Optical Disc Packaging - Unique Cases

Unique Cases

• An unusual type of case has been marketed as empty cases for CDs that do not have cases. It is a plastic case with an open right side so the optical disc can be slipped in. The disc should sit into a black jagged plastic 'U' that appears on the left of the case than can be moved to push the CD out using a black button in the top left of the case.
• The 2009 CD release of Public Image Ltd.'s Metal Box album, has packaging that replicas the original 1979 vinyl case. The album comes in a round metal box with a lid and the PiL logo engraved in (concave). In the box are the 3CDs and respective CD safety slips and foam, as well as a little booklet.
• A "SteelBook Case" is similar in shape to the keep case, but its material is metal. Products such as Platoon, Fight Club, The Day After Tomorrow, and The Dark Knight DVD packages fall under it. Special releases of some movies and videogames (such as Halo 4 usually comes in special metal cases, instead of plastic for the standard edition.
• A special edition case for the 1994 The Flintstones movie soundtrack was in the shape of a stone that could be opened to reveal the CD inside.
• The Simpsons Movie soundtrack had a deluxe packaging version available, which contained a donut-shaped case that held the CD. This donut case was inside a thick white box.
• Most versions of the Nine Inch Nails album Broken were released in digipak in which another panel was placed over the CD so that the consumer could fold it down to reveal the disc.
• Some keep cases, such as the special edition of Total Recall are externally lined with aluminum. Total Recall was also released in a disc sized foam lined can about 3/4 inch thick.
• The original release of the Pet Shop Boys 1993 album Very was packaged in an orange jewel case with raised bumps (sometimes unofficially described as the Lego case), designed by Daniel Weil of Pentagram in London. The bonus CD, Very Relentless was similarly unique, with the two CDs housed in card sleeves (Very in orange and Relentless in pink) with both of these housed in a translucent rubber case with raised bumps.
• Another uniquely designed CD case was for a CD released in the UK called "The Apple EP", which contained four tracks, each performed by artists signed to Apple Records. The case, which was made of three pieces of cardboard, was shaped like an apple, and was held together by a plastic rivet. This allowed each of the three pieces to fan out and rotate. The CD itself was housed in the centre of the second piece of cardboard.
• British band Spiritualized became famous for their unique CD packaging. Their 1997 album Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space came in a pharmaceutical-style blister pack, while its follow-up, Let It Come Down, was distributed in a moulded plastic case featuring a concave relief of the lead singer's girlfriend.
• The limited edition of Brotherhood by The Chemical Brothers came in a cardboard box of a similar size to a jewel case but slightly taller and thinner. The box can be opened from the right to reveal both CDs packaged in cardboard cases, along with the booklet and a postcard.
• The deluxe edition of Hotel, the 2005 album by Moby, is a digipack made out of a much smoother material than normal. It is packaged in a slipcase of a much harder thicker material than a typical cardboard one.
• The Tri-Slim CD Jewel Case is another one-of-a-kind type of case. This case employs a standard size double CD jewel case and a precision card. The card is slipped into the front side of the case (where the booklet normally goes) and holds the 3rd disc in place. Many feel the Tri-Slim CD Jewel Case is preferable triple slim case to the traditional type because it does not obstruct the rear trayliner card.
• One-piece polyethylene cases of various shapes are sometimes used for disc storage, though these tend to lack space for labels and booklets and are not commonly used for commercial releases.
• The disc of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas PC version was housed inside the hard cover manual on a rubber hub.
• The Delirious? album Live & In The Can was packaged in a cylindrical metal container. The CD rerelease of the Metal Box album by Public Image Ltd. too came in a metal container, in homage to how the original record was packaged.
• Technical death metal band Nile released 1000 copies of their album Ithyphallic in pyramid shaped packaging.
• Alice in Chains' 1995 self-titled album was first released with a limited number of CDs in a purple and green jewel case.
• Progressive Death metal band Opeth released the Special Edition for their 2008 album Watershed in a Jewel Case-sized packaging which looks like and opens up like a letter. They also released limited editions of Morningrise, Orchid and My Arms Your Hearse in a CD-sized aluminum tin with embossed Opeth logo on the lid, and the CD was sitting on a thin foam disk and was packaged with an Opeth logo sticker. The track listing was stuck to the bottom of the tin.
• German punk band Die Ärzte have several releases with special packaging. Up to 1994, jewel cases were used. Planet Punk and Le Frisur were released in a cardboard packaging, similar to digipak. Runter mit den Spendierhosen, Unsichtbarer! was released in a plush pocket. Geräusch and Devil used another type of cardboard packaging. Bäst of was released in a metal box. The packaging of Jazz ist anders is made to resemble a pizza box.
• The CD case for the limited edition of the 1995 techno compilation CD Dance Opera 4 consisted of two pieces of acrylic plastic that screwed into one another holding the three discs (two audio discs and one disc with the contents printed on either side).
• The most recent editions of The Residents' albums (specifically The Third Reich 'n Roll, Duck Stab, Eskimo, The Commercial Album, and Mark of the Mole) were released in hardback book cases, with a paper slipcover inside, housing the disk.
• Star Trek was released exclusively at Target on Blu-ray with a model of the U.S.S. Enterprise (NCC-1701) that also doubled as the disc case
• The films from the live-action Transformers series have been released with transforming DVD cases in the shape of Optimus Prime, Megatron, and Bumblebee.
• Another version of the keep case, used for Meet the Robinsons and other titles, includes two lifts on the right side of the package.
• Early Lego PC games, starting with Lego Island, featured standard jewel cases with a spine formed with raised lego studs which can connect with other lego pieces. These have since been phased out and replaced with keep cases.
• Most K-Pop albums tend to come in special packages that vary in size. They are not typically a jewel case. They come in different unique designs like metal cases, tin, thick plastic and even 3D covers. Most albums come with mini photobooks filled with photos, lyrics of songs and album production credits. But the use of cards has recently become a trend in the kpop industry.