Your Favorite Mix tapes are Headed Toward their Graves
It seems like just yesterday people were strutting around the streets in their shoulder pads, perms and oversized neon garb rocking out to their Walkmans. Only that wasn’t yesterday, that was 30 years ago and that technology has long been obsolete.
But that shouldn’t be a reason to just let your favorite stash of cassette mix tapes, underground hip-hop artists, record label-less indie groups and home recordings go to waste. Yet, if you fail to digitize your old cassette tapes soon, there won’t be a side B to flip to.
That’s right, the cassette tapes of your youth have been slowly degrading over the last several decades and there’s nothing you can do to stop it – only prolong it. Because whether you like it or not, 30 years is the average life of a cassette tape.
But what exactly contributes to that cassette 30-year lifespan?
Tape Thickness
Did you know that the longer the tape length (90 and 120 minutes) the thinner the actual tape? It makes sense if you think about it, after all they had to make it fit within the tape deck, but the thinner the tape, the more susceptible to breaking.
Tape Coating
Some of the earlier cassette tapes released used chromium dioxide as a coating. Now that may not mean much to you, but to your tapes it means lesser durability. It’s why tapes released later started using magnetite, cobalt-absorbed iron oxide, or ferric oxide and cobalt as a replacement, an effort to increase longevity.
Under Pressure
More than likely, those beloved mix tapes from your first crush and your home recordings weren’t recorded on the highest quality of tape. After all, if it worked at the time why would teenage your worry about more expensive tapes? Well, turns out that the pressure pads on lower quality tapes tend to deteriorate or fall off much earlier than those premium cassettes.
Double Sided Trouble
Attention all tapes with a side B, you’re at a higher risk of early deterioration. Yep, it turns out that tapes recorded on both sides may not last as long as single-sided recordings because of potential bleed-through from the magnetic fields.
Cassette Life Support
There’s no easy way to say it, but your tapes are fading and will eventually die out. But there are some things you can do to prolong their life.
- Controlled storage – make sure your tapes are constantly stored between 50 – 70º F with 20-40% relative humidity for the best possible storage atmosphere.
- Be kind, rewind – fast forward and then rewind each tape before storing for best tape position on the inside spools.
- Vertical storage –storing your tapes upright will help prevent damage to the edges of the tape media
- Play them –play your tapes annually to prevent any layers of tape from sticking together, hence ruining playback.
Lastly, the best option – the only option, really – for preserving your past playlists, is to digitize them. This will ensure that your tunes stick with you forever, long after the life of your tape has come and gone.
FAQs
Under ideal conditions, you can expect cassette tapes to remain playable for up to 30 years, although, recent research has suggested that they may last for up to 100 years if properly stored and cared for! However, there are a number of factors that can accelerate degradation and result in a shorter lifespan.
How long do cassette tapes last? ›
In perfect circ*mstances, cassette tapes will only last about 30 years if properly stored away from heat, humidity, and UV rays. Whereas a CD stored in the same conditions can last over 100 years. Two common factors for cassette tape deterioration are heat and tape recorder malfunctions.
How much time can a cassette tape hold? ›
So a standard 60 minute tape can contain up to 30 minutes of recorded material on each side. Prepare your audio tracks so that side A and side B are approximately equal in length so there is not too much silence on either side. 90 minutes total recorded audio is the new maximum length that can be produced.
How to make cassette tapes last longer? ›
Keep your cassettes stored in acid-free containers. Going acid-free will ensure that your cassette tapes are not subjected to unnecessary chemicals in storage. Store your cassette tapes in an environment where the temperature is less than 70 degrees Fahrenheit and the relative humidity is around 20-40 percent.
How can you tell if a cassette tape is bad? ›
Mold is one of the main indicators of tape damage. If you take a look at your tape, or lift the flap of the cassette to see the actual tape, keep an eye out for any kind of mold. If you see any mold or even small spores, you need to take care of your tape immediately.
Do tapes get worn out? ›
Signal loss, shedding, and tape wear are common issues that arise as video tapes age. Deterioration of tapes can eventually become so severe that it becomes impossible to view the content stored on them.
Is my cassette tape worn out? ›
The easiest way to tell if a cassette tape is worn is to try to play it in a cassette tape player. When you play a worn cassette tape, it will sound distorted and will likely have “drop outs,” i.e. moments when the audio cuts in and out.
Are cassette tapes coming back? ›
Yet cassette tapes are having a moment. According to Luminate, an entertainment industry data collector, U.S. tape sales increased by more than 440 percent between 2015 and 2022. In the past few years, mainstream artists like Harry Styles, Billie Eilish, and Taylor Swift have all capitalized on the fad.
Can cassette tapes get wet? ›
Magnetic tapes can remain wet for several days as long as water is cool and clean ▪ Older tapes may not survive long immersion in water ▪ Metal particulate (MP) and metal evaporate (ME) tapes (used for high density records, high grade video, and digital applications) and acetate-based tapes do not withstand long ...
What temperature damages cassette tapes? ›
Temperatures above 160oF can cause tape deformation that is visible to the naked eye. Exposure to cold also affects magnetic tapes. Below approximately 46oF, lubricants incorporated into the tape binder can crystallize and migrate to the surface of the tape.
Whether your cassette tapes are worth some cash relies on a few factors. This media is no longer mass produced, so chances are, your cassette tapes are collectible! If you're a collector of vintage technology, you'll definitely want some cassette tapes, in addition to your vinyl.
How to keep cassette tapes in good condition? ›
How Do You Keep Cassette Tapes in Good Condition?
- Don't store them in sunlight. The biggest threats to your cassette tapes are things that can cause them to become brittle or unstable. ...
- Don't submerge them in water. ...
- Don't listen to them too often. ...
- Keep the magnets away. ...
- Clean your tape player every once in a while.
You can get a little bit of cash for them and surprisingly enough, there's a pretty impressive demand for old cassettes. Blank cassettes are useful for personal and business use. Many people use them for DIY projects that reuse cassettes in creative, useful ways. Rare cassettes in good condition may be worth something.
Why put tape on the corner of a cassette? ›
Cassettes have a tab in the upper left corner that can be removed to prevent accidentally recording over the tape. Cassettes typically hold anywhere from a few minutes up to an hour of audio per side.
What damages cassettes? ›
Use and store magnetic tape reels and cassettes in a clean environment. Avoid contamination of the tapes by dirt, dust, fingerprints, food, cigarette smoke and ash, and airborne pollutants. Take care not to drop tapes or cartridges. Keep tapes out of strong sunlight and avoid contact with water.
Is it worth saving cassette tapes? ›
Whether your cassette tapes are worth some cash relies on a few factors. This media is no longer mass produced, so chances are, your cassette tapes are collectible! If you're a collector of vintage technology, you'll definitely want some cassette tapes, in addition to your vinyl.
Will old cassette tapes play? ›
Perhaps, even better with a modern player, if it has decent noise reduction capability. OTOH, an old cassette may have shed oxide which would cause dropouts and other audio playback issues. Also, old tapes will be more fragile than they were originally, especially, C-90 and C-120 cassettes.
Will cassette tapes ever come back? ›
Yet cassette tapes are having a moment. According to Luminate, an entertainment industry data collector, U.S. tape sales increased by more than 440 percent between 2015 and 2022. In the past few years, mainstream artists like Harry Styles, Billie Eilish, and Taylor Swift have all capitalized on the fad.
