Teen Hilariously Struggles to Work Cassette Tape Player in Viral Video

The trend for all things retro shows no sign of stopping with Y2K fashion, flip-phones and episodes of Friends as popular as ever.

While record players and vinyl got their comeback, VHS, floppy discs and cassette players were cast aside.

But it seems tapes could be on the cusp of a golden revival, after Urban Outfitters started stocking a modern version.

Kids of the 80s and 90s will vividly remember strapping their Walkman to their belt and bopping along to their favourite tracks—after remembering to rewind the tape.

But after portable CD players hit the shelves, tape players were resigned to the footnotes of history—until now.

Now, a mom has shared a video of her 14-year-old daughter trying to work a cassette player, and it will make you feel old as Gen Z has no idea what they are, let alone how to play one.

Lynda Machado shared a clip to TikTok, after her teen picked up the vintage-inspired player in the clothes shop.

Initially she tries to put the tape inside the player, still in its plastic case, prompting a snort of laughter from her mom.

"Ha, no, open this" she tells her, as her baffled daughter asks: "What do you mean? Why?"

"Because that's how it works," Machado, from New Jersey, replies, as the teen then struggles to even open the case.

"You're acting like I do this stuff. How?" she says, handing the tape back to her mom who shows her the trick to open it.

"Look lift this part, it's a lid," Machado says, as clearly unimpressed the teen replies: "It's a lid?! Why is that a lid?!"

Now that they've accessed the tape here comes the next hurdle—slotting it into the player.

The Zoomer tries a few sides, as Machado looks on, saying: "This is better than I thought. There's probably only one way it fits in. These were before CDs, you have to understand this. Look at this thing, bringing it back to like, early 90s, 80s."

Eventually they get the tape in and snap the player shut, but as any millennial will painfully remember, now they need some batteries.

And another thing which has changed over the decades is the price, with Machado revealing the player cost a whopping $38.

People were reduced to fits of laughter after watching the clip, which has amassed more than three million views since being uploaded at the weekend.

Lynda shared an update on Monday in response, saying: "She couldn't figure out why there was only static. It was turned to FM radio. It was fun for me. She's over it so it looks like momma just got herself a brand new cassette player. She couldn't even figure out where the volume was. Made me feel ancient for sure."

Machado added she had to later explain her Apple AirPods "wouldn't work" on a cassette player.

Luci Taco observed: "This has the same energy as watching older adults try to maneuver computer settings."

"Wait till she finds out about rewind,"Annaemwolf joked, while someone else added: "Wait till she finds out there's no track skip."

And clearly a fan, Chibihearts97 said: "I'm just shocked they're bringing them back. This was fun to see, thanks for sharing."

Miqo'te Flower commented: "This honestly hurts me to watch."

And Heather admitted: "Welp, I already knew I was old, but dang, this one hurt."

While It'sVeronicaAustin added: "Well I'm a fossil."

Although pointing out generational differences, Alysia commented: "To be fair if I had my mom try to use Spotify or Apple Music she'd have no clue how to use it."