The audio cassette format, also known as the compact cassette or simply "cassettes", was a popular medium for recording and listening to audio from the 1960s through to the early 2000s. Developed by Philips and introduced in 1963, the cassette quickly became a dominant format due to its portability, affordability, and ease of use.
Unlike vinyl records, tapes could be easily copied, erased, and reused, making them ideal for mixtapes (everyone of a certain age made at least one!), personalised playlists, and pre-video home recording. The compact size also enabled portable players, such as the iconic Sony Walkman introduced in 1979, which allowed users to listen to music on the go. This portability contributed massively to the cassette's popularity.
Despite being largely supplanted by digital formats like CDs, MP3s, and streaming services, there has been a resurgence of interest in cassettes among collectors and indie artists.
