2026 is seeking to be the year of analog with much less display screen time, much less doom scrolling, and, general, much less know-how, a minimum of if Gen Z shopping for tendencies are to be believed. I heard somebody say that twenty years in the past, individuals used to make use of the web to flee actuality, and now we’d like actuality to flee the web. A few of us want to do a complete reversal in relation to how we spend our time, and now it appears that evidently the way in which we consume our music could also be subsequent on the listing.
There was a time when you could possibly get cassette tapes for tremendous low-cost. Folks had been giving them away at yard gross sales as a result of quickly sufficient, CDs got here round, adopted by MP3s, after which, in fact, streaming. And out of doors of vinyl (which has made a gradual comeback for some time now), it seems to be like we’re coming full circle as a result of cassette costs are not “low-cost.”
A new study of latest gross sales reveals some albums climbing to 10 occasions retail, with the general market averaging about two occasions the sticker value. Small batches, fast sellouts, and constant purchaser curiosity are pushing values increased.
Startle’s analysis of 146 trendy cassette albums bought on UK eBay reveals that resale values are climbing quick. On common, these tapes now promote for double their authentic retail value, with probably the most sought-after titles going for greater than ten occasions what they initially price.
The analysis discovered that albums from the 2000s presently maintain the best resale worth at $79 on common. They’re adopted by albums from the 2010s ($69) and 2020s ($55).
Nevertheless, some present pop stars like Morgan Wallen, Kendrick Lamar, and Taylor Swift are main the pack for high cassette tape gross sales.
Wallen’s 2021 album Dangerous, for instance, is presently the costliest cassette on-line. It resells for a median of $320, up from its authentic $28 value. Lana Del Rey’s 2019 album Norman F**ing Rockwell! has seen the same steep rise. Initially $19, it sells for nearly $250. That’s a rise of over 1,100%.
In the meantime, Kendrick Lamar’s DAMN has jumped from $15 to $106, and Taylor Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl has already climbed from $20 to round $$74, solely weeks after its launch. Even Swift’s older album, 1989, is fetching round $60, which is a 170% rise.
You already know that somebody like Swift isn’t going to spend the cash producing a piece of merch that she doesn’t suppose will promote. Her workforce is aware of that cassette tapes are on the rise. They’re doing the market analysis, y’all.
Within the UK, cassette gross sales as an entire surged 204% within the first quarter of 2025. Over the identical interval, UK searches for “cassette participant” now high almost 20,000 a month.
Platforms like Bandcamp have additionally reported a spike in cassette releases, with artists utilizing the format to construct grassroots followings.
It makes a lot extra sense now as to why my Gen Z stepdaughter requested for a Walkman for Christmas.
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