Where do people still use cassette tapes?

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The answer: in prisons. CDs are normally banned, since they could be used as weapons or tools to self-harm when shattered.

Californian Bob Paris set up a business in 2003 offering cassettes by mail to the 2.3 million people held in US prisons, and now has a thriving business. Best-sellers include Al Green's "Greatest Hits," Linkin Park's "Hybrid Theory," Michael Jackson's "Thriller," Pink Floyd's "The Dark Side of the Moon" and a best-of collection by the Stylistics.

Freakonomics asks, "are there other examples of media that should have gone extinct but found a nice niche in which to survive?"
  • added July 24, 2008
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12 responses // Where do people still use cassette tapes?

  •  

    awesome.
    but its not only prisoners who still use cassettes.
    i have thousands of bootlegged Grateful Dead and Phish tapes that i still listen to.
    --call me a hippie--
    also bands like Iron and wine and the black keys recorded their first albums on 4-track cassette recorders.

    ShedShed215
  •  

    where do people still use cassette tapes???

    in my car every day

    currently listening to the album let it bleed by the rolling stones

    just got it a few days ago from goodwill for olnly 67 cents WOOT WOOT!!!!

    jakerohde
  •  

    I use casettes too. I've got so many sweet mix tapes why should i give them up?

    Plus, they don't get scratched.

    squidteeth
  •  

    old formats don't die, they just get more expensive to repair

    JDM
    • JDM
    • 6 months ago
  •  

    this summer in England "Now 70" the music compilation comes out. May moons ago i bought, as my first tape experience, "Now 7". Does anyone have a copy of "Now1"?

    matlaroche
  •  

    I work in a library and many of the language learning materials are on cassette. They are constantly broken and it is just such a pain, so I do not get nostalgic about the 'good old days' in this respect.

    JanaPokana
  •  

    I love cassettes, especially since lots of older/classic audiobooks are still more easily available on cassette in public libraries. Pity my casette player has died though...

    Records are making a come-back amongst trendy types, apparently, though they're not quite as portable..

    purplefox
  •  

    iration steppas use digital audio cassesttes, sound system style

    Akash
  •  

    How else do you make a mix tape for your girlfriend.

    Mix CDs doesn't have the effort a tape does.

    xbuckyx
  •  

    I still use cassette tapes, I still have a 1980's Sony Walkman. The batteries in a CD player only last for an hour, but a cassette player lasts almost all day. I use rechargeable batteries to save money and the environment.

    orionblastar
  •  

    It's nice to know that people in prison can listen to their favorite songs. It's a nice way to mentally escape from reality.

    jimenagamio
  •  

    I feel bad for the people in prisons. I know that they must have done something horrible to get into prison, but they live in such awful conditions, I think it's a bit unfair.

    weenis

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