UK LP [Rough Trade ROUGH101]
The LP front and back artwork can be viewed in the left menu. The record comes in a thick and glossy inner sleeve showing a faded to khaki-grey image of a tough looking lad on each side. Lyrics to the songs are printed in red over the image, the eight songs from side 1 on one side, and the seven from side 2 on the other (no lyrics for instrumental "Oscillate Wildly", obviously). Credits are also found at the bottom of the latter side. The labels are black with grey text in the classic Rough Trade layout. On most copies the name of the band at the top and the legal credits around the edge of the labels are light blue, but in some cases they appear in white.
ROUGH 101 A1 / ROUGH 101 B1
ROUGHT 101 A-1U-1-3-? / ROUGHT 101 B-1U-1-3-?

UK cassette [Rough Trade ROUGHC101]
The cassette artwork photo is black and white instead of tinted brown, and it only shows an excerpt of the LP artwork (view in left menu). The name of the band as well as the album title appear in different colours than on the LP artwork. The spine and back are bright red. The only thing on the back is a barcode. The very colourful insert opens once for a track listing in green and black over red, then once again for credits in black over green, underneath "LISTEN" in big red letters. The cassette itself is black with black labels. The titles, logos and credits on them are printed in grey, underneath the band name and title in very light blue, almost white.

UK CD [Rough Trade ROUGHCD101]
The cd format also has its own unique artwork (view left). Just like the cassette artwork, the front only shows an excerpt of the LP image, in black and white, with the name of the band as well as the album title respectively in green and pale yellow. The back image was also cropped for the cd, but at least none of the people were cropped out (view left). The booklet features the lyrics to all vocal songs on the album, one per page and interspersed with various images. Credits are printed on both sides of the middle page, in black over green under "LISTEN" in big red letters. The booklet opens to find the LP's tough lad inner sleeve photo, but not faded. An untinted version of the back artwork girls is found right before the middle page. A different cropping of the LP artwork is found near the end where the lyrics for "Oscillate Wildly" would be included if it wasn't an instrumental song. A cropped version of the back artwork girls photo next to a repeat of the inner sleeve tough lad photo close the booklet. On its back is repeated the front photo, with only a Rough Trade logo and the catalogue number in white over it.

There are two different editions of this album on compact disc and the cd surface is where the only discrepancies are found. In both cases the text is printed straight onto the silver cd surface. The track listing is printed perpendicular to the titles and credits. The band name and album title are printed in aqua green.

• original edition, made in France
  "Made in France by MPO" is printed under the credits and "MPO" is found within the various numbers appearing around the centre hole.
• later edition, made in England
  The "Made in France by MPO" line was removed and "Mastered by Nimbus" is found around the centre hole.

UK music book [Warner Bros Music Ltd and IMP 20929]
A4 size 84-page book featuring the music and words for the tracks on the album, including bonus track "Money Changes Everything". Also includes photos of the band. View here.

UK/Europe CD [2012 reissue on Warner/Rhino 2564660484]
Information needed.

UK/Europe 2-LP [2012 reissue on Rhino Records 2564665881]
Information needed.

UK LP promo [Rough Trade ROUGH101]
Like most Smiths releases from the era, the album was promoted via white label copies of the LP format. The album must have been heavily promoted because these white labels are reasonably easy to find. The records feature plain white labels and are often circulated in a stock sleeve. Some of the copies in picture sleeve come with an early version of the inner sleeve that is not saturated in colour as much as on the definitive version, so the 'tough lad' picture is more contrasted (also see inner sleeve proof description below). Some copies included a promo postcard and some copies may have included a 12" x 24" promo poster (described below).
ROUGH 101 A-1U-1-1 1 / ROUGH 101 B-1U-1-1-1

UK promo poster 30cm x 60cm (12" x 24")
View here.

UK promo poster 100cm x 150cm (40" x 60")
Subway size poster (flat photo needed). This is based on the LP artwork. Above the brown tinted lads photos is found "THE SMITHS" in green and "THE WORLD WON'T LISTEN" in yellow. The line "Available on L.P. cassette and C.D." appears underneath.

UK promo postcard
Promo white label LPs sometimes included this promo postcard. The reverse announces the release of the album, credits the photograph and gives the address for Rough Trade Records.

UK adverts
The two ads being collected for this album are both black and white ones from retailers, not paid for by Rough Trade. One is 30cm x 40cm (12" x 16") for the Virgin Chain and the other is 20cm x 27cm (7.8" x 10.5") for WH Smith.

