Now 64 Cassette Mystery
Did a UK cassette edition of NOW 64 ever exist?
Contemporary evidence
Promotional material produced at the time of the album's release advertised cassette and CD formats, suggesting that a cassette edition was, at the very least, planned during the production and marketing stages.
There have also been recollections from individuals who believe they briefly saw the cassette listed by retailers before it disappeared, suggesting that a release may have been scheduled before being withdrawn. However, no contemporary retailer records or archived listings have been located to verify these accounts.
Published references
Over the years, numerous books, articles and respected music commentators have referred to NOW 64 as the final cassette release in the main UK series. These references have contributed to a widely accepted belief that the cassette was commercially released.
However, these sources are all secondary references. None provides direct evidence of a physical cassette, nor do they include catalogue information, photographs or official documentation confirming that the release reached retail sale. As a result, it is possible that later publications have repeated an earlier assumption rather than independently verifying the cassettes existence.
Absence of primary evidence
Despite almost two decades of interest from collectors, no authenticated evidence of a commercially released UK cassette has come to light.
As of 2026, the following have not been verified:
- A genuine retail cassette.
- Photographs or scans of an original copy.
- A confirmed catalogue number.
- Contemporary retailer listings.
- Official EMI or Virgin release documentation confirming commercial availability.
- A verified owner able to produce a copy.
Likewise, no authenticated sales records from auction sites or collector marketplaces have surfaced.
Rumours and speculation
A number of explanations have been suggested over the years to account for the lack of physical evidence. These include claims that only a very small quantity was manufactured, that the cassette was available only through selected motorway service stations, or that the release was cancelled shortly before its scheduled launch after promotional material had already been produced.
While these theories would explain why promotional material refers to a cassette, none has been supported by verifiable evidence.
Conclusion
The available evidence suggests that a cassette edition of Now 64 was intended for release, as demonstrated by contemporary promotional material. However, after nearly twenty years, no authenticated physical copy or official documentation has emerged to confirm that it was ever commercially released.
Although many published sources continue to describe NOW 64 as the final cassette in the main UK series, these statements remain unsupported by primary evidence. Until a genuine cassette or official release documentation is discovered, the existence of a commercially released UK cassette edition should be regarded as unconfirmed.
As such, the purported NOW 64 cassette remains one of the longest-running and most intriguing mysteries in the history of the NOW That's What I Call Music! series.