Remember when Cassingles (aka Cassette Singles) were popular in the late 80's and early 90's?  They came in cardboard sleeves, but the ones in the early-mid 80's came with actual sleeves and plastic cases

The first cassette single I can recall owning was 'Two Tribes' by Frankie Goes to Hollywood, and as for the cardboard ones.. 'Every Little Tear' by Paul Janz

I only owned one, but I can't remember what the song was......hhmmmmmm.  Oh....(Everything I Do) I Do It For You - Bryan Adams

I only owned one, but I can't remember what the song was......hhmmmmmm.  Oh....(Everything I Do) I Do It For You - Bryan Adams


I had that one too.  I remember copies of it pretty much flew off the shelves in rapid numbers when it was releasesd :)

I did own one once....A Question Of Lust by Depeche Mode (Limited edition).

But the tape was of poor quality and squeakish. And it's long gone...

9  "Debbie Gibson" cassingles  :D


Out Of The Blue
Electric Youth
No More Rhyme
We Could Be Together
Anything Is Possible (3 copies!)
Losin' Myself

And tons...

As for the rest: U2, Depeche Mode, Bel Biv DeVoe, The Cure, INXS,  etc  :D

I collect them, but mostly the songs I like

I didn't even know what they were until 1989 or '90, but I loved 'em. Good way to get a song or two without having to get the whole album (though I later often did anyway, lol).

Some of our first ones were:

Don't Wanna Fall in Love - Jane Child
Broken Arrow - Rod Stewart
Mysterious Ways - U2
I Wanna Be Your Man - Roger
Heaven in the Backseat - Eddie Money
Human Touch - Bruce Springsteen

More towards the mid 90's, I bought alot of them myself, since I tended to like more individual songs, as opposed to everything, like I did/do from the 80's. Most of them I've now gotten rid of, but I think this was some of them:

Baby I Love Your Way - Big Mountain
Everyday - Phil Collins
The Sign - Ace of Base
Love is All Around - Wet Wet Wet
Wild Night - John Mellencamp
Come to My Window - Melissa Etheridge
Roll to Me - Del Amitri
You Are Not Alone - Michael Jackson
Get Over it - Eagles
Miles Away - Winger
I'll Never Get Over You Getting Over Me - Expose

I still have a bunch of my old ones from the late 80's/early 90's.






Erin :)

I did own one once....A Question Of Lust by Depeche Mode (Limited edition).

But the tape was of poor quality and squeakish. And it's long gone...


I have to add that cassette singles never made it over here. I don't know why, but I think it's because they were around about the same time the first CD singles were released (which were of far better quality).

I had a few, but never really liked them.  I prefer vinyl.

Here are the ones I did have (that I remember):

"Unskinny Bop" - Poison
"Don't Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)" - Mötley Crüe
"Epic" - Faith No More
"Praying For Time" - George Michael
"I Like" - Guy

I sitll have

Armageddon It- Def Leppard    ;)
Love of a Lifetime- Firehouse
Cradle of Love- Billy Idol

I have a whole bunch of them. I think the first ones I bought were by the Spice Girls and Boyzone!! 1996 that was.

I think the last one I bought was in 1999 or even 2000! But that was also the last single I ever bought. I just buy albums now, as the singles charts are generally awful nowadays. Full of music that I either cannot stand - the only good stuff that gets released never usually even hits the top 10.

I do fee that buying singles is pointless. I mean, even ring tones are outselling singles - and that says A LOT. I wish that bloody Crazy frog would stay away from both the singles charts and ringtones - he should be banned!

I just went through boxes of my cassette tapes, and found a few of my cassingles (i know i have more, but i am too lazy to look for them lol) ...

