After four years of BBC Records, and a couple of the BBC Cassettes brand, the LPs were suddenly rebadged as BBC Records & Tapes. The cassettes remained BBC Cassettes though.

The singles’ plastic moulded label would remain as BBC Records for now, but the previously blank die-cut sleeves were replaced with the iconic, blue and white, diagonal striped, BBC Records & Tapes logo though. Or that’s how it seems. Singles in company sleeves often get swapped around for second-hand sales. Or, discs still on the catalogue were issued at a later date in a contemporary sleeve. For now. I’ll say that they kept the label but introduced the sleeve in 1975.

10 Years of BBC Records & Tapes

The 1st November 1975 edition of Music Week carried a seven-page BBC Records Tenth Anniversary advertorial. Most of the pages are taken up with congratulations from various companies and suppliers associated with the label. Polydor have a whole page to sing happy birthday. PYE Records are pleased that their artists have appeared on the label. Peters International “are proud to distribute their product in the U.S.A.”. The whole edition is available here: https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1975/Music-Week-1975-11-01.pdf

Surveying their status within the record industry the puff piece – presumably penned by Richard Robson as Head of Publicity & Promotion and recently joined from Music Week – is clear about what there is to celebrate.

Today, BBC Records & Tapes holds a significant share of the total UK album market and is an integral part of the British record industry with a catalogue that offers as wide a choice of product as any of the major record companies. Indeed, virtually every conceivable repertoire area is covered by BBC Records & Tapes.

Music Week 1st November 1975