The cassette tape's comeback

Cassette tapes are making a comeback - and with this month being the 37th anniversary of the Sony Walkman's introduction in 1979, we sent Day 6 producer Michelle Macklem to investigate what the deal was.

Ashly Gatto-Cussen is a customer service and sales rep for Duplication.ca, Canada's largest tape duplication company. And if you've bought a tape in recent months, it's likely been duplicated there.

"In 2008 we sold a total of about 3,700 tapes and now we're doing about that much production every day." That's a 30,000% increase! So who's buying these tapes?

Large companies like Urban Outfitters are responsible for the largest tape orders, but they they're far from being a harbinger of the cassette's return. Smaller labels and bands have been steadily releasing tapes with the support of local record stores, like Toronto's June Records. Patrick Grant is a music specialist at the store and explains why tapes are a popular choice for bands who want to leave their mark with audiences.

"People who want to support their bands but actually are more digitally inclined can buy what is essentially a good looking business card and bring home an object from the show you can put in your pocket."

Cassette tapes are a cheaper and faster way of getting music out to fans, but there's something more at play. Professor Paul du Gay from Copenhagen Business School co-authored the book "Doing Cultural Studies: The Story of the Sony Walkman" which uses the Sony Walkman to talk about our cultural practices and symbols.

"[The Walkman] is about a kind of lost past...something that required more work to know about bands, different types of music and it kind of symbolizes an age that's gone."

That age may be gone, but for now, cassette tapes are here to stay.

Listen to our Day 6 documentary to hear Ashly Gatto-Cussen, Patrick Grant and Paul du Gay reflect on why they still listen to tapes and why you may be inclined to pick up a couple.