Love and Rockets - So Alive
Don Henley - The Heart of the Matter
Debbie Gibson - No More Rhyme
Vanessa Williams - Save the Best For Last
Roxette - Dressed For Success
Bryan Adams - Please Forgive Me
Cher - If I Could Turn Back Time
Firehouse - Love of A Lifetime
Janet Jackson - Come Back to Me
Sheree - Woman's Work
West End Girls - I Want You Back
Ace of Base - All That She Wants
Ace of Base - Don't Turn Around
World on Edge - Wash the Rain
Clarence Carter - Strokin' <Extended Version>
Paula Abdul - The Promise of A New Day
Paula Abdul - Blowing Kisses in the Wind
Alanis - Too Hot
UB40 - Can't Help Falling in Love
Crowded House - It's Only Natural
Samantha Fox - I Only Wanna Be With You
Chesney Hawkes - The One and Only
Roxette - Fading Like A Flower
Madonna - This Used to Be My Playground
Rick Astley - Giving Up on Love
Texas - Rick's Road Sampler
Color Me Badd - All 4 Love
Belinda Carlisle - Summer Rain
Taylor Dayne - With Every Beat of My Heart
Go West - King of Wishful Thinking
David A. Stewart introducing Candy Dulfer - Lily Was Here
Whitney Houston - Run to You
Susanna Hoffs - My Side of the Bed
Genesis - I Can't Dance

I have 4 Mariah Carey cassingles....Fantasy, Honey, Always Be My Baby and One Sweet Day.  I have quite a few others, but the names escape me at the moment.

The only thing I've ever owned that's anything close to a cassingle would be Elton John's Candle in the Wind '97.

The only thing I've ever owned that's anything close to a cassingle would be Elton John's Candle in the Wind '97.



Yeah, I don't think I own any cassingle's either, even though I defidently remember seeing them in the early/mid-'90s.

I just remembered a few more I had:

"All I Do Is Think Of You" - Troop
"Dazzey Dukes" - Duice :D
"85 South" - Yall So Stupid

I currently have a box full of them  :D

The most, Deborah Gibson with 6, 8 including dupilcates

I owned several. I thought they were just normal since singles were pretty much the quickest way to get your favorite new song at the time. I don't know if kids today will ever understand that anticipation of waiting for a single to come out or a new album, for that matter.

The ones that come to mind that I owned (and may still have):

Baby I love Your Way - Big Mountain
Cryin' - Aerosmith
All for Love - Color Me Badd

... and that's all that comes to my mind at the moment.

The only thing I've ever owned that's anything close to a cassingle would be Elton John's Candle in the Wind '97.


Ohh, yes, we had this one and still have it lying around somewhere!

I owned several. I thought they were just normal since singles were pretty much the quickest way to get your favorite new song at the time. I don't know if kids today will ever understand that anticipation of waiting for a single to come out or a new album, for that matter.

The ones that come to mind that I owned (and may still have):

Baby I love Your Way - Big Mountain
Cryin' - Aerosmith
All for Love - Color Me Badd

... and that's all that comes to my mind at the moment.


OMG, I had "Baby I Love Your Way" too and I loved that song then, still do. :) 8)

Yeah I bought lots of tape singles in the early-mid '90s, because there were alot of singles that I liked but not necesarilly a fan of the artists in general. Whenever I got full albums it was usually '80s stuff, or artists that I liked in general like Weird Al. It was good for us 'cause we didn't necesarilly have much money at the time, being like around late Elementary or early Middle school, lol. Even if my mom and I liked alot of the same music (so I got alot of what I liked kinda easier anyway), it was still nice to spend two bucks instead of ten. ;)

It seems like 1989-1997 was the cassingle's time.

  Cassingles were cool.  Had a box of 'em.  And I remember throwing ALL of them away, at once, in 1995.  The kid next door snagged them out of our garbage...

  Bought my very first cassingle in 1987 in New Orleans while I was visiting my brother, and I think it was Give To Live by Sammy Hagar...