UK/Europe promo CD-r [Rhino Records]
CD-r to promote 'The Smiths - Complete - Remastered by Johnny Marr' reissues. Comes in a PVC sleeve with full color artwork and fold out insert. Additional information needed.

UK proof of inner sleeve
A printers' proof of an early version of the LP inner sleeve has made it into the hands of some collectors. It shows the unfolded sides printed bottom to bottom, with registration & proofing bars. The 'tough lad' image is not saturated in colour as much as the definitive inner sleeve, so the picture is more contrasted, perhaps closer to grey than the usual pale khaki tint.

UK gold disc award
Official BPI gold sales award disc issued to commemorate sales in excess of 100 000 copies of the album. It features a gold LP mounted on a red background above a gold engraved dedication plaque (presented to Morrissey, presented to Andy Rourke, etc) and cassette artwork card, with mini Union Jack flag in the top left corner. Approximately 20" x 16" framed and glazed.

UK silver disc award
This looks just like the gold certification, but the background is blue instead of red and the disc is silver. Silver discs are issued for sales in excess of 60 000 copies.

Argentina LP [Erahora 10008]
The LP format features the usual LP artwork on the front, but "THE SMITHS" is printed in dark green and the album title in lighter green. The back has the expected minor variations with the original UK LP back. For some strange and unknown reason, the titles usually printed in black in the track listing were erased and stamped into the sleeve in a different font. The original print was not even erased properly, so it can still be faintly read underneath the stamped titles. The record is slipped inside a 'tough lad + lyrics' inner sleeve, as in the UK, although it is not of equal quality. The labels are the usual Erahora ones, beige with big Erahora logo at the top and track listing at the bottom. Interestingly, there is a mastering error on this edition of the album. At the end of "Stretch Out And Wait" the start of "Rubber Ring" is heard for about 10 seconds, then this switches back to the final 20 seconds of "Stretch Out And Wait".

Argentina cassette [Erahora 10008]
The cassette features a bad reproduction of the LP artwork on the front (with different text colour), above the name of the band and album title in black (view left). The track listing appears on the back as well as on the insert's inside flap, in a mix of bold, italic and untreated text, but all in black over white. The cassette is off-white with orange-red titles, logo and credits printed directly onto it. The mastering error mentioned for the Argentina LP edition described above is also found on the cassette format.

Argentina LP white label [Erahora 10008]
White label copies of the album have made it into the hands of collectors. The records are usually circulated in the stock picture sleeve. It is unclear if these are test pressings or if they served as promos.

Australia LP [CBS 450467-1]
This is the original Australian single LP edition of "The World Won't Listen" (view next paragraph for expanded edition). The front artwork is identical to that of the British edition. The back is similar: there is no barcode, catalogue numbers were added in the top left corner and credits were added at the bottom. The inner sleeve looks the same as the British one except for the Australian catalogue number in the lower left corner on one side. It is just as thick, not as glossy, and has no opening at the top for better grip of the record. The labels are the classic Australian green and red ones with the silhouette of a man. There are two slightly different versions of them. One has the word "Stereo" over the catalogue number and the credits under the track listing are compacted on fewer lines. The other version lacks that "Stereo" line and the credits are given over seven lines instead of six.

Australia 2-LP [CBS 450978-1]
Given the chart success of "Ask" in this country, after the release of "Louder Than Bombs", "The World Won't Listen" was reissued as a double-LP set combining all the tracks from both albums (with a few minor changes). The front is identical to that of the original single LP. On the back, only a few minor changes were made in the catalogue number in the top right corner, and obviously in the track listing which now includes 28 titles and is printed in a similar pattern of alternating colours only instead of alternating colours and fonts. Interestingly, since this edition had to accommodate two records, the sleeve was changed to a gatefold one, opening on a black and white promo photo of the band in front of what appears to be a closed shop window. The first LP features the usual track listing while the second one contains all the added material. The inner sleeve for the first record is identical to the inner sleeve of the 1-LP edition except for the catalogue number which was corrected. The inner sleeve for the second record also comes with the same 'tough lad' artwork, but the lyrics are those of the bonus material and the credits were adapted to represent these extra songs. Inside these thick inner sleeves the records are also slipped inside thin anti-static ones. The labels are the same green and red ones as in the single LP edition, but the text layout was slightly modified. They add "Record 1" or "Record 2" at the top, they do say "Stereo" over the catalogue number which was obviously adapted, and the track listing was bunched up so the songs are not listed one per line.

An alternate 2-LP edition is just like the one described in the previous paragraph, but the credits on the inner sleeve for record one mention the input of Craig Gannon and Kirsty MacColl, and the gatefold photo of the band is credited there to Lawrence Watson.

