Big Money Cassettes
As some of you may remember, there was a time—between vinyl records and compact discs—that cassette tapes ruled the music roost. And while many of us have tossed our cassette tape collections, those who held on could be holding on to a whole lotta cash. You'll be surprised to know how much some of these rare (and not so rare) cassette tapes sell for these days. Like this one...
"Man In The Mirror" (Michael Jackson)
The original demo cassette tape of Jackson's hit song, "Man in the Mirror" is one tape many collectors would really love to have in their collection. So much so that this one tape has been estimated at a value of between $30,000 and $50,000.
Zoran Veselinovic, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
U2 1979 Demo
Okay, we've got another very rare one here. This U2 demo tape was made during their third recording session and features six songs (including the earliest known recording of "Out Of Control"). The song list is hand-typed on the cassette cover and the spine says "The U2 Demo". Bono also handwrote his address inside the cover and there is a phone number as well. The tape sold in 2019 for $8,582.39.
Lex van Rossen/MAI, Getty Images
"Just Because" (John Lennon 73 Recording)
It's one song on an orange cassette tape and it's worth a small fortune. An outtake of an inebriated John Lennon singing the Lloyd Price song "Just Because" is said to be worth $30,000-$40,000.
Ten (Pearl Jam)
From a super rare demo tape to a cassette tape that many of us owned in the 90s. This isn't a demo or special edition of Pearl Jam's debut album. It's the standard tape you would've picked up at your local Tower Records, HMV, or Sam Goody back in 1991 when Ten was released and made grunge music a household name. Sealed first pressing of Ten on cassette can go for $4000.
And if we're talking iconic grunge cassette tapes, we have to mention...
Pearl Jam - "Even Flow" / Ten (1991), Cassette Classics86
Nevermind (Nirvana)
Nirvana's second album became the number one album on the Billboard 200 in January of 1992 and if you bought the cassette tape back in the day and kept it sealed—you could be looking at $1,500. Although, even unsealed and used, you could pick up $50 for it.
NIRVANA - Nevermind (side A), Vintage Cassette Music
Pet Sounds (The Beach Boys)
It's The Beach Boys' masterpiece and a seminal album in music history. The version of Pet Sounds we're talking about here though is a mono cassette tape issued in 1968 (a stereo mix version came later). The cassette tape market was pretty new back in '68 and this was one of the initial 25 tapes Capitol Records released into said market. Sealed versions of this rare find have sold for $2,500.
The Beach Boys Pet Sounds cassette, Wouldn’t It Be Nice, Locutus Borg
Interview With Elvis Presley & His Parents
It's not one of the King's albums, but rather a taped interview he did with his parents back in 1956 (the year his first album came out). In 2007, this cassette sold for $7,170.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Wikimedia Commons
The Versace Experience—Prelude 2 Gold (Prince)
This promo tape was handed out to attendees of the Versace collection show at Paris Fashion Week in 1995, and featured excerpts from Prince's Gold album, a few tracks from the NPG Orchestra, and Prince’s jazz-funk band, Madhouse.
If you were at that show—or know someone who was—and you can get your hands on one of those cassettes now, you could be sitting on about $4,600.
Prince - RSD The Versace Experience Cassette Unboxing, The Purple Underground
"Happy Birthday" (Prince)
We aren't sure how much a cassette recording of Marylin Monroe singing "Happy Birthday" to JFK would sell for, but we do know that Prince's rendition of the song he sang for his bandmate Mayte Garcia sold for a little over $5,000.
penner, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Ride The Lightning (Metallica)
The band's final album to include Dave Mustaine—before he left to form Megadeth—sealed copies of the Ride The Lightning cassette have gone for $1,000 on eBay. Used copies have sold for $150. There are also green-sleeved misprint tapes that were sold in France. Metalheads will snap those up for a cool $300.
Metallica - The Unforgiven (cassette play), tungkissmeshop
Xero (Xero)
Who is Xero? Well, they are the band that became Hybrid Theory, and not long after that, became Linkin Park. The Xero cassette in question was a sampler the band put out to test the waters (and when the waters weren't interested, that led the way to the next incarnations of the group). However, as unsuccessful as the sampler was, it is worth $4,500 today.
Playing Xero Rhinestone Cassette Tape, Duff Channel
Jagged Little Pill (Alanis Morissette)
The Canadian singer might've been relatively unknown (especially outside of her home country) in 1995 when she released her third album, Jagged Little Pill. But she would never be unknown again once the record became one of the best-selling albums of all time.
I'm not sure there's anything ironic about the value of a sealed Jagged Little Pill cassette tape, but I do think you oughta know that they can sell for upwards of $600.
Alanis Morissette - Ironic (1996) Cassette Tape, retrocules
The Black Album (Prince)
Price makes a return appearance on our list via the 1987 promo cassette of his Black Album—you know, the album that he pulled just days before it was set to go on sale all over. That's why this promo is so rare and why it sold in 2017 for $8,750.
And from The Black Album to....
The Purple Tape (Pixies)
Officially, the Pixies' self-released 1987 album is called Pixies, but it is known among fans as The Purple Tape. And should you be able to get your hands on one of the 500 copies of The Purple Tape out there, you could sell it for about $1,000.
Elekes Andor, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Ode To Deodorant (Coldplay)
This 1988 Coldplay demo cassette features just two tracks—one of them being the song about deodorant. We don't know if the song stinks (get it?), but we do know that there are only 15 copies in existence and one of them sold for $799. That's the smell of money right there.
