Cassettes are making a comeback

The cassette has been making a quiet comeback, mainly in the UK and US, for about seven years. Over 150,000 were sold in the UK in 2020, says the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). The spurt coincides perfectly with the release of the Marvel film Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), where a cassette of retro hits has a starring role. But global music icons such as Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift and Dua Lipa are now releasing music on cassettes too. Sales in the US grew 23% in 2018, according to research agency Nielsen, with 219,000 tapes sold, up from 178,000 in 2017. Gennaro Castaldo, director of communications at BPI, discusses the surprising trend.