A chronological guide to the company sleeves used for Australian Beatles singles
This gallery traces the evolution of the Parlophone, EMI, Apple and Polydor company sleeves used for Australian Beatles singles.
The Evolution of Australian Single Sleeves The gallery below identifies the earliest known sleeve style associated with each single. Later pressings and differences in when new designs reached each state mean some copies may be found in updated sleeves. Surviving copies may also have had their original sleeves replaced.
Minor printing variations are not shown here; visit each individual single page for specific examples.
Parlophone
1960-Oct 1963 (A8080-A8093)
Parlophone
Oct 1963-Jul 1965 (A8103-A8153)
Rear similar to the below from 1965
Parlophone
Jul 1965-1969 (A8163-A-8493)
This style and the previous style were used concurrently for a period
Apple
Nov 1968-1970 (A-8693-A-9163)
Apple
1970-1973
Apple
1974-1976
EMI
1969
EMI
Dec 1969-Mar 1973
EMI
Mar 1973-1979 (A-11115-A-12000)
Text layout similar to the below from 1979
EMI
1979-1982 (BRIT 6-BRIT 45)
A variation to the front dating to 1980/81 exists with no cutout and a larger EMI logo in the centre
EMI
1982-1984 (A-689)
EMI
1984-1986
EMI
1986-1990
In various shades of red, blue, green, purple and yellow