Cassette (aka Musicassette aka Compact Cassette)
EMI (Australia) was the second major Australian record company, after Philips, to market the Philips-designed 1 7/8 ips musicassette (henceforth called cassette), when in May 1967 they announced the first 26 pre-recorded cassettes across the Columbia, Decca, HMV and Parlophone labels. All cassettes were imported from EMI UK and Decca UK and sold for $6.75 each, which was somewhat more expensive than the already restrictive $5.25 for a comparable LP. Progressively, EMI (Australia) would also offer cassettes sourced from US labels Capitol and London. Please visit the "Reel-To-Reel Tape" page to see a scan of EMI (Australia)'s June 1968 Tape Record Price List, which includes the source of its cassette catalogue.

Other major labels followed suit, with Festival Records sub-licensing titles to the well-known Australian tape importer and manufacturer, Hanimex, who was already producing reel-to-reel tapes for the company at its Brookvale factory. Not only did Festival/Hanimex invest in the cassette format, they also invested in the short-lived PlayTape format, releasing some 200 titles on 1 September 1967. In 1972, Festival Records commenced cassette manufacturing at its own factory.

The Australian Record Company entered the cassette market in November 1967, releasing 24 titles from the CBS catalogue.

In June 1968, Astor Records, through its owner Electronic Industries Ltd, expanded its factory with the installation of a high-speed (Ampex-based) duplicating plant; the first in Australia. Bowing with 66 titles at the price of only $5.95, Astor had a distinct advantage over the more expensive EMI (Australia) offerings.

At this stage, cassettes manufactured by Hanimex and Astor Records were housed in thick plastic cases with a wraparound sticker applied with the title's details.

EMI (Australia) continued to import cassettes while behind the scenes installing a tape duplicating facility of its own at its Homebush factory. EMI (Australia) installed the Gauss Series 1200 System, consisting of a Model 1260 Loop Bin, Model 1210 Master Reproducer and Model 1220 Slave Recorders - see image below right, c. 1974. EMI (Australia) commenced local manufacture of cassettes in early-1970, although imported titles continued to form the bulk of its cassette offerings. At this stage, shells were largely imported from the USA and assembled locally. And, like the cassettes from Hanimex and Astor Records, these early EMI (Australia) cassettes were housed in thick plastic cases with wraparound stickers.
August 1971 would be a defining point for the cassette format, as Australian record companies undertook a coordinated and aggressive advertising campaign, with each releasing some 30+ titles. At this stage, EMI (Australia) offered the following Beatles titles on cassette (manufactured locally except where indicated):
-Abbey Road
-Beatles For Sale
-Beatles Greatest Hits Volume 1
-Beatles Greatest Hits Volume 2
-A Collection Of Beatles Oldies
-A Hard Day's Night
-Help!
-Hey Jude!
-Revolver
-The Beatles (US import 4XWB-101)
-Beatles Second Album (US import 4XT-2080)
-Beatles '65 (US import 4XT-2228)
-Beatles VI (US import 4XT-2358)
-The Early Beatles (US import 4XT-2309)
-Let It Be (UK import TC-PCS.7096)
-Magical Mystery Tour (US import 4XT-2835, although from November 1970, World Record/Cassette Club members could purchase Australian-made copies)
-Rubber Soul (UK import TC-PCS.3075)
-Rubber Soul (US import 4XT-2442)
-Something New (US import 4XT-2108)
-Yesterday And Today (US import 4XT-2553)
Cassettes were now housed in the familiar clear plastic Norelco cases. Double cassettes would be housed in cardboard boxes until some point in 1974, when they were re-designed to fit into standard single Norelco cases (ie "Cassette 1 of 2").

The Beatles would follow in September 1971 (and, unlike the LP, the production master tapes were sourced from the UK). However, it would take a few years before all Beatles cassettes were manufactured locally.

DATING YOUR CASSETTES - A TIMELINE OF KEY CHANGES 1967-1990
It is not the intention of this page, or this site, to document every cassette variation of every title. Rather, this page documents the broad changes that occurred throughout EMI (Australia)'s cassette manufacturing history. While broad, and by no means exhaustive, it still provides guidance on when your cassette may have been manufactured.

Images to come!
DATE DESCRIPTION CASES SHELLS LABELS J-CARDS IMAGE
1967-05 First 26 cassettes released - all imported from UK - - - - N/A
1970-03 EMI (Australia) commenced local manufacture although majority of pre-recorded cassettes were still imported Thick plastic cases with wraparound stickers, possibly manufactured by Electronic Industries Ltd Largely imported from the USA and assembled locally, often varying in design and/or colour Paper labels, more commonly with Helvetica typesetting - X
1971-08 Renewed marketing push by local record companies. New updated packaging Norelco. Opening edge flush with the transparent cover. Double cassettes housed in cardboard box More consistency with shell design, largely 'narrow-sized window' Paper labels, more commonly with Futura typesetting Content on outside of card only. Left edges cut to fit Norelco case design X
1972 Modification to Norelco case design Opening edge now has thumb groove X
1973-07 Modification to label typesetting Paper labels, with Helvetica typesetting now the more common X
1974 Modification to double cassette packaging Double cassettes now housed in single Norelco cases "Cassette x of 2" printed on each J-card X
1975 Increased usage of grey shells Many (not all) titles issued with grey shells throughout 1975 X
1975-01 EMI (Australia) introduced Dolby B Noise Reduction technology Now with Dolby B symbol Now with Dolby B symbol X
1975-02 Modification to J-card design Left edges no longer cut X
1975-Q3 Modification to J-card design Cassette care information printed on inside X
1977 Modification to double cassette packaging Double cassettes now housed in 'fat box' style case New J-card design to fit 'fat box' case X
1977-07 Introduction of red cases Red cases introduced X
1977-07 Modification to J-card design J-cards now appear with details printed in cyan X
1977-Q3 Modification to J-card design Cassette care information no longer printed on inside X
1978-07 Modification to label design Title details now tampo printed in black ink direct to shell X
1978-10 Red cases retired Cases return to black colour X
1978-10 Modification to J-card design J-card details now printed in black, although cyan variations continue ad-hoc X
1979 Modification to double cassette packaging Double cassettes now back to single Norelco cases "Cassette x of 2" printed on each J-card X
1980-06 Modification to Norelco case design Opening edge now has groove along whole edge X
1981 Modification to J-card design Some J-cards 'lose' the Dolby B symbol while others gain it X
1981-04 Modification to label colour Title details now tampo printed in blue ink direct to shell X
1982-11 Modification to shell design Shells now largely have a 'medium-sized window' X
1983-09 EMI (Australia) introduced XDR technology Now with XDR symbol when used Now with XDR symbol when used X
1984 Modification to double cassette packaging Double cassettes now housed in newly designed 'butterfly' cases X
1984 Modification to shell design Shells with a 'large-sized window' introduced Some cases tampo printed in black ink X
1988 Modification to shell design Clear (transparent) shells introduced X
1989 Modification to shell design Smokey (transparent) shells introduced Title details now tampo printed in grey ink X