--- title: "It’s Almost 2020 and There’s a Cassette Tape Shortage" description: "Today, Pitchfork reports that a material shortage of has thrown a roadblock into the production of cassette tapes.Yes, you read that right: cassette tapes." date: "2019-10-11" modified: "2019-10-11" authors: - name: "Tag Hartman-Simkins" job_title: "Director of Art and Design" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/tagh" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/cassette-tape-shortage" categories: - "Future Society" tags: - "cassette" - "formats" - "the digest" - "vinyl" --- # It’s Almost 2020 and There’s a Cassette Tape Shortage ![Today, Pitchfork reports that a material shortage of has thrown a roadblock into the production of cassette tapes.Yes, you read that right: cassette tapes.]() *\Image: Bruno Glätsch via Pixabay\* ## Tape Delay Yesterday, [*Pitchfork* reported that]() a material shortage has thrown a roadblock into the production of cassette tapes. Yes, you read that right: cassette tapes. Gamma ferric oxide is the most common material used in the magnetic strips of tape that store audio on cassettes. There's only one factory used to refine the substance and it's been under renovation for nearly a year — hurting a growing niche of the music industry. ## Media Res While vinyl records have enjoyed a sales boom over the past decade, enjoying 30 year highs and [threatening to outsell CDs](), cassette tapes have also seen a significant resurgence in the past ten years. Vinyl pressing plants have also had to work overtime producing greater numbers of records [using refurbished presses](), since there are no manufacturers making new ones. They often produce special editions that they ship to major retailers such as Target and Urban Outfitters, as well as independent record stores. ## Cassette Match Headline acts such as Lana Del Rey, Twenty One Pilots and even Taylor Swift now issue their albums on cassette tape as well as vinyl. Sales of cassette tapes in 2018 were up 23 percent from the prior year, [according to *Billboard*](). It appears that even in the era of streaming, when most consumers listen to music via services such as Spotify, Apple Music and Tidal, there exists a substantial number of listeners who still prefer to own a physical object — even if they have to shell out 25 or 30 dollars to hold a physical copy of their favorite album. **READ MORE:** [Worldwide Material Shortage Delays Cassette Tape Production]() \[*Pitchfork*\] **More on tapes:** [*Yes, There's a “Pee Tape” — and It's Unclear If It's a Deepfake* ]() ## Author I work with the editorial team at Futurism to create original illustrations and graphics for internal projects while shaping the overall aesthetic vision of the publication. I designed the current layout of the site, and I'm currently hard at work spearheading the development of a new version; I also occasionally contribute as a writer. Prior to Futurism, I worked at VaynerMedia, at a regional newspaper, and at an acclaimed local coffee shop. I'm originally from Illinois, and I attended Carl Sandburg College and Knox College. I've lived in Queens and Brooklyn, New York for many years, and I'm a devotee both of pop music and deep cuts ranging from ambient to math rock; I have an extensive collection of vinyl, I'm an enthusiast for the restoration of vintage gaming systems, and on the weekends you can reliably find me at a local music venue. ### Author social links [LinkedIn]() [Twitter]()