For years, the story of music formats seemed pretty straightforward. CDs replaced cassettes, streaming replaced CDs, and convenience won over actually owning something. Recently though, the cassette tape industry has made a big comeback. Artists like Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish and more are putting out albums on tape. I only realized how big this impact was when I went to a Kittie concert.
Like most merch tables, there were T-shirts, knick-knacks, and vinyl records available. Vinyl’s resurgence is well documented at this point, so seeing stacks of LPs wasn’t surprising. What caught my attention, however, was the cassette tape sitting next to them.
At first, I assumed they were more of a novelty item. You know, a nostalgic throwback for die-hard fans. But as the night went on, I noticed the cassettes were flying off the table. Fans were grabbing them almost as quickly as the vinyl records.
I ended up getting one along with a vinyl collection of some of their older songs they’ve redone to make them more current. I have a record player that also has a CD slot and a cassette tape slot. The tape sounded perfect. Imagine listening to something for the very first time on cassette. It had a warm and grungy feel to it. Perfect for a band like Kittie.
The cassette comeback shares some similarities with the vinyl revival, but it has its own appeal. Vinyl often attracts audiophiles and collectors. Cassettes offer a lower-cost, more accessible way to own physical music. They’re compact, collectible, and often released in limited runs with colored tapes and unique tape inserts. Remember when the fold out had the lyrics to the songs? Yeah? Well they usually have that too which makes singing along WAY easier.
I didn’t expect to walk away from a Kittie concert talking about cassette tapes, but that’s what happened. Watching fans scoop them up alongside vinyl records was a reminder that physical media still matters. In an era where almost every song ever recorded is available instantly on our phones, there’s still something special about owning music you can hold in your hands. And if you are preparing for the apocalypse or zombie infestation, owning things is key. Especially for when the internet goes down and everyone is screwed. Stave off boredom and get physical media so you don’t go crazy with cabin syndrome.
The cassette tape may never dominate the music industry again, and that’s probably not the point. Its comeback isn’t about replacing streaming. It’s about giving music fans another way to experience the artists they love. And judging by the merch table at that Kittie show, plenty of people are ready to hit rewind.
