SearchForTheReal

Allegedly, CassetteTapes are back in fashion.

Ironically, because cassettes have little to recommend them. Their main virtues compared to vinyl records were portability and recordability, both of which are done better by MP3 players.

Vinyl fetishism may, just plausibly, be an audio quality thing. Cassettes, never.

So what are cassettes about? Lo-fi, home-recording, intimate?

Why are we obsessed by intimate music? With "connection" to the artist? As opposed to good music from a distant / impersonal artists?

Is this a reaction to MassMedia?

And, most fascinating question, as mass-media breaks down, as occupation of niches / networks becomes the "norm" will there be a reaction? Will a few major mega-stars maintain many one-way connections as people search for the "mass" spectacle as something fresher than the everyday-intimate?

See also :

• MicroFanBaseOfABoutiqueArtist