OMG, I had "Baby I Love Your Way" too and I loved that song then, still do. :) 8)

Yeah I bought lots of tape singles in the early-mid '90s, because there were alot of singles that I liked but not necesarilly a fan of the artists in general. Whenever I got full albums it was usually '80s stuff, or artists that I liked in general like Weird Al. It was good for us 'cause we didn't necesarilly have much money at the time, being like around late Elementary or early Middle school, lol. Even if my mom and I liked alot of the same music (so I got alot of what I liked kinda easier anyway), it was still nice to spend two bucks instead of ten. ;)

It seems like 1989-1997 was the cassingle's time.


haha, that's so strange! I swear I thought I was the only person in the world that bought that single of Big Mountain's! I always liked that version and still do. I remember it was from a movie, too. I can't remember, but it was one of those Gen X movies, maybe "Singles" or something like that.

Yes, that's what I liked about them then - buying a song that you liked from an artist you didn't feel quite sure about. Buying an album was always a big decision to me, even as a kid. I seemed to make my choices wisely, as I didn't want to waste my money nor my parents. Although, there were a few I think I still regret buying! lol.

I think you've got the years right on the cassingles popularity.

Usually cassette singles had one good song (which is why you bought it) and one bad b-side.  However, some cassette singles actually had @ good songs!!   

Here are a couple I remember

Wu-Tang Clan - I believe it had Protect Ya Neck on one side and M.E.T.H.O.D. Man on the other side. A double Whammy!

Sade - No Ordinary Love / Paradise

Can you name some of these singles with two good songs?

I remember Cassingles and HATED  >:( them with a passion.

Working at a music store during the late 80's and early 90's when cassingles were in their heyday...

The most annoying part of the music store was the cassingles, unlike the rest of the full album cassettes these were open to the public to browse through and steal, and thereby keep in a constant state of disarray.

Mostly kids bought them at .99 to 2.99 (depending on the songs/single/extended mix).

I would hate being assigned to the cassette wall only to have to babysit teenagers and *shoplifters too* asking for the latest Vanilla Ice single and repeatedly answer yes we have "whatever lame pop song that is being played ad infinitum" and its price, hand or point out its location to them, have them squeal with delight, look and hold it like they found the holy grail, and then not buy it.

It made no sense to me as to why people bought them, the quality of the songs (already poor considering the artists that mainly used cassingles for distribution) the actual quality of manufacture of the cassingle tapes themselves was terrible and they usually broke from repeated playings very quickly. Most stores and local distributors found it very hard make money on them and were a pain to keep in stock if a track was hot, or return if the popular song died quickly.

Also thought it was bizarre that kids would buy three or more singles from the same artist for 1.99 to 2.99 but not buy the whole tape/album at $7.99, claiming "Well I don't know if I'll like the whole album" even though they've already spent more than the cost of the album on cassingles separately already... ::) :P

I still have quite a few cassette singles left, even though many more of them got lost over the years. I believe the first cassette single I ever bought was "The Right Stuff" by NKOTB. I think I also have some 45 RPM singles left somewhere in storage.

I had a gang of them.

I remember Cassingles and HATED  >:( them with a passion.

Working at a music store during the late 80's and early 90's when cassingles were in their heyday...

The most annoying part of the music store was the cassingles, unlike the rest of the full album cassettes these were open to the public to browse through and steal, and thereby keep in a constant state of disarray.

Mostly kids bought them at .99 to 2.99 (depending on the songs/single/extended mix).

I would hate being assigned to the cassette wall only to have to babysit teenagers and *shoplifters too* asking for the latest Vanilla Ice single and repeatedly answer yes we have "whatever lame pop song that is being played ad infinitum" and its price, hand or point out its location to them, have them squeal with delight, look and hold it like they found the holy grail, and then not buy it.

It made no sense to me as to why people bought them, the quality of the songs (already poor considering the artists that mainly used cassingles for distribution) the actual quality of manufacture of the cassingle tapes themselves was terrible and they usually broke from repeated playings very quickly. Most stores and local distributors found it very hard make money on them and were a pain to keep in stock if a track was hot, or return if the popular song died quickly.

