Through a course of events, I went down a rabbit hole to find out the first album issued in a clear cassette shell.

Google AI says it's Dire Straits Brothers in Arms. But I know that's wrong because its release date was mid-May. Prince's ATWIAD was April 22, a full three weeks later.

I found a 1985 in Music page on Wikipedia. I'm going backwards from April 22 on Discogs to find another clear shell release.

So far, I've found nothing.

Could ATWIAD be the first clear shell cassette release??? Does anyone know of a prior release that was a clear shell?

On caveat is a promo only copy of Howard Jones's Dream Into Action was in a clear shell. But it wasn't a commercial release.

The original one (or mine at least) is in the off-white shell. Maybe the clear-case was a later release?

billymeade said:

The original one (or mine at least) is in the off-white shell. Maybe the clear-case was a later release?

I very much remember buying it in late April and it was a clear shell. I threw it my friend's car stereo and we had a very quizzical look on our faces on the drive home. haha

databank said:

I don't know, but since I collected cassettes in the late 80s/early 90s, I remember clearly that after 1985 or so, WEA (and WB in particular) had the best cassettes in terms of quality and design (alongside Geffen and MCA IIRC, who also had really cool ones). EMI, Capitol, RCA, Polygram and BMG cassettes sucked. I think the worst were Capitol and EMI: not only were they quite ugly, but the tape was super thin and fragile. CBS/Sony were OK, but still not up to WEA's in terms of design.

I agree with that assessment very much.

https://prince.org/msg/7/...?&pg=8

Reply #231 says there was one as early as 1980

[Edited 6/13/25 11:05am]

I bought it back in 85 not too soon after the release and it was clear and it was the first time I saw that. Not sure it was the first one ever tho

I belive it was the first clear shell. It was clear in the US at relase.

billymeade said:

billymeade said:

The original one (or mine at least) is in the off-white shell. Maybe the clear-case was a later release?

US or outside? They were clear in the US at release. *also ATWIAD may have been the first of a very few FEW albums released on CD with a folding packaging the same size as a CD Long Box....Also releaed on clear cassette and folding long box was motley crews theatre odd pain. (which was on Elektra which was owned b y WB)

JorisE73 said:

https://prince.org/msg/7/...?&pg=8

Reply #231 says there was one as early as 1980

[Edited 6/13/25 11:05am]

IIRC the pastic was clear but it has a stick on lable... we could amened this to "clear sgelll with the text printed on the cassette itsel"

TrivialPursuit said:

I very much remember buying it in late April and it was a clear shell. I threw it my friend's car stereo and we had a very quizzical look on our faces on the drive home. haha

happyshopper said:

This is the nerdiest collector thread I’ve ever read! 😅

fms said:

Talking Heads Stop Making Sense was issued in 1984 in a clear case. I believe that may have been the first.

Hmmm, Discogs reflects that to be true. Is it the first? It's certainly closer in the running.