Australia cassette [CBS 450467-4]
The original single edition of the Australian cassette (see next for expanded edition) has its own unique design based on the usual LP artwork (view left). The spine is white with black and red text. The back is beige with a track listing in black. It is full so there are two holes in it for the case's plastic prongs to go through. The track listing is repeated in black and white on the reverse of the insert, along with the album credits. The cassette is made of off-white plastic and the text is printed straight onto it in aqua blue ink.

Australia 2-cassette [CBS 450978-4]
The story of the Australian cassette format parallels that of the LP (view 2-LP edition above for info). The Australian double cassette edition is very similar to the single one. The most significant difference is its unique fold-out case which can accommodate two tapes and two inserts. Each insert looks like the one found in the single cassette edition (including holes for the plastic prongs), but the catalogue number was corrected and the track listing was obviously adapted on the insert for cassette #2. The cassettes are off-white with blue text printed directly onto them.

Australia CD [CBS 450467-2 / DIDP11073]
The original Australian cd is very appealing to collectors because of the fact that it is the only compact disc edition to feature the generally preferred full LP artwork (view left). However, a compact disc logo was added in the bottom right corner. The back is also similar to the LP back, which means that the track listing is printed relatively smaller than in the UK and is positioned at the top. Besides the additional catalogue numbers, logos and credits, there is a black section at the left including another compact disc logo, numbers and a barcode. The cd surface is plain silver with black text printed directly onto it. The back of the booklet features the same back artwork, without the black bar. Information about the booklet content is needed.

Australia CD [1993 reissue on Warner Australia 450991898-2]
The packaging and content of the 1993 cd reissue on WEA parallels its European counterpart described below. The only difference is found in the licensing credits on the disc (confirmation/detailed information needed). A later variation with black disc surface may exist (confirmation needed).

Australia LP promo [CBS 450467-1]
The single edition of the LP was promoted with copies with a "sample record not for sale" sticker on the back. Copies with a hole punched out of one corner of the sleeve are assumed by some to have served promotional purposes, but they may simply be deleted copies following the re-release of the album as a double-LP set.

Australia 2-LP promo [CBS 450978-1]
Some copies of the first version of the double LP edition were made into promos by being stamped with the words "Promotion only not for sale" in gold on the back.

Brazil LP [WEA 670.0007]
The Brazil LP front artwork features the usual LP art, but there is a small blue and white Warner logo in the top right corner. Also, on close inspection, it appears that the band name and title are positioned slightly differently than on the front of the UK LP. The back has no barcode, catalogue numbers were added in the top right corner and credits at the bottom. The inner sleeve is almost the same as the British one, it is just as thick if not more, slightly less glossy, and lacks the cut-out at the top for better grip of the record. There are no additional local credits on it. For extra protection, the record inside it is slipped inside a second inner sleeve, this one made of very thin and annoying wrinkly anti-static film. The labels are the usual red Brazilian ones with black titles followed by their publishing rights numbers.

Brazil cassette [WEA ??]
The Brazil cassette insert shows the LP artwork on the front over a pink background, under the band name and title (misprinted as "The World Won't Liste"). The cassette is made of white plastic and has grey labels on which the track listing and credits are printed in black. Information about the insert content is needed.

Brazil LP promo [WEA 670.0007]
A promo version of the LP format has been seen advertised in record collecting specialty magazines. If such a thing does indeed exist, it is presumably a stock copy stamped with a promo warning on the sleeve and/or the labels. Any confirmation would be appreciated.

Brazil promo EP [WEA #18/1.118]
"Ask" was included on a WEA Brazil various artists promo EP alongside songs by A-Ha, Kim Wilde and Jody Watley. The song is actually credited on the front of this EP's pink sleeve as being from "The World Won't Listen".

Brazil promo EP [200.4001]
"The World Won't Listen" was also promoted in Brazil with the inclusion of "Ask" on another various artists promo sampler. The other artists featured on this one are Kylie Minogue, Mel & Kim, Yazz and Bomb The Bass.

After purchasing the rights to the Smiths catalogue, Warner released two best ofs then in 1993 proceeded with the reissue of all the albums over the territories they controlled. Their 'international' edition was "made by WEA in Germany manufacturing Europe" as the credits state and was sold mostly in Europe and in some Latin American countries. The design of the various formats was based partly on the original British and American designs. The WEA cds and cassettes were reissued again in 1995 when the "Singles" compilation came out, but these repressings are identical to the 1993 editions, except for a yellow exclamation mark sticker on the front of the case marking them as half-price reissues.

