The Best Of The Doors

The Best Of The Doors, catalog number TC-55035, was released by Elektra Records in 1973 as a US cassette pressing. What separates this specific configuration from the standard stereo tape is its quadraphonic encoding, making it a distinctly different object from the conventional releases collectors typically encounter. The ℗ & © 1973 Elektra/Warner Communications imprint confirms this as an original period release, not a later reissue, and the absence of a barcode on the J-card and the lack of a pressing plant code on the shell are the two identifying markers that define this particular variant.

The J-card itself follows the visual language Elektra used across its early-1970s tape catalog, drawing from the same artwork employed on the companion LP releases. The front panel features the familiar sepia-toned photographic imagery associated with this compilation, rendered in the compact format of the cassette J-card without sacrificing much of the original design intent. The Elektra butterfly logo appears in its period-correct form, and the catalog number TC-55035 is printed clearly. The absence of a barcode is immediately visible on close inspection of the rear panel, where later pressings would carry the UPC stripe. For anyone cross-referencing against other versions, including the 8-track cassette variant or the Reel-to-Reel counterpart, that bare rear panel is a quick visual confirmation you have the right piece. The cassette shell itself is a period US-manufactured housing, and without a pressing plant code stamped into the shell, attribution to a specific facility is not possible from the physical object alone. The tape window shows the standard Elektra labeling in the era's typographic style, with side designations and track listings printed directly. Overall physical condition on surviving copies varies considerably given the format's age, but the construction is typical of quality US tape manufacturing from the period.

The quadraphonic angle is where this cassette earns its place as a genuine variant rather than just another format duplication. Quad tape releases from the early 1970s occupy their own corner of rock collecting, and a Doors title in that format is not something you trip over casually. The quadraphonic mix would have been prepared separately from the standard stereo master, meaning the sonic presentation here differs in meaningful ways from what collectors know from the stereo tape or the standard LP pressing. The eleven-track sequence runs from "Who Do You Love" through "Light My Fire," covering the commercial touchstones: "Hello, I Love You," "People Are Strange," "Riders On The Storm," "Touch Me," "Love Her Madly," "Love Me Two Times," "Moonlight Drive," and "Soul Kitchen" alongside "Take It As It Comes." The selection pulls from across the band's studio catalog, drawing on albums like The Soft Parade and Waiting For The Sun, giving it a broad retrospective character. Collectors comparing this against the original Best Of LP will find the track listing consistent, but the quad encoding makes the cassette a separate artifact rather than a tape dub of the stereo master. On Discogs, 208 collectors report owning this specific pressing while 34 have it on their want list, which indicates reasonable survivability without suggesting it is common. The want-to-have ratio points to a release that surfaces regularly enough to find but is not abundant. The combination of quad format, period manufacture, and the two specific identifying absences, no barcode and no shell code, means condition-grading and variant verification both matter when sourcing a copy. Anyone building a complete Doors tape collection or focusing on quadraphonic rock releases from the early 1970s will want to verify those two markers before purchasing. Those building the fuller picture of Doors compilation history should also note the Greatest Hits release, which came later and covers different ground.

This is a legitimate period Elektra release with a specific technical identity that separates it from every standard stereo pressing of the same compilation. The quad encoding and the two absence-based identifiers, no barcode, no plant code, make authentication straightforward. It is not a scarce piece by any strict measure, but it is a purposeful variant that belongs in any serious Doors tape collection or any focused quadraphonic format collection from the era. Buy it in the best condition you can find.