Stream may be “saving” the music industry and vinyl may be a hipster hobby but the fastest growing physical medium in music is actually the cassette tape!

It’s not a lie, according to Grammy.com “Cassette sales in the U.S. have more than quadrupled since 2011, with 174,000 tapes sold in the last year alone. Data from Nielsen Music points to a few obvious explanations. Cassette pressings for high-profile releases like Taylor Swift‘s Reputation, Jay-Z‘s 4:44, Lana Del Rey‘s Lust For Life, and Marvel’s Guardians Of The Galaxy soundtracks are selling well at retailers like Urban Outfitters, which also offers cassette players and recorders with USB adaptability.”

Classic acts like AC/DC and the Wu-Tang Clan are also getting in on the trend, issuing small runs of classic albums — Back In Black and Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), respectively — on cassette for  Record Store Day.

Most cassettes are being purchased online, where vinyl lovers prefer to buy at “brick and mortar” stores.

Filed under: 80's, Cassette, music, Record, Tapes