When you think of top music today, who and what comes to mind? Probably tons of artists that you have access to through iTunes, spotify, Apple Music, and Youtube right? And these artists are from all over the world!
You have access to their music at your fingertips - whether from mobile, desktop, or tablet. How easy is this life!
Now, I want you to think about top artists from back in the day. Instead of a “New Top 10 Songs” through Spotify, how did we listen to or know about the top songs, artists or albums? For those that used to kick it old school back in the 60s-80s, you already know: cassette tapes.
Listen, if you haven’t jammed out to a cassette tape, you’re missing out! We all love that nostalgia of pulling out your cassette tape, taking it out of it’s special clear box, admiring the song art or info from the inner sleeve and listening to it on our walkman or car cassette player. It was the best! You could enjoy your favorite songs, rewind, and enjoy it again.
So, what was everyone listening to? What was the bee’s knees via cassette tape? No worries - we’ll walk through the Top 5 Album Released on Cassette tape:
The Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd
This was THE cassette tape that everyone chased after, especially following its release. There were several editions of this cassette ranked among the most-wanted list.
Enter the Wu-Tang by Wu-Tang Clan
This is such a well known and well loved band and song. It was so influential and certainly one of the best hip-hop records of the 1990s. There are many different versions and copies of this song, but the cassette tape of this is highly coveted. Think of it like Willy Wonka’s golden tickets...if you find one, don’t let anyone know until it’s safe.
No Life ‘Til Leather by Metallica
Ahhh, Metallica. We have all had our Metallica moments. This cassette was the most sought after in 1982. Why? Because the original version of this demo apparently had only 50-100 copies made. So...if you find one today, just know that you found the hidden egg of cassette tapes.
Remote Dreaming by The Ghostwriters
This specific recording was with a project called The Ghostwriters and serves as a great example of 1980’s electronics. They only have three limited releases: this cassette, one LP, and one 12-inch.
Selected Ambient Works 85-92 by Aphex Twin
What an album. You can find this on CD and vinyl versions of the original release, but the cassette is more desired since fewer copies were created. This is definitely a collector’s item that everyone looked for.
We can’t deny that there are MANY other artists, single releases, and albums on cassette tape that are signature staples of the 70s, 80s and 90s. We all carry beautiful memories of playing our cassette tapes, storing them safely in alphabetical order (or genre) and pulling them out to jam out in our bedrooms. Remember, those special moments are meant to be relived again and again! Save those cassette tapes; digitize them.
