Are cassettes making a comeback? Why tape sales have hit highest level in 20 years - will they rival vinyl

Let’s go back to a time when cassette tapes dominated culture and were found littered throughout everyone’s bedrooms, as 1970s and 80s kids would sit back and enjoy recent releases from the likes of Willie Nelson and Elton John. Fast forward nearly half a century and the medium is making a comeback, as cassette tape sales are on the up.

According to new research conducted by The British Phonographic Industry (BPI), sales have consistently increased year-on-year for the last decade and has now reached its highest level since 2003. In 2012, the total number of sales amounted to 3,823 but has risen to more than 195,000 in 2022.

BPI found that cassettes played a key role in pushing more than 10% of record sales for 10 UK No.1 albums last year, but it still falls well below vinyl. Though there are instances when that is not the case, as popular releases such as Central Cee’s 23, Blackpink’s Born Pink, and Digga D’s Noughty By Nature saw more fans opt for a cassette version over its vinyl offering.

Yet research also found that vinyl sales topped CDs for the first time in 35 years. It reached £116.8 million, which is 16% more than the total CD sales of £98.3 million.

Kim Bayley, the chief executive of the Entertainment Retailers Association (ERA), told DJMag: “It’s a watershed moment for the entire music industry. After the CD came along and pretty much wiped out the vinyl business, few of us would have believed a renaissance like this was possible.”

It is understood that this sharp hike has been driven by the decision of musicians and artists to start releasing old and new music on the mediums. The likes of the Arctic Monkeys, Harry Styles, Olivia Rodrigo and Florence + The Machine are just some of the big names that have released cassette and vinyl versions of their albums and songs recently, especially on Record Store Day.

Sophie Jones, who is the BPI executive and interim CEO, said in a statement: “Like vinyl, a number of contemporary artists are warmly embracing the cassette as another way to reach audiences and, on occasions, it has even helped them to achieve a No. 1 album. While streaming is by far the leading format, the renewed popularity of cassettes and vinyl highlights the continuing importance of the physical market and the many ways fans have to consume music.”