Europe CD [WEA 450991898-2]
The packaging of the 1993 cd reissue is based on the original Rough Trade UK edition. The front is identical, and the back is similar: the expanded track listing takes a bit more space, the catalogue numbers and logos were changed and repositioned under the barcode, and additional WEA credits including a very small logo were added at the very bottom. The booklet is based on the original Rough Trade one, with a few changes. The repeat of the tough lad photo at the end was dropped to make space for the lyrics to bonus track "Golden Lights". Next to it is found the close-up of one girl from the back artwork, in a green border instead of red. The middle page with credits is the same but, understandably, lacks the Rough Trade address. The back of the booklet features the same photo, but the Rough Trade logo and catalogue number were replaced with the WEA ones. The cd surface is light green with bright red text. The front of the plastic case, if it hasn't been replaced, has a small Warner logo etched into the plastic in the bottom right corner.

Note: The French price code on the back is "WE835". The existence of copies for which this appears as "France WE833" is suspected.

Europe cassette [WEA 450991898-4]
The artwork of the WEA reissue on cassette is also based on the original UK cassette artwork. The front is perfectly identical. The spine, back and insert are similar, but instead of being red and green, the colour pattern is gold and green. The back is much more crowded with track listing, barcode, logos and credits. The insert opens once for track listing, like before, but in green over gold instead of green over red. It then opens again for credits, then once more for lyrics of "Panic" and "Ask" in black and white. The remainder of the album's lyrics are printed on the reverse of the insert. The cassette itself is made of clear see-through plastic with grey text printed directly onto it.

Europe 10" [WEA 450991897-1]
WEA had something for collectors in their 1993 reissue programme as every album was also put out on limited edition numbered 10" sized LPs. The records were produced in very thick vinyl. In this particular case the content was spread over two records because there was too much material for just one. The labels on the first side of each record are apple green with red text while on the opposite side they are red with light green text. The inner sleeves are plain white paper ones, which means that the image and lyrics featured on the original inner sleeve are unfortunately missing. The outer sleeve is based on the original LP artwork. A white box at the bottom has the run number stamped into it. The back is more or less the same, it differs from the original back artwork by the correction of the catalogue number and credits.

Europe 10" proof artwork layout board
WEA proof artwork layout board for the sleeve of the European 10" double LP release. Includes colour-coded image of the front and back cover, with tracing paper overlay showing handwritten colour specifications and amendments, including instruction to allow for double-spine. Also includes un-numbered colour printers proof sheet measuring 22" x 11½". Housed in folder with handwritten order/instructions which state that this is one of only 25 proofs.

France LP [Virgin 70494]
There are two editions of the French LP. Both feature the usual UK LP artwork on the front. The back in both cases is almost identical to the UK back, as only the catalogue number was changed and a Virgin logo was added.

• original edition
  The original LP edition features printers information in small print at the bottom on the back (Glory, in Asnières). The inner sleeve is thick and glossy as in the UK. Besides the usual content, it also features the French catalogue number in the top right corner on one side and the printers information in the bottom left corner on the other. The cut-out part at the top for better record grip is smaller than in the UK. The labels are black with grey titles and credits, and light blue band name and rights as in the UK, with extra SACEM logo and French catalogue number.
• later edition
  Later repressings of the LP format are slightly different. There is no printers information on either the back of the sleeve or the inner sleeve. The inner sleeve is not glossy. The text on the labels is light green instead of grey. The rest is the same.

France cassette [Virgin 50494]
There are also two different editions of the French cassette.

• edition with LP artwork
  The front of the insert of this edition shows the LP artwork over a green background, under the band name and title (view left). The text on the spine and back is black. Information about the insert content and cassette is needed.
• edition with UK cassette artwork
  The packaging of this edition is based on that of the UK cassette, so it is completely different to the edition described above. The front artwork is just like in the UK. The insert is identical bar a few minor changes in Virgin catalogue number and credits. The cassette is made of clear plastic with light grey titles and credits printed directly onto it.

France CD [Virgin 30260]
The design of the French cd is closely based on that of the UK cd. The front artwork is exactly the same. The back inlay is also the same except for a few changes and additions to account for the involvement of Virgin France. The booklet is exactly the same except for the catalogue number on its back. The cd surface is similar. "The Smiths" and the album title appear on it in blue instead of green, the catalogue number was changed and a SACEM logo was added.

France LP promo [Virgin 70494]
Copies of the original LP edition were stamped with the promo warning "Disque gratuit interdit à la vente", the words forming an embossed circle in the top right corner of the sleeve.

