Kylie Minogue’s Golden is the biggest-selling album on cassette of the year so far, leading the revival of the format.
The Australian singer’s album topped the charts following its release in April, and the Official Charts Company has now revealed it is the most popular record on the retro format in 2018 so far.
Golden – for which Minogue released a number of limited edition clear glitter-gold tapes – has sold 2,847 copies on cassette according to the latest data, which also reveals that just over 18,500 cassettes have been sold in the UK this year.
Cassette sales are up 90% year-on-year, and we've revealed the biggest of 2018 so far – @SnowPatrol impact the Top 3 with Wildness https://t.co/LEDWd0begI pic.twitter.com/3n4d4fswBf
— Official Charts (@officialcharts) July 26, 2018
In the same period last year, 9,753 cassettes were sold, meaning sales are already up 90% for the equivalent time frame.
The total number of cassettes sold in the UK in 2017 was 22,011.
Over the past five years, the popularity of cassettes has grown, with 10,912 sold in 2016, 5,801 in 2015, 5,699 in 2014 and 4,333 in 2013.
Despite a minor resurgence in cassette tapes, which notably declined in popularity after peaking in the late 1980s, the format’s share of the overall music sales market is still less than 1%.
Martin Talbot, chief executive of the Official Charts Company, said: “We’ve already seen a massive surge in vinyl sales and it looks as if cassettes are experiencing something similar.
"It is remarkable that UK music fans have already snapped up almost as many cassettes in 2018"
View the year's biggest sellers on the 'phoenix format', including @Manics' latest album which features in the Top 5 https://t.co/LEDWd0begI pic.twitter.com/lNNZTQvdv4
— Official Charts (@officialcharts) July 26, 2018
“While the sales are off a low base, it is remarkable that UK music fans have already snapped up almost as many cassettes in 2018 as they did in the whole of 2017 – and almost four times the levels of three-four years ago.”
Guardians Of The Galaxy – Awesome Mix 2, the soundtrack to the Marvel film, is the second-biggest seller on cassette this year so far, the Official Charts Company said.
Snow Patrol’s Wildness is in third place, 30 Seconds To Mars’ America is in fourth place and the top five is completed by Resistance Is Futile by Manic Street Preachers.