New Zealand Welcomes You!

Article by: SPfreaks

Article written by Derek Miller

SPfreaks has recently done some research regarding New Zealand versus Australian/ Australasia cassette releases. We are proud to present to you our findings. Not only are New Zealand releases unusually rare, before now, they were hard to identify. Here are some foolproof methods to employ:

1) The symbol really is the key. The symbol (presented here as a repeated border design) appears exclusively on all official NZ cassette releases – and they are nearly always on Virgin or Warner or BMG major labels. If you see this symbol appear on the cassette, you know it’s from NZ.

2) All the 90’s NZ cassettes are pressed on clear/dark gray cassettes. Note the photo below. All the cassettes are exactly the same, with the visually distinct and characteristic symbol.

Furthermore, NZ cassettes occasionally have a reference to NZ on the sleeve (and often on the actual cassette), but sleeves are usually based on the Netherlands/USA/UK or Australian issues, but in paper sleeves (never cardboard slipcases like most Australian cassingle releases).

We are happy to provide this information and hope it helps you determine what you own, or want to own in the future.

Happy hunting, as always.