No Ordinary Cassette as Duran Duran & We Are Rewind Join Forces

We Are Rewind’s nostalgia-driven resurgence has been building for some time, and this latest release arrives fresh off the retro-styled Curtis GB-001 boombox we reported on recently. The French manufacturer has now partnered with the band for a limited-edition take on its aluminium WE-001 portable player — complete with an exclusive Pop Trash reissue on tape.

It lands at a moment when cassettes are enjoying an unlikely second wind. As we touched on last week, Gen Z is giving the format a genuine shake, with UK sales jumping 204.7 percent in Q1 2025 alone. We’ve been following the trend with interest, from We Are Rewind’s Edith player to the broader return of physical formats across multiple artists, and this collaboration feels like a natural reflex in that broader analogue swing.

True to the band’s visual DNA, the WE-001 Duran Duran Special Edition leans into chrome, shimmer and a touch of electric-dreams gloss. The aluminium chassis houses a dedicated headphone amplifier tuned specifically for cassette playback, alongside Bluetooth for modern listening and a USB-C rechargeable battery rated for up to 12 hours. There’s even a belt clip for anyone willing to come undone in public and wear their nostalgia on full display.

Andrew Day, Duran Duran’s creative art director, said the collaboration felt unexpectedly fitting for Pop Trash’s 25th anniversary:

When Pop Trash was originally released, the internet was in its infancy and streaming really wasn't a thing. Who knew that 25 years later, a cassette player would be a fitting way to celebrate its anniversary… The result is something that's a lot more ‘Pop’, and a lot less ‘Trash’. Over the moon and back with the result, and I'm pretty sure Liberace would approve.

We Are Rewind founder and CEO Romain Boudruche added that the partnership taps directly into the band’s long-standing link with the format:

Duran Duran always had a look, a sense of style and control of how they looked and how they sounded, and their association with cassettes is clear. We're delighted to work with the band and help music fans connect with the value of music and physical media in an age of streaming.

The WE-001 remains one of the more polished attempts to modernise a distinctly 1980s experience. Alongside Bluetooth playback and analogue recording via mic or line-in, it arrives with a pencil in the box, a playful nod to anyone who remembers how to rescue a loose tape without losing their cool! Or as the band might say, you can still save a prayer for a cassette that’s been wound a little too tight.

The WE-001 Duran Duran Special Edition is available now for €169 | US$199 | £149, with the Pop Trash cassette included.

Visit We Are Rewind for More Information