Germany LP [RT Deutschland RTD45]
The German LP is very much like the UK LP. The front artwork is identical and the back is basically the same bar a few changes made in the catalogue number and credits. Information about the inner sleeve is needed. The labels are as in the UK, black with grey text. And just like in the UK, most copies have the band name and the credits around the labels in light blue, but in some cases this is white.

Germany LP promo [RT Deutschland RTD45]
A very limited number of white label copies of this LP were used for promotion. The labels were stamped with a number, and the records were distributed inside white custom sleeves with a blue Rough Trade logo on each side. A press release in German is usually found inside.

Stock copies have been seen with the same press release.

Germany LP test pressing [RT Deutschland ?]
The existence of German test pressings has been reported, but this may just be the above white label promos mistaken for test pressings.

Greece LP [Virgin VG C 101]
The Greek LP front artwork features the usual LP art, but on close inspection it appears that the band name and title are positioned slightly differently than on the front of the UK LP. The colour of the text is also slightly different, as the name of the band is apple green while the title is closer to yellow than anywhere else. The back doesn't show a barcode and it features additional Greek credits at the bottom and catalogue number in the top right corner. Titles in the track listing that should be grey were printed in white. The inner sleeve is a plain film one with round bottom. A 2-sided paper insert slipped inside repeats the usual inner sleeve 'tough guy' artwork with lyrics in red. The labels are almost exact replicas of the UK labels, including band name in light blue at the top. They differ by the addition of a few Greek catalogue numbers and Greek credits around the edge.

Greece cassette [Virgin ??]
The existence of this item is unconfirmed. Please report anything you may know about it.

Holland LP [Megadisc MD 7940]
The Megadisc edition, produced for the Benelux market, shows only minor differences with the UK LP. The front is identical, but the titles in the track listing on the back which be grey were printed in white. Corrections and additions are found there in the catalogue number and credits. The inner sleeve is made of non-glossy paper. The labels are very similar to the British ones but the titles and credits are printed in white instead of grey, and the band name appears in very bright blue.

Indonesia cassette [King's K1166AED]
This unlicensed item comes in an unusual rectangle clamshell case. The content is also unusual. It features the usual 16-song track listing in a messed order, plus "Pretty Girls Make Graves" and "Reel Around The Fountain". The cassette itself is a black BASF one with white and green labels. It must have been recorded from a cd because the cd artwork is found on the front, with the band name and title appearing in yellow. The front background is a cheesy 1980s-style jumble of shapes and colours, including "THE SMITHS" in gold embossed letters over black at the top.

Indonesia CS [Team ???]
This Indonesian edition shows the album artwork on the front, over a white background. "The Smiths" and "The World Won't Listen" are printed at the bottom in an unrelated black font, above a Team logo and a red and green 'New Music' logo. Information about the spine is needed. The back has a Team address and a publishing rights sticker. The reverse of the insert features the personnel and the track listing (including bonus tracks "Girl Afraid" and "Suffer Little Children"). The cassette is made of black plastic and has white Team labels, without any release-related information on them.

Israel LP [CBS ROUGH101-1]
The front artwork on the Israel LP looks like the British one, but the name of the band is ocean green, while the title is a faintly yellowish light beige. The catalogue number ROUGH 101-1 is printed in the top left corner. The back has the expected variations to account for the involvement of the Israel branch of CBS, but it should also be noted that the titles in the track listing that should be grey appear in white. The record is slipped in a round-bottom anti-static inner sleeve. The usual inner sleeve artwork of 'tough lad' and lyrics in red is reproduced on a 2-sided paper insert slipped inside. The labels follow the same text typeset as in England. The titles and most of the credits are printed on them in grey, but the name of the band at the top appears in white. Additional credits in Hebrew are printed in white at the bottom on each side.

Israel cassette [CBS ROUG 101-4]
The insert of the Israeli cassette is perfectly identical to its UK counterpart. The cassette itself is beige with text printed directly onto it in blue ink. The track listing is at the top on each side, release identification at the bottom, catalogue number on the left and a 'circle' Rough Trade logo on the right.

Israel CD [1993 reissue on WEA/Hed Arzi 450991898-2]
Hed Arzi were licensed by WEA to release some of the Smiths catalogue on cd in Israel in the mid-1990s. It looks like they didn't go for the complete catalogue, but "The World Won't Listen" was one of the titles made available there on cd for the first time otherwise than on import. Like other international WEA editions such as the Australian or Brazilian ones, the packaging and content are based on the European edition described above. The only difference is found in the licensing credits. Confirmation about this would be appreciated.

