The Complete History of Tapes: Part 1 – Early History explores how the compact cassette evolved from a practical 1960s recording format into one of the most personal and influential media formats in music history. From Philips’ 1963 cassette recorder debut to the rise of mixtapes, Walkman culture, underground tape labels, and the modern cassette revival, this post looks at why tape still matters. More than nostalgia, cassette tape represents portability, affordability, imperfection, and the hands-on feeling of truly owning music.