The Top 100 Most Expensive Cassettes Sold on Discogs in 2019

Cassette sales on Discogs have continued to grow steadily at quite a rapid pace over the past few years. On top of that, the Discogs community has added over 50,000 new submissions to Discogs Database in 2019 compared to the previous year.

Due to the often short runs produced and (and the fact that the music might not be available on any other format), some cassettes can be worth a substantial amount of money. The most expensive cassette sold in 2019 was a boxset, Untieddiaries 1979-87, by various artists. This deluxe collection features the complete United Diaries (a British experimental rock and electronica label) catalog and related items. Only 50 were ever made. The past three times this set has come up for sale, it has sold for over $2,000 — a true collector’s item!

On our list of the most expensive cassettes sold in 2019, we are seeing releases from underground artists across many genres. Rap releases once again holds very strong positions all through the top 100, with releases such as MC Jake’s EP, Onyx co-founder BIG DS’s solo release, and California duo D.O.A‘s premier album all commanding over $500 apiece!

There is also a trend in Japanese releases, such as Tatsuro Yamashita and Haruomi Hosono. This may be due to the resurgence in popularity of city pop, a Japanese genre that was very popular in the late-1970s to mid-1980s. It could also be attributed to the seemingly nonstop rise in popularity of vaporwave, like this one on the charts.

And of course, rare releases from well-known artists will always be highly sought-after. We saw The Beatles, The Offspring, Marilyn Manson, and ABBA all selling for over $400 each.

While cassettes make up just under 5% of the total media sales on Discogs, you can be assured that the format is still alive and well. There were more than 200,000 cassettes sold in 2019, which shows there is still a strong love worldwide for a format that is often looked down on.

Long live the humble cassette!

1. #100 Every Time I Die – Every Time I Die

   $270.00

   Cass

2. #98 – Tie Descontrol – Producto De Las Circunstancias

   $275.00

   Cass, S/Sided, Album

3. #98 – Tie Koncrete Method – Richmond 2 Oakland

   $275.00

   Cass, Album

4. #97 Repugnant – Spawn Of Pure Malevolence

   $279.57

   Cass

5. #95 – Tie Shizuka – 静香

   $280.00

   Cass, C54

6. #95 – Tie Mortem – Slow Death

   $280.00

   Cass

7. #94 Various – Dreambox_1

   $285.71

   Cass, Album, RE + Cass, Album, RE + Cass, Album, R

8. #93 Various – New Breed!

   $288.83

   Cass, Comp

9. #92 Hiroshi Yoshimura – 音の島

   $290.00

   Cass, Album

10. #91 Mónica Naranjo – Bad Girls

    $291.00

    Cass, Album

11. #90 Céline Dion Music By Lewis Furey – The Peanut Butter Solution

    $295.70

    Cass, Album

12. #89 Ganja Boys Clique – Ganja Boys Clique

    $299.00

    Cass, EP

13. #83 – Tie The Cure – Happily Ever After

    $299.99

    Cass, Comp, Pre

14. #83 – Tie Life Of Agony – The Stain Remains

    $299.99

    Cass, S/Sided

15. #83 – Tie The Cure – Pornography

    $299.99

    Cass, Album, Pre

16. #83 – Tie 井内賢吾* – 邪鬼祭 ’89ライブ

    $299.99

    Cass, Ltd, RE

17. #83 – Tie DJ Screw – Freestyle Kings

    $299.99

    Cass, Album, Mixed

18. #83 – Tie Big B – Nothing But Game

    $299.99

    Cass, Album
19. #70 – Tie Various – Pandemonium

    $300.00

    Cass, Comp

20. #70 – Tie Makaveli – Hail Mary

    $300.00

    Cass, Single

21. #70 – Tie Sub Contents – Untitled (Demo)