Israel LP promo [CBS ROUGH101-1]
Stock copies of the LP format were made into promos by having a record company promo sticker affixed to the back of the sleeve.

Italy LP [CGD RGH20614]
"The World Won't Listen" was the first Smiths album to chart in Italy, owing to the publicity around the band appearing at the San Remo festival. The front artwork is the usual one, but on close inspection it appears that the title and band name are positioned slightly differently than on the front of the UK LP. The back lacks the barcode and features additional Italian credits at the bottom. The titles in the track listing that should be grey were printed in white. The inner sleeve looks like the British one with the exception of the Italian catalogue number in the bottom left corner on one side. It is perhaps not as thick and glossy as in the UK, it has a clammy texture, and no cut-out part for better grip on the record. The labels are almost identical to the British ones. A few changes were made on them, in the catalogue numbers and credits. The titles and credits appear in grey, and the band name and rights around the edge are printed in light blue.

Italy LP [Rough Trade ROULP101]
This extremely rare Italian LP edition could be a budget reissue. Information is needed.

Italy cassette [CGD 30RGH20614]
The Italian cassette insert is very similar to the British one. It features the same artwork on the front and minor changes in the credits and catalogue number. There is no barcode on the back, but there is a small CGD logo and an encouragement to purchase official releases in order to protect the quality of music (as bootlegs were legal in Italy up to the mid-1990s). The cassette itself is grey and its labels are black with white text.

Italy CD [Rough Trade CDROUG101]
This is one of four very rare Smiths compact discs to have been released in Italy, presumably all at about the same time as the "Rank" album. The front artwork is identical to that of the UK cd. The back is basically the same bar a few additional credits and different catalogue number. The catalogue number was also changed on the spines The booklet is identical to the UK booklet but it was printed on thinner paper. The disc is different. The text is simply printed in black over the basic silver surface. It features a Rough Trade 'circle' logo at the top, track listing to the right, and logos, catalogue number and credits on the left and bottom.

Italy LP promo [CGD RGH20614]
Stock copies of the original LP edition were made into promos by being pin-stamped with the words "Campione gratuito" in one corner of the sleeve.

Italy promo sampler [CGD INT15276]
The album was promoted in Italy by the inclusion of "Ask" on a 4-track various artists sampler titled "Discoinverno '86/'87 For Dee Jays Only". The record has yellow labels and the Smiths share side one with a song by Samantha Fox.

Italy promo sampler [CGD INT15290]
The album was promoted in Italy by the inclusion of "Shoplifters Of The World Unite" on a 3-track various artists sampler titled "Disco mix 12'' Only For Dee Jays". The record has yellow labels and the Smiths share side B with a song by Mandy Smith.

Italy LP test pressing [Rough Trade ROULP101]
Test pressing of the second LP edition mentioned above. Information needed.

Japan LP [Victor VIL-28074]
The first Smiths LP released by Victor in Japan has the usual LP artwork on the front, with the catalogue number in very small white print in the top right corner. The back is basically the same as in the UK, with minor adjustements made by Victor for their catalogue number and credits. The obi has a grey pattern and text in black. The back features something that may be a Rough Trade biography. The record is slipped inside a good quality round-bottom anti-static inner sleeve, but the usual 'tough lad + lyrics' inner sleeve artwork was reproduced on a 2-sided insert slipped inside. A second insert, this one 1-sided and on white paper, features titles and a biography in Japanese. The labels are the typical Victor ones with the grey pattern also used on the obi.

Japan cassette [Victor VCL-10030]
This is one of only four cassettes ever released in Japan for the Smiths, and it is a very beautiful item, even to those who don't usually collect this format. The insert is of the type that wraps itself around the cassette. The front artwork is the same as that of the UK cassette. One of the spines and its back are in the same pink colour, but the text is obviously different. The other spine is white with what appears to be the name of the band and the album title in Japanese, under a small detail of the front artwork. The back is green, it features a barcode and what may be release information under the word "LISTEN" in big red letters. A white paper insert which looks very much like the one found inside the LP (but still slightly different) is also found inside the packaging. It needs to be folded in twelve to fit the case. The cassette itself is made of white plastic. Its labels are mint green with black text.

