Guardians of the Galaxy Is Helping Revitalize Cassette Tapes

Cassette albums are making an unlikely comeback, with sales rising 35% in 2017. Leading the charge in this retro-fueled resurgence are the Guardians of the Galaxy, with a trio of “Awesome Mix” releases taking the first, second, and third spots on the year’s top 10.

Hollywood Reporter found that second place went to the original Guardians of the Galaxy soundtrack, while first place went to its sequel, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. In third meanwhile was Cosmic Mix Vol. 1, the soundtrack for the first season of the Guardians of the Galaxy animated series.

Cassette tapes featured heavily into the Guardians movies, serving as Peter Quill’s connection to his Earth roots and the memory of his mother. Disney has done a great job here translating this concept into a tangible way that fans can interact with the world of the MCU, and the strong sales numbers reflect that. While not a 1:1 replica, the overall product design makes an effort to maintain the overall look and feel of the on-screen tapes, lending another layer of veracity to the experience.