A Cassette Tape, from the English Compact Cassette, is a format for recording and playing audio on magnetic tape.

Developed by Philips and launched in the early 1960s, the cassette tape was initially created for voice recorders (dictaphones), but quickly became one of the most popular formats for music consumption, known as Musicassette.

Its characteristics are:

• Format: A magnetic tape 3.81 mm (1/8 inch) wide, protected by a plastic structure.

• Speed: The tape runs at a standard speed of 4.75 cm/s.

• Sides A and B: The tape has two stereo "sides". A stereo recording is made in one direction (Side A). At the end, the tape can be flipped over to play or record another stereo track in the opposite direction (Side B).

The cassette dominated the portable and home music market from the 70s to the 90s, allowing people to record their own compilations (mixtapes) from the radio or other sources. Recently, it has been experiencing a resurgence due to nostalgia and as a collector's item.