The tape you still remember
Many of us have one: a tape someone made us, years ago. We remember the handwriting on the card more than the sound quality. We remember which song came after which, because they chose that.
A mixtape took time. You had to listen in real time to record it. You had a limited amount of space. Every song was a decision, and the person receiving it could feel all of them.
Everything got easier, and something got lost
Streaming put almost every song in our pockets. Sharing became a link and a playlist became a list: endless, shuffled, editable forever. It's wonderful for listening. It's not the same as being given something.
We didn't want to bring back the hiss or the tangled tape. We wanted to bring back the intention.
Slower, on purpose
So TapeHeart keeps the parts that mattered. A tape has two sides and an end. Songs play in the order you chose. You can write in the margins. And when you give it, it arrives tied up, with their name on it, waiting to be opened.
Every song becomes a stripe on a ribbon, as long as the song. Lay those stripes end to end and every tape has its own look, made from the music inside it.
What we believe
- Made for one person. No feeds and no follower counts. A tape goes from you to them.
- Choices mean something. Limits on length and order are features, not bugs.
- Your words matter as much as the songs.Notes and cards are always readable, even if a song isn't.
- Respect the music and the people who make it. TapeHeart plays through Apple Music.
Who's making it
I'm Josh, the owner of Design For Hope. I remember lying on the ground with my boom box, waiting for my favorite songs to come on the radio so I could build the perfect mixtapes for myself and my friends. Tapes bring back so many memories for everyone who had the pleasure of holding one. I hope this app brings that joy back.
Questions, ideas or a story about a tape that mattered to you? Get in touch.