8-track cartridge editions
The 8-track cartridge was introduced for standard Top of the Pops albums at least as early as Volume 27 (early 1973) although cartridges are known from some of the prior spin-off releases (eg, Top of the Tots Volume 1). Early cartridges came in white plastic shells, but with Volume 36 they changed to black. The white shell made a re-appearance in mid-1978.
The 8-track cartridge was sold shrink-wrapped, and collectors who are seeking as-new copies should aim to obtain these, as they will be unplayed.
Please contact us if you can help fill in any of the gaps below.
Vol 59
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Vol 60
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Vol 61
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Vol 62
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Vol 67
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Vol 68
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Vol 69
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Vol 70
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Unusual editions
Although there was a rule in place, concerning which coloured shell a given cartridge would be manufactured in, we are aware of a couple of exceptions. The cartridge volume 72 above, is shown with a black shell - we have seen more than one black edition but have not yet found a white one, although it is likely that they exist. Volume 60 is another which was definitely issued in both - the black shell is shown above, as a regular edition, and the anomalous white shell version is shown below:
Best-of-year
Sing & Play
Top of the Tots
Others
Motortown
Hits |
Disco Mania
Vol 1 |
Songs from the movie, Grease
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Love
Story |
Unusual editions
Again, examples have turned up where the colour of the shell is not as one would expect, given the vintage of the tape...
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