Japan CD [Victor VDP-1199]
The original 1987 edition is by far the most common one on compact disc in Japan. The front shows the usual compact disc artwork, but the catalogue number is printed in white in the bottom right corner. The back shows the usual pink image of the girls, but the track listing there is found at the top, in a mix of both fonts and colours, instead of just a mix of fonts. There are expected additional Victor credits at the bottom as well as inside a black section at the right (under the obi). The cd surface is in the same style as the other Smiths albums which got reissued following the release of "The World Won't Listen", with a Rough Trade logo in a circle at the top and all titles at the bottom. The obi is beige with release information printed in a mix of red and black on the front, and under a big green "LISTEN" on the back. There are actually two different versions of the obi. The most common lists the album at ¥3200 to the right of the catalogue number on the front, while the other lists it at a different price (¥?) on a separate line. The booklet seems to include the same material as the British one, plus one white page with track listing (confirmation/correction about this would be appreciated).

Japan CD [1990 reissue on Victor VICP-2005]
In 1990 Victor reissued the complete Smiths catalogue on compact disc only (the "Meet The Rock" budget series at 2000 yens). The packaging of this edition is very similar to that of the 1987 edition. The booklet content is the same. The front and back as well as the cd surface are identical except for the corrected catalogue number (it is dropped from the front). The obi was changed to the blue and yellow theme of this "Meet The Rock" series. This edition is not very common.

Japan CD [1993 reissue on WEA WMC5-546]
This new Japanese edition was released by WEA who had just purchased the rights to the complete Smiths catalogue the year before. It was modelled on its European counterpart and the packaging is superior to that of the Victor releases. Unlike the European edition, the Japanese cd has the barcode on the back of the obi instead of the cd tray inlay. The obi is light blue-green and beige with a blue "Smiths Original Catalogue" crest common to all re-releases in the series. Its back covers the complete backspace and displays over a beige background "The Smiths Original Catalogue", an illustrated list of the eight albums being reissued by WEA. The disc is bright apple green with red text. The cd tray is made of white plastic. Information about the booklet is needed.

Japan CD [1995 reissue on WEA WPCR-305]
In parallel with the release of the "Singles" compilation, another reissue programme of the Smiths back catalogue was put together by WEA in Japan. This 1995 budget reissue is very similar to the one from just 2 years prior. The most noticeable changes were the white obi with red ignited 'Hot price!' bomb common to all the releases in the series and an additional "Smiths Original Catalogue" insert inside. The cd tray is still made of white plastic.

Japan CD [2006 reissue on WEA WPCR-12442]
The most recent reissue programme of the complete Smiths catalogue in Japan dates back to 2006 when all the albums were re-released in mini-replicas of the original LP sleeves. These are slightly bigger than the typical size of a compact disc. In the case of "The World Won't Listen", the original UK LP pressing served as a model for everything with the exception of the obi which was based on the original Victor LP obi. This means that the front shows the LP artwork instead of the cd variation, including a mock-up of the round pink sticker found on the first batch of LPs in the UK, advertising the inclusion of recent singles "Panic", "Ask" and "Shoplifters Of The World Unite". The back is very much like the original UK back, minimal with just a track listing and nothing else, not even the Rough Trade logo, catalogue number and barcode. The cd surface follows the same colour pattern and layout as the original UK LP label, so it is black with grey text except for "The Smiths" and rights around the edge which are blue. The inner sleeve of the cd is a quasi-perfect replica of the original UK LP one, down to the shape of the cut-out portion at the top facilitating access to the record/cd inside. The cd is actually also slipped inside a plastic film inner sleeve (the round bottom variety), which is in turn slipped inside the picture inner sleeve. A white paper booklet featuring the lyrics in English and Japanese and what looks like a bio is also found inside.

Japan LP promo [Victor VIL-28074]
Promo copies on LP have a red 3-character promo sticker around the top right edge of the sleeve, and the same promo characters printed inside a box on the label, to the right of the band name.

Japan CD promo [Victor VDP-1199]
The promo version of the original 1987 Victor cd has a red 3-character promo sticker over the barcode on the back and promo text printed in red around the cd's centre.

Japan CD promo [1990 reissue on Victor VICP-2005]
Victor's 1990 reissue programme was promoted with copies of the albums (including this one) with "sample" stamped around the center of the cd and a promo sticker affixed to the obi.

Japan CD promo [1993 reissue on WEA WMC5-546]
The Japanese promo cd is a stock copy with a white and red promo sticker on the back of the obi and promo text printed on the cd's inner ring.

Japan CD promo [1995 reissue on WEA WPCR-305]
The promo copies of the 1995 edition have a white and red promo sticker on the back of the case and perhaps some promo mark around the cd's centre.

Japan CD promo [2006 reissue on WEA WPCR-12442]
Promo versions of this edition of "The World Won't Listen" are stock copies with an additional white sticker with red text affixed to the back of the obi and 'sample loaned' etched on the cd's inner ring.

