The Cassette Comeback

If you're a music fan, it's highly likely you've spotted the resurgence of vinyl sales over the last 10 years. But there’s a new (old) format making waves in the music world.

According to our new research, cassette tapes are having a major comeback - and it’s not just nostalgic millennials driving the trend. Gen Z is driving the upwards trend of this retro format, sending resale prices for modern cassettes soaring by as much as 1,000%.

Despite living in an age where almost any song can be streamed instantly, more and more music fans are choosing to rewind time and experience music the old-school way - with a cassette and a player.

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The numbers behind the nostalgia.

Our analysis of 146 cassette albums sold on eBay found that resale values are climbing fast, especially for today’s chart-topping artists.

• Morgan Wallen’s Dangerous is currently the most expensive cassette online, reselling for an average of £250 - up from its £22 retail price.
• Lana Del Rey’s Norman F**ing Rockwell* is seeing prices rise by over 1,100%, with cassettes now fetching an average of £188.
• Kendrick Lamar’s DAMN tapes have shot up nearly 600%, and even Taylor Swift’s latest album The Life of a Showgirl has increased in value by 269% just weeks after release.

On average, cassettes from the 2000s hold the highest resale value at £60, followed by albums from the 2010s (£53) and 2020s (£42).

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Why the cassette craze?

So what’s behind this obsession?

It turns out that Gen Z - the same generation that grew up on Spotify - is leading the charge. For many, cassettes aren’t just about the sound, but the experience (which is also linked to the popularity of vinyls with this demographic).

“Most of our customers are under 30,” says Alex Tadross, owner of Mars Tapes, the UK’s last cassette-only record shop. “They love the physical and fashionable element of tapes. Retro tech and trends are everywhere - from film photography to Y2K fashion - and cassettes are part of that movement.”

Cassettes are also thriving in the underground music scene, where independent artists use them as an affordable, collectible format to sell at shows or through platforms like Bandcamp.

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An analog revenue stream.

With streaming services paying artists only fractions of a penny per play, physical music formats have become an essential part of an artist’s income.

“Big labels like Sony and Universal are taking notice,” Tadross adds. “If someone has bought a cassette player for their favourite local artist, it makes sense they’ll want a mainstream artist’s cassette too.”

Limited-edition releases and tangible music experiences are adding real value to a digital-first industry. In fact, 2024 marked the first time in two decades that physical music sales saw year-on-year growth.