Expanding your cassette collection can be as easy as stopping by a thrift store orrecord storeand sifting through their stock, but if you live in a place with limited options, or want to look for more specific tapes in other places – well, it’s a good thing we have the internet. Whether you’re looking for a local band’s new cassette or your favorite dad rock album from the 80s, you can definitely source something cool from various sellers andretailers online, so you can closeSpotifyand get back to basics.
There are a ton of places online to find cassettes, new and old, in varying conditions, at different price points, and different editions. The online cassette world is your oyster. So you may bust out that old Walkman or your new favorite reimaginedretro tech, and get ready to enjoy a good old cassette tape.
This cassette player may look like a toy, but it works great
This cassette player from ByronStatics makes for a great accessory as well as a functional tape player and radio.
1The most tried and true of all, Discogs
Audio nerds know Discogs is the first place to look for anything
Audiophiles loveDiscogs, not only for its catalog features, but also for its marketplace. Alongside the vast variety of CDs and vinyl for sale through Discogs, there are a ton of cassettes for sale too. If you’re looking for a super specific cassette from a local band you loved in the 90s, there’s a fair chance you’ll find it on Discogs.
On Discogs, you’re able to filter by a ton of different criteria, like genre, year, currency, condition, and the seller’s location. This allows you a ton of flexibility when looking for cassettes in general, but can also help you narrow it down if you’re looking for cassettes from a specific genre or artist and need to make sure you’re not overwhelmed by options.
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A site that specializes in cassettes
Tapehead Cityis an online store that primarily sells cassettes, operating out of Long Island, NY since 2014. As such, you can find a ton of tapes on the site, ranging from newer tapes to older, harder to find ones. It sells both new cassettes and used ones in good condition.
On the site, you’re able to narrow down your options with filters like genre, label, when they were listed on the site, and even look at pre-orders and new releases. So if you’re looking to get a variety of cassettes and not looking for something super specific, you can find lots of things that are up your alley. It also ships worldwide, so it’s a great option for anyone, regardless of location.
I love listening to my favorite tapes on this affordable cassette player
For $36, the Gracioso cassette player does everything a cassette player should do.
3For new tapes from current artists, check out Bandcamp
Your favorite local indie band and world-famous artists alike sell on here
Lots of current bands still make cassettes alongside CDs and vinyl, and you may easily find cassettes for sale onBandcamp. Whether they’re massively popular or in a narrow niche, artists use Bandcamp as a way of distributing their music and selling merch, so you can find cassettes from a ton of bands on the site.
Bandcamp also allows you to filter by genre, even down to super specific subgenres, as well as look for artists from specific countries. you’re able to scour bestsellers or new releases, or just look for exactly the cassette you want. Bandcamp also occasionally has an event called Bandcamp Friday, in which the profits from music and merch sales go entirely to the artists, with Bandcamp forfeiting its cut. That way, you can be sure you’re supporting your favorite artists as much as possible.
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4Another tape-specific store, The Cassette Place
It’s been in business since 1982 and has thousands of tapes to choose from
Don’t let the appearance of the website fool you –The Cassette Placeis not a site that hasn’t been updated since 1998. It’s a great place to buy cassettes online, sells high quality tapes in mint or near mint condition, and has a wide variety of genres, too. It sources its used tapes from specific sources and doesn’t just buy cassettes from anyone, so it clearly has a dedication to sourcing and selling quality tapes.
Operating out of the US, it offers free shipping for orders over $60, and it ships worldwide too – so, those outside of the US can still shop there. There are a ton of tapes to choose from, from rare, special edition cassettes to newer popular ones, so there’s something for all cassette nerds here.
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5Get into a cassette bidding war on eBay
Cheaper options, though quality varies
It’s a classic fallback –eBayhas every secondhand item imaginable, and cassette tapes are no exception. It’s a lot like Discogs in that it’s a marketplace full of individual sellers, but unlike Discogs, it’s not necessarily a community of audiophiles, so you might not be getting a great level of specificity on condition or editions from these listings. You can always ask sellers questions and get to know what you’re buying beforehand if you’re unsure.
Being able to bid on items on eBay also means you might be able to snag really good prices on tapes, which are generally affordable to begin with. If you want to put in a little bit of work to get a tape you love for a bit cheaper, eBay is a great option for that. Just pay attention to shipping costs, which can often be more expensive than the tapes themselves.
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