    $300.00

    Cass, EP, Dem

22. #70 – Tie Late! – Pocketwatch

    $300.00

    Cass, Album

23. #70 – Tie Deep South Click – Eye To Eye

    $300.00

    Cass, Album

24. #70 – Tie Deep South Click – How Long Will It Be

    $300.00

    Cass, Album

25. #70 – Tie YippiYo “007” – Out Tha Bounds

    $300.00

    Cass, Maxi

26. #70 – Tie The Legend Lady J – Life In The Ghetto

    $300.00

    Cass, Album

27. #70 – Tie A Tribe Called Quest – Low End Theory

    $300.00

    Cass, Album, Promo

28. #70 – Tie Ariel Kalma – Osmose

    $300.00

    Cass

29. #70 – Tie SAINT PEPSI – Hit Vibes

    $300.00

    Cass, Ltd, RE

30. #70 – Tie Hootie & The Blowfish – Hootie & The Blowfish

    $300.00

    Cass, EP

31. #69 Cro-Mags – Age Of Quarrel

    $305.00

    Cass

32. #68 The Black Hoods* – Six G’$ N Countin

    $305.10

    Cass, Album

33. #67 The Trip – Caronte

    $322.47

    Cass, Album

34. #65 – Tie Deep Wound – American Style

    $322.57

    Cass, S/Sided

35. #65 – Tie Tre Allegri Ragazzi Morti – Allegro Pogo Morto

    $322.57

    Cass

36. #60 – Tie Vomito Negro – Vomito Negro

    $322.58

    12″, S/Sided + 4xCass, C60 + Box, Ltd

37. #60 – Tie Atrax Morgue – Deadbag

    $322.58

    5xCass + Cass, S/Sided + Box, Comp, Ltd

38. #60 – Tie Saturn Form Essence – H.Y.K.-14-2-02

    $322.58

    20xCass, Mono, Num + 3xFloppy, MP3, 3,5″, Mono, Nu

39. #60 – Tie Kickback – Kickback

    $322.58

    Cass, Promo

40. #60 – Tie Hijyokaidan* – Originals

    $322.58

    Cass, Album

41. #56 – Tie The Black Queen – Fever Daydream MMXV

    $324.68

    Cass, Num

42. #56 – Tie David Bowie – The Man Who Sold The World

    $324.68

    Cass, Album

43. #56 – Tie Frans Zwartjes – Music By Frans Zwartjes

    $324.68

    Cass

44. #56 – Tie Monte Cazazza – At Leeds Fan Club / Scala, London / Oundle School

    $324.68

    Cass, C60

45. #55 Genocide Organ – Rio Dulce Izabal / Sierra De Lacondon

    $325.00

    Cass, Single, Ltd, Num

46. #54 Of Montreal – Cassette Box Set

    $327.74

    10xCass, Ltd, Num + Box, Comp

47. #53 Various – Noise Fest

    $335.00

    Cass, Comp, C90

48. #52 Tom Recchion – Freak Show

    $349.46

    Cass, Album

49. #51 E-40 – Mr. Flamboyant EP

    $349.97

    Cass, EP, Whi

50. #45 – Tie Beastie Boys – Paul’s Boutique

    $350.00

    Cass, Album, Promo

51. #45 – Tie Jimmy Eat World – ’94 Demo Cassette

    $350.00

    Cass, Dem

52. #45 – Tie Cuicide – Final Exit

    $350.00

    Cass, Album

53. #45 – Tie Blue House Boyz* – This Is How We Chill

    $350.00

    Cass, RE

54. #45 – Tie Mr. Bungle – OU818

    $350.00

    Cass

55. #45 – Tie 2Pac – 2Pacalypse Now

    $350.00

    Cass, Album, Promo

56. #44 Kickback – Winter Ends

    $354.84

    Cass, Promo

57. #43 The True Mayhem* – Pure Fucking Armageddon

    $358.06

    Cass, RE

58. #42 2Pac – Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z.

