Compact Cassette

A compact cassette, commonly called a cassette tape, is a magnetic tape-based format used to record and play audio. It consists of a small plastic case housing a spool of magnetic tape that passes over read/write heads in a tape player or recorder. When recording, audio signals magnetize the tape; during playback, the tape's magnetic information is converted back into sound. Popular from the 1960s to the early 2000s, cassettes were valued for their portability and affordability, making them a widespread medium for music, voice recording, and data storage before digital formats became dominant.