Also thought it was bizarre that kids would buy three or more singles from the same artist for 1.99 to 2.99 but not buy the whole tape/album at $7.99, claiming "Well I don't know if I'll like the whole album" even though they've already spent more than the cost of the album on cassingles separately already... ::) :P


Someone is a wee bit disgruntled. LOL.  I used to love cassingles because you didn't have to buy the whole CD.  Especially some of those trendy raps songs that you just knew the CD would be really bad.  For example, 
Snap - The Power (I also owned the cassette)
Technotronic - Pump Up The Jam
Wrecks N Effect - Rumpshaker
MC Hammer - Can't Touch This
Tag Team - Whoomp There It Is
Duice - Dazzy Duks

I remember my younger cousin buying cassingles of Bros  ::)

I still have mine from the 90s. An entire compartment packed with cassingles or cassette singles that I have kept all of these years. I can still remember the days when my parents bought them for me. It was tons of fun going to the music stores and getting them!

Remember when Cassingles (aka Cassette Singles) were popular in the late 80's and early 90's?  They came in cardboard sleeves, but the ones in the early-mid 80's came with actual sleeves and plastic cases

The first cassette single I can recall owning was 'Two Tribes' by Frankie Goes to Hollywood, and as for the cardboard ones.. 'Every Little Tear' by Paul Janz


As a fan of cassingles, longboxes, the late 80s, and the early 90s, I love this thread!


I remember my younger cousin buying cassingles of Bros  ::)


Which Bros single was it? When Will I Be Famous?

I still have mine from the 90s. An entire compartment packed with cassingles or cassette singles that I have kept all of these years. I can still remember the days when my parents bought them for me. It was tons of fun going to the music stores and getting them!


I still have all my tapes like 800 or so. But as far as singles, I got very few. I preferred the whole album as more bang for the buck.

Willson Phillips- Hold On , was collecting everything by them and found it in a resale.
Willson Phillips- silent night, probably the last song they did together for a long time
Spacehog- in the meantime, wanted to learn it
Kathy mattea- walking away a winner, wanted to learn it

There might have been a few more but they’re in the basement and it’s an icebox down there lol

I still have all my tapes like 800 or so. But as far as singles, I got very few. I preferred the whole album as more bang for the buck.

Willson Phillips- Hold On , was collecting everything by them and found it in a resale.
Willson Phillips- silent night, probably the last song they did together for a long time
Spacehog- in the meantime, wanted to learn it
Kathy mattea- walking away a winner, wanted to learn it

There might have been a few more but they’re in the basement and it’s an icebox down there lol


What attracted you to Wilson Philips?

Something in the blend of their voices. They were my music heartthrob in high school.

I still have a tonne of cassingles. They were handy if you liked a song, but not enough to buy it on cd single lol.

I have one longbox cd from the group Five Star - had to get it on import.

Wilson Phillips I love too. "Hold On" takes me back to a happy hot summer in 1990.

Their second album was my favourite though. Lots of good tracks on there and their new big hair image was a good move.

I still have a tonne of cassingles. They were handy if you liked a song, but not enough to buy it on cd single lol.

I have one longbox cd from the group Five Star - had to get it on import.

Wilson Phillips I love too. "Hold On" takes me back to a happy hot summer in 1990.

Their second album was my favourite though. Lots of good tracks on there and their new big hair image was a good move.


Shadows and light was great, along with some of their side projects.

I still have a tonne of cassingles. They were handy if you liked a song, but not enough to buy it on cd single lol.

I have one longbox cd from the group Five Star - had to get it on import.

Wilson Phillips I love too. "Hold On" takes me back to a happy hot summer in 1990.

Their second album was my favourite though. Lots of good tracks on there and their new big hair image was a good move.


That was a happy hot summer that became a happy hot fall, also. It had to be that hole in the ozone layer.

Wow - I just saw that I last commented on this in 2005! I genuinely still have all of my cassingles still. Can't say I have listened to any of them since the 90s, but I am glad i kept all of my old music.

Does anyone collect cassingles from the 80s and 90s?