprised.
Looking at figures from Forbes, cassette sales grew 74% in 2016 and another 35% in 2017. Last year, they were up an astounding 125%, says BPI.
Which may look like a trend, but hold on. Of the 50,000 units that moved last year, three artists made up 1/3 of those sales: The 1975, Kylie Minogue, and Prodigy.
Perhaps calling tapes a dead format is too harsh, but it seems like they'll remain a novelty or something for collectors to keep.
