Current Events > Why aren't people nostalgic for tapes like they are vinyl?

(+) Yeah! (+)

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/9/9/9/AAac3xAADU4_.jpg
You never really hear anyone say, "I just installed a classic 8-Track player in my car." Nobody is showing off their pictures of their tape decks. Is it because no one has pencils anymore?

CRT televisions are the old meme technology that should've made the big comeback, not vinyls >_>

Bands have been pushing tapes for like a decade now. There's no quality benefit from a tape though like with vinyl so it's just merch junk.

Remember getting that static shock when you went to turn off your 19 inch CRT?

Honestly, because cassette tapes was a step back in technology.

All it did was make the music portable. It did not make the sound better. Actually made it worse.

Because tapes are shit.

[LFAQs-redacted-quote]

You.....you know an 8 track is a tape, right?...RIGHT!?!?

[LFAQs-redacted-quote]

Those are 100% cassette tapes, not 8 tracks.

Old school vinyl is nostalgic because analog is a much better way to record and listen music over digital.

And there are people who are nostalgic for the days of mixtapes, it's just not as big.

[LFAQs-redacted-quote]

They're called "8 Track Tapes." I know cause my mom hung on to her 8 Track player for years.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/8-track_tape

Wait, are you confused because I posted pics of cassette tapes? The topic is about tapes in general. 8 Track, Cassette, those little tapes kids clipped to their shirt in the 80s, whatever.

I feel sorry that the only human League tape there is crash

On topic tho I have a bunch of cassettes and even a couple new ones. The medium isn't dead and they're nice to play sometimes

I do tho >_>

Garlands_Soul posted...

On topic tho I have a bunch of cassettes and even a couple new ones. The medium isn't dead and they're nice to play sometimes

Yo, you got any classic Pocket Rockers?

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/0/1/3/AAac3xAADU5N.jpg

Cassette tapes are the worst of both worlds.

Digital:
+++

1. Best audio quality (for works mastered after 1982 / red book CD)
2. Biggest playlist
3. Stream basically anything on a single device.

---

1. Collection is not impressive.
2. Nothing tangible to show for it.

Vinyl:
+++

1. Best sound quality for works mastered before 1982.
2. Cool album art, potential for gimmicky design.
3. Can build a sweet collection for you to show off.

---

1. Records can become physically damaged.
2. Turntable requires maintenance.
3. Can't skip around to specific songs

Tapes:
+++

1. ????

---

1. Worst sound quality.
2. Magnetic tape degrades even when kept in perfect condition.
3. Physical damage ruins the whole tape instead of just the part that's damaged.
4. Have to rewind.
5. Tiny album art in soulless plastic boxes.
6. Can't skip around to specific songs.
7. Can be recorded over by accident.
8. Tapes are garbage.

I've seen lots of rappers selling tapes as well as vinyl. There's definitely a demand

BeyondWalls posted...

Yo, you got any classic Pocket Rockers?

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/0/1/3/AAac3xAADU5N.jpg

I do! I've got that Belinda Carlisle one I'm positive somewhere in my basement. Pretty sure I had cutting crew too

Tyranthraxus posted...

Vinyl:
3. Can't skip around to specific songs

sir have you ever played vinyl

pauIie posted...

sir have you ever played vinyl

Sir have you ever tried to drop a needle onto a record right where a specific track starts

Tyranthraxus posted...

Physical damage ruins the whole tape instead of just the part that's damaged.

That's a big issue. Tapes seem to degrade pretty drastically as well just from normal use. I still remember my father playing his cassette of Screaming for Vengeance and it was pretty noticeably warped at a time when the tape itself was only twenty five years old.

Longevity. I burned through a lot of cassettes in my walkman in high school, tapes jam, they get worn out. Vinyl lasts.

I see alot of tapes when I go hunting for records.

Tapes are only really about portability so guess what they have to compete with.

Tyranthraxus posted...

Sir have you ever tried to drop a needle onto a record right where a specific track starts

yep. i get it almost every time.

Tyranthraxus posted...

Sir have you ever tried to drop a needle onto a record right where a specific track starts

You can see the gap between tracks.

[LFAQs-redacted-quote]

Yeah.... no theyre not.

Tapes made a resurgence with lesser-known artists that wanted to produce physical media but couldn't justify making vinyl. I've personally made tapes for some of my albums, and though I rarely actually listen to tapes, it's nice if you want a cheaper physical copy of an album that doesn't take up much space.

BeyondWalls posted...

Yeah.... no theyre not.

It's still small scale, but they definitely did make a comeback.

Beefbud posted...

It's still small scale, but they definitely did make a comeback

Nah. A couple hipsters who saw Guardians of the Galaxy temporarily drove up Walkman prices, but theres not been any kind of real tape resurgence.

BeyondWalls posted...

Nah. A couple hipsters who saw Guardians of the Galaxy temporarily drove up Walkman prices, but theres not been any kind of real tape resurgence.

Cassette tape sales are way up over the last few years. It's still a niche market, but the resurgence is real. Most of the tapes I've purchased were produced in the past 5 years or so.

https://blog.discogs.com/en/cassette-trend-popularity-sales-2021/

Cassette tapes are still a thing in the underground punk and metal scenes. It's an inexpensive way to put out a demo and it looks more professional than just doing a CDR.

Theres no upside for casettes. Simply outdated technology

Because tapes degrade extremely fast compared to Vinyl. They also have far worse sound quality and require you to rewind them backwards. If you want to listen to a particular song, you can't just change the location of a needle, you have to go through half the tape looking for the song you want to listen to. And god forbid you didn't have a pen or pencil to rewind the tapes.

Yeah, I grew up in the late 80s/early 90s. Going to CDs was a blessing.

a-c-a-b posted...

Cassette tapes are still a thing in the underground punk and metal scenes. It's an inexpensive way to put out a demo and it looks more professional that just doing a CDR.

This is true. I've bought a few from feral kid records over the last year and they do punk stuff. Bought the new Soft Cell album bundle that came with a cassette too

FL81 posted...

CRT televisions are the old meme technology that should've made the big comeback, not vinyls >_>

I still have one shoved in the corner of my living room. I use to get it out to play SNES & N64. But now, it's like a toy Andy forgot about.

Tyranthraxus posted...

Cassette tapes are the worst of both worlds.

Digital:
+++
1. Best audio quality (for works mastered after 1982 / red book CD)
2. Biggest playlist
3. Stream basically anything on a single device.
---
1. Collection is not impressive.
2. Nothing tangible to show for it.
Vinyl:
+++
1. Best sound quality for works mastered before 1982.
2. Cool album art, potential for gimmicky design.
3. Can build a sweet collection for you to show off.
---
1. Records can become physically damaged.
2. Turntable requires maintenance.
3. Can't skip around to specific songs
Tapes:
+++
1. ????
---
1. Worst sound quality.
2. Magnetic tape degrades even when kept in perfect condition.
3. Physical damage ruins the whole tape instead of just the part that's damaged.
4. Have to rewind.
5. Tiny album art in soulless plastic boxes.
6. Can't skip around to specific songs.
7. Can be recorded over by accident.
8. Tapes are garbage.

Good list...except. You can skip around songs..

On a record, you can see where the songs are. ((Actually you see a lot of things))
And for tapes there were tape players that could fast forward to the next song.

Tapes are still popular among lofi producers for getting a very authentic sounding drop in quality. Make something, record it to tape, record it back to digital, and boom you can make anything lofi