Coldplay - Trouble (cassette tape / kaset pita), taru aji
Licensed To Ill (Beastie Boys)
What was the first hip-hop album to top the Billboard 200—and the only hip-hop album in the 80s to sell 10 million copies in the United States? It was the Beastie Boys' Licensed to Ill, of course. Used cassettes of this Bestie classic will get you about $40, while sealed copies can bring in anywhere from $500-$1,500.
Beastie Boys - "No Sleep till Brooklyn" / License to Ill (1986), Cassette Classics86
Madonna (Madonna)
You can thank your lucky stars if you happen to have a sealed international release cassette tape of Madonna's debut album. Used versions can sell for 65 bucks, but a sealed copy will net you closer to $350.
MADONNA Cassette tape K7 Collection 1983 2005, Malik Boukrim
"Adult Diversion" (Alvvays)
Sure, cassette singles were a thing back in the 80s and 90s, but in 2013? Well, they were for Canadian indie-pop band Alvvays at least. The band sold cassette singles of their song "Adult Diversion" while on tour in 2013—making it a pretty rare find these days and a very desirable item for fans to get their hands on. Although, it will cost in the $3,400 range.
Paul Hudson, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Reasonable Doubt (Jay-Z)
The cassette of Madonna's debut album is worth some cash—and so is the first studio outing from one of the rap GOATs, Jay-Z. You could sell a used tape of J's first album for $100, but if you have a sealed copy, you're looking at $400 on eBay.
Jay-Z Reasonable Doubt on Cassette!!, Ayocallmeo
Deftones (Deftones)
You know how we know that the band only made 15 copies of their self-titled debut tape? Because it says so right there on the cassette cover. There are only four songs on the tape (the same four on both sides of the cassette, actually)—but that hasn't stopped this rarity from selling for upwards of around $5,000 in the past.
benjgibbs, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Phish (Phish)
This rare 1987 self-release features the Phish logo on a white background (ergo it often being referred to as The White Tape). To quote the note on one marketplace site: "This is the first official Phish release, though only some of the songs are performed by the full band. Other recordings are pre-Phish or Trey or Mike solo". In 2020, one of these tapes sold for $1,775.
Heather Katsoulis, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
The Smashing Pumpkins (The Smashing Pumpkins)
Another example of a rare self-release is this 1989 cassette made by The Smashing Pumpkins and sold at their early shows. It is estimated that they produced about 500 of them with handwritten labels (some by Billy Corgan himself). Sale prices on these cassettes have varied quite a bit, but some have sold in the $1,700 range.
Sven Mandel, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Doggystyle (Snoop Dogg)
Snoop Dogg's debut became the fastest-selling hip-hop album ever—and if you are looking to sell a sealed copy of the Doggystyle cassette tape, you could be looking at making over $500. If the version you have is used and not sealed, then you probably won't get more than $60 (although that's still a profit over what we paid for cassettes back in the day).
Doggystyle cassette unboxing...., KingBryan29
Michael Jackson's "Bad" Soundboard Tape
No, this isn't a bad cassette tape—but rather a soundboard recording from a rehearsal of Jackson's Bad Tour in Pensacola, Florida on February 18, 1988. In 2020, it sold for $8,100.
Matthew Rolston, Wikimedia Commons
Year Zero (Buck 65)
With its hand drawn cover art, this handmade tape from Canadian alternative hip-hop rapper Buck 65 is a very rare find. The album is pretty much only the second thing he ever released and features a whole slew of unreleased material by his alter-ego Stinkin' Rich on the B-side. According to one auction site, there were only about 10 of these cassettes ever made. If you have one though, it's worth over $2,200.
Daniel Jordahl, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
The Smiths Original 83 Demo
Few bands have as strong a cult following as The Smiths. The band only put out four albums in total and this demo cassette is from their first record. If you want to add it to your collection, just know that in 2022 it sold for $22,664.68.
"Opération Beurre De Pinottes" (Céline Dion, Music By Lewis Furey)
Opération Beurre de Pinottes (The Peanut Butter Solution) is a French-Canadian children's fantasy film from the 80s. But what makes it worth mentioning on our list here is that the film's soundtrack features two songs by world-renowned singer Céline Dion (back way before she was world-renowned). These cassettes have sold for over $2,100.
Egghead06, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Demo (Nirvana)
With 10 songs, including versions of "In Bloom" and "Lithium", this 1990 Nirvana demo tape was made for use within MCA Records. Copies of this cassette have sold for $426 as well as for $2,059.
Illmatic (Nas)
Nas's debut album was a big hit when it came out and has since become recognized as one of the greatest rap albums of all time. Even used copies of the cassette can sell for upward of $150. However, should you have a nice factory sealed copy—well, then you're looking at closer to $900.
Nas Illmatic 30th Anniversary Cassette Unboxing, RapandRelaxation
Primus (Primus)
This Primus 1984 self-released demo tape only has four songs on it. That's over $400 per song given that copies have sold for $1,700.
Frederik Dam Sunne, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
De La Viande Pour Le Disco (Various)
With 36 tracks, this De La Viande Pour Le Disco (which translates to "meat for the disco) album is a cornucopia of electronica, ambient, rock, pop, house, avant-garde, experimental, and Lo-fi tracks. This rare 1995 cassette has sold in the past for a range of prices from $54 to over $2,000.
Michael Jackson's Pepsi Commercial
No, not the actual commercial, but rather the cassette in question here is one with the studio-mastered playback tracks used for the infamous 1985 commercial (yes, the one in which his hair caught fire during filming). In 2010, the cassette sold for $2,560.
Larry Davis, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Ghost (Ghost)
Ghost only produced seven copies of this self-released demo tape. Copies have sold in the past for $40 as well as over $2,000.
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