Cassette tape album sales grew 74% in 2016

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It's not just vinyl that's seen a revival in recent years – sales of cassette tapes were on the rise in 2016.

Unless you've been living under a rock these last few years you'll be all too aware of the vinyl revival that has taken place. Whether a desire for a physical product in the age of streaming, a love of the vinyl sound or simply a form of nostalgia, vinyl sales have become a slightly chunkier slice of the music pie in recent years.

Now it seems cassette tapes are the latest retro audio format to enjoy a resurgence. Nielson Music reports that cassette album sales in the US increased by 74 per cent year-on-year in 2016.

As with vinyl, some classic albums have also been re-released on cassette tape for this new audience, such as Eminem's The Slim Shady LP. Most releases come with digital download codes, allowing people without cassette decks to collect the tapes without worrying about the pesky business of trying to play them.

With a report last year suggesting nearly half of people buying vinyl don't actually play the records, it's easy to assume something similar may well be true with cassette tapes - though we have seen the release of some new budget portable tape (and CD) players.

Joe Cox
Joe Cox
Content Director

Joe is the Content Director for What Hi-Fi? and Future’s Product Testing, having previously been the Global Editor-in-Chief of What Hi-Fi?. He has worked on What Hi-Fi? across the print magazine and website for almost 20 years, writing news, reviews and features on everything from turntables to TVs, headphones to hi-fi separates. He has covered product launch events across the world, from Apple to Technics, Sony and Samsung; reported from CES, the Bristol Show, and Munich High End for many years; and written for sites such as the BBC, Stuff and The Guardian. In his spare time, he enjoys expanding his vinyl collection and cycling (not at the same time).