Argos  |  Press release

Forget streaming and downloading music on the latest tablet or smartphone, instead a wave of nostalgia is sweeping through the UK with the revival of cassette players.

Over the last three months, the number of cassette players sold at Argos have increased by 45 per cent versus the same period last year.

The trend is believed to be down to the less tech-savvy generation who prefer to listen to their favourite music on devices they're familiar with, much like the recent emergence of vinyl record players.

Argos audio buyer Rachel Bartram said: "We know that many of our customers have been buying cassette players for older friends and family to enjoy their favourite music from the 60s, 70s and 80s.

"The devices also provide a great way of finding out about the lives of our loved ones when they were younger, from mixtapes created for friends to recordings of favourite radio shows, and even family events captured on tape.

"It's refreshing to see the revival of such an iconic, traditional item in the digital age, with people using cassette players to rediscover older music before converting it into an MP3 format."

Even indie bands such as MGMT and British Sea Power are embracing the nostalgia and unique hissing sound quality of cassettes having released new material on the old format over the last couple of years.

Cassette players can be purchased online at argos.co.uk for instant collection in store.

-ENDS-

Notes to Editors:

For more information, please contact the Argos Press Office on 0845 120 4365 or email: media.relations@argos.co.uk.

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About Argos

Argos is a leading UK digital retailer, offering around 50,000 products through www.argos.co.uk, its growing mobile channels, stores and over the telephone.

 Argos continues to be the UK's largest high street retailer online with around 123m customer transactions a year through its stores and 738 million website and app visits in the 12 months to February 2014.  Customers can take advantage of Argos' convenient Check & Reserve service available through its network of 756 stores across the UK and Republic of Ireland.

In the financial year to February 2014, Argos sales were £4.1 billion and it employed some 29,000 people across the business.

Argos is part of Home Retail Group, the UK's leading home and general merchandise retailer. 

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