For quite some time, vinyl was the comeback music format that was garnering headlines for the sudden jump in sales. The retro format that sought to challenge the endless convenience of online streaming and free music videos now looks to be a staple for music fans, and this year, it was reported that vinyl sales had surpassed CD sales for the first time since 1987, according to the National Public Radio in the US.
A similar situation has been seen in the UK, with vinyl becoming the go-to way for physical music purchases, and yet, a few months ago, it was another retro format that picked up steam. Tape cassettes saw a huge uptick in sales across the country. Not only did Coventry locals turn to second-hand online outlets to try to get the nostalgia-inducing cassettes, but some were even able to snag a deal at local stores.
With Christmas on the horizon and people still scrambling to buy the biggest and best artists of yesteryear, Coventry music stores could be in for a rush of tape sales.
Cassettes return to relevance
In what has to be the comeback of the century, tape cassettes saw 2012 sales counts of a mere 3,823 rocket to a massive 195,000 in 2022, per Sky News in the UK, with that momentum seemingly carrying into 2023 thanks to more artists releasing their albums on the classic format. Harry Styles, Florence + the Machine, and Arctic Monkeys all pumped out new releases on tape, but of course, a lot of the action will have been on sites like eBay.
In fact, on the day of writing, before 2 pm had even hit, with the filters on for UK Only and Sold Listings under the search term ‘tape cassette,’ eBay showed that 65 had been sold already. Some of these were job lots of over 20, and the vast majority were from artists rather than just being bank cassette tapes – ripe for recording the radio! The thing that stood out the most across all the sales was that they were incredibly cheap – often under £10.
It’s not just storefronts and retro-loving music fans who are getting in on the action, either. Clearly seeking to jump in on the fad, there’s now even an online slot game centred around cassettes and boomboxes: Retro Tapes. Slot developers are always very quick to jump on trends to maximise the appeal of their games, and so are the online casinos that house the slots. In fact, at BonusFinder in Great Britain, the top-rated site with a five-out-of-five review score and a no-wagering bonus had Retro Tapes as its ‘LeoVegas Spotlight’ pick.
Catching the cassette craze in Coventry
Starting a new cassette tape collection, or just picking up where you left off, will invariably start with getting a top-class player with speakers or even an all-in-one boombox or Walkman. Being retro, they’re fairly expensive online now as the demand is still quite low, but you’ll find a few specialist retailers and especially independent stores stocking them.
Next, it’s on to adding to your collection and getting tapes. The best place to start is in the city. Coventry is loaded with music stores, and while vinyl has become the in-thing, some of the independent shops will now be stacking up cassettes.
Frank Harvey Hi Fi Excellence on Spon Street is a fine place to start. At the time of writing, you could get yourself the popular We Are Rewind portable cassette players with Bluetooth as well as some cassettes. Paul Weller’s Fat Pop and the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. III cassettes are both listed on the store’s website, as are some hefty Teac cassette decks. Alternatively, Planet Earth records also stock some cassettes.
If you’ve joined the cassette craze or know someone who has, now is the perfect time to venture into Coventry’s music stores and snap up some nostalgia-inducing Christmas presents.
Written by Adam Core.