    $360.00

    Cass, Album, Promo

59. #41 CHBB – 4

    $375.27

    Cass, Ltd, C10

60. #39 – Tie Various – Punk United

    $376.34

    Cass, Comp

61. #39 – Tie Dead Or Alive – Nukleopatra

    $376.34

    Cass, Album

62. #33 – Tie Eloe & The Boss City Klicke – Louisiana Street’s

    $400.00

    Cass, Maxi

63. #33 – Tie Limp Richerds – The Limp Richerds

    $400.00

    Cass

64. #33 – Tie Organize Crime Family – From Da Southside

    $400.00

    Cass, Album

65. #33 – Tie Death Grips – The Money Store

    $400.00

    Cass, Album

66. #33 – Tie Kylie Minogue – Kylie Minogue

    $400.00

    Cass, Album

67. #33 – Tie Rage Against The Machine – Rage Against The Machine

    $400.00

    Cass

68. #32 ABBA – Disco Special 1 + 2

    $408.60

    Cass, Comp

69. #29 – Tie Various – Lystisnekkjan Gloría

    $430.11

    Cass

70. #29 – Tie Eminem – Kamikaze

    $430.11

    Cass, Album, Ltd, Glo

71. #29 – Tie Rammstein – Rammstein

    $430.11

    Cass, Promo, Smplr

72. #28 細野晴臣* – 花に水

    $431.42

    Cass, Album + Box, Boo

73. #26 – Tie Amanda Palmer – Amanda Palmer

    $450.00

    Cass

74. #26 – Tie M.C. Proof* & D.J. Head* – W.E.G.O. N!??# Whuddd!

    $450.00

    Cass, Comp, Mixed

75. #25 The Instant Automatons – Tape Transport

    $454.55

    Cass, Album

76. #24 Kent – Verkligen

    $483.87

    Cass, Album

77. #23 The New Blockaders – Epater Les Bourgeois (Special Edition)

    $495.07

    Cass, RE, C46 + Lathe, 7″, Han + 2xB…

78. #22 The Beatles – The Beatles Box Set

    $499.88

    16xCass, 12 + Box, Comp, Ltd

79. #13 – Tie The Offspring – 7 songs

    $500.00

    Cass, S/Sided

80. #13 – Tie Three Tymes Luv – Irresistible

    $500.00

    Cass, Album

81. #13 – Tie Izzy Stradlin And The Ju Ju Hounds – November 1993 DAT (Bill Price Rough Mixes)

    $500.00

    Cass, Rou

82. #13 – Tie Metallica – No Life ‘Til Leather

    $500.00

    Cass, S/Sided, EP

83. #13 – Tie The Artist (Formerly Known As Prince) – P Control

    $500.00

    Cass, Promo

84. #13 – Tie t e l e p a t h テレパシー能力者* – アンタラ通信

    $500.00

    Cass, Album, Ltd, C94

85. #13 – Tie Tatsuro Yamashita – For You

    $500.00

    Cass, Album

86. #13 – Tie Tool – Aenima (Advance Copy)

    $500.00

    Cass, Album, Promo

87. #13 – Tie 151 – Drank No Chasa

    $500.00

    Cass, Album

88. #12 Hrossharsgrani – Uruk-Hai

    $519.48

    Cass, Album, Ltd, Num

89. #10 – Tie Dorothy Iannone – Speaking To Each Other

    $537.63

    Cass, Album, Dlx, Ltd, Num, S/Edition

90. #10 – Tie IAM – Concept

    $537.63

    Cass, Album

91. #9 Marilyn Manson & The Spooky Kids – Lunchbox

    $550.00

    Cass, Album

92. #8 D.O.A. – Habitual

    $600.00

    Cass, Album

93. #7 Big DS – Untitled

    $698.92

    Cass, EP, Dem

94. #5 – Tie The Offspring – 6 Songs

    $750.00

    Cass, S/Sided

95. #5 – Tie Burzum – In The Arms Of Darkness

    $750.00

    15xCass, Comp, Ltd

96. #4 MC Jake – Let Me Smoke

    $800.00

    Cass, Maxi

97. #3 Various – Mechanics Of Deconstruction

    $888.00

    Cass, Album

98. #2 Erasure – Love To Hate You (Chinese Version)

    $967.73

    Cass, S/Sided, Single, TP

99. #1 Various – Untieddiaries 1979-87

    $2,200.00

    32xCass, Comp, Ltd, Sui