Cassettes roll back into fashion: Format follows vinyl with huge boost in sales after acts start releasing albums on tape

First LPs and record players made a comeback – now the cassette tape is rewinding back into our lives.

Music fans on both sides of the Atlantic are returning to the cassette two decades after they were replaced by the CD, and more recently digital downloads.

This nostalgia for the old format comes despite the frustrations that led to their decline, including their tendency to become scrambled and jammed in players.

Sales of music tapes are rising so quickly in the US that the Recording Industry Association of America, the trade body for music labels which also certifies gold and platinum records, is investigating ways to track sales for the first time since the early 1990s.

It is thought the revival was started by underground music acts.

But now, more mainstream musicians have started producing albums on cassette again.

British singer Marina and the Diamonds released her last album, Froot, on cassette late last year.

Albums from top US stars are also available on cassette, including Justin Bieber’s latest release, Purpose, and Kanye West’s Yeezus.

They are being sold at fashion chains such as Urban Outfitters, as well as being available online.

Meanwhile Hypnohouse Trax, a British dance music label, has put out a collection of its own on tape.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3457561/Cassettes-role-fashion-Format-follows-vinyl-huge-boost-sales-acts-start-releasing-albums-tape.html#ixzz40w411i1r

Here at eil.com we’ve never stopped stocking cassettes – albums, maxi’s and cassette singles (cassingles) – find them all here