Portugal LP [Rough Trade 12ROUGH101]
The Portuguese LP looks like a very good replica of the UK LP, but it is more cheaply made and there are still many minor differences with the homeland packaging. The sleeve is rather thin and the name of the band and title on the front are positioned slightly differently than on the front of the UK LP. The back lacks the barcode, the catalogue number was changed and additional Transmedia credits are found at the bottom. The track listing there is only in black or white because the titles that should have been grey were printed in white. The inner sleeve is glossy, but thinner than in the UK. The labels are exactly like the English ones, except for the legal credits around the edge which are in Portuguese.

Saudi Arabia cassette [Thomsun Original EN-1439]
The insert of this unlicensed item shows the album artwork on the front, under the band name in red and the album title in purple, and above the Thomsun Original and Dolby logos. The album's track listing appears on the back in black text over blue. Information about the cassette itself is needed.

Singapore cassette [Billboard 1242]
An unlicensed cassette edition of "The World Won't Listen" was manufactured in Singapore. There is no credit anywhere on the packaging stating that it is from Singapore, but unlicensed tapes featuring the logo from American music industry magazine Billboard usually come from there. The front of the insert shows the LP artwork under the Billboard logo. The track listing appears on the back which is full so it has two holes in it for the case's plastic prongs to pass through. The cassette has a generic gold label with Billboard logo and the slogan "the one and the best" (are you convinced?). The usual LP track listing is featured in a slightly messed order, plus extra tracks "Girl Afraid" and "Suffer Little Children", very likely lifted from the "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now" 12" single.

Spain LP [Nuevos Medios 43 245L]
The name of the band on the front of the UK LP is ocean green instead of the usual lighter green. There is no surprise on the back. It features the expected Nuevos Medios catalogue number, logo and credits. Like many other countries, the titles in the track listing that should have been printed in grey appear in white. The record is slipped inside a thick and glossy inner sleeve as in the UK, with the Spanish catalogue number added in one corner. The labels are similar to the UK ones. They feature the expected additional Nuevos Medios logo and catalogue number. The name of the band at the top is mauve instead of the usual blue.

Spain cassette [Nuevos Medios 44 246C]
The insert of the Spanish cassette is identical to the colourful UK insert with the exception of the removal of the barcode on the back and the addition of the Nuevos Medios logo and catalogue number on the spine. The cassette itself is tan coloured, its labels black with white text.

Sweden LP [MNW ROUGH101]
It is no surprise that once again the Swedish LP is so similar to the UK pressing that it could be mistaken for it. The only difference on the outer sleeve is the very small copyright info in the lower right corner on the back. The inner sleeve is the same as the English one. The labels are the same with the exception of the additional MNW and n©b logos.

Taiwan cassette [Crystal ROUGHC101]
Two different cassette editions have come out of Taiwan, both obviously unlicensed. The main difference between them is the colour of the labels on the cassette, white in one case, yellow in the other. Both have the same text on them and both cassettes are made of black plastic. Both show the usual LP artwork on the front over a pink background, under band name and title in an unrelated white script font, and above a black portion with Chinese or Taiwanese text. The insert wraps itself around the cassette, so one spine displays the information in English while the other displays it in Chinese or Taiwanese. The back shows a track listing next to 2 photos of Elvis from the artwork of the "Shoplifters Of The World Unite" single. The edition with white labels has an orange pictogram at the bottom of one of the spines. This is not the case for the other edition. Both editions include a white paper insert filled with text in Chinese or Taiwanese, folded many times so it can fit inside the case.

Taiwan/Hong Kong CD [Warner Music Hong Kong/Taiwan HDCD-H345]
The Taiwanese compact disc edition came much later than the cassette described above, and looks official although it still may not be. It could be listed as a Chinese edition because it was released by Warner Music Hong Kong/Taiwan. The front artwork is similar to the UK compact disc artwork, but the image is very grainy, partly because of the corrugated texture of the paper it's printed on. The text on the front is also of different colours, and includes what very likely is the title in Chinese or Taiwanese. The back has the usual pink artwork, but the style and layout of the text on it has nothing to do with the original design. The track listing is spread over nine tracks and titles are followed by their translation in Chinese or Taiwanese. The obi is white and lists some of the titles on the album in different shades of green. Information about the booklet and cd surface are needed.

Thailand cassette [Musicals MSC.455]
The front of the insert of this unlicensed cassette shows the usual LP artwork over a maroon background, with the band name and title above it in the same font and colours as on the album, and black and white logos for Musicals and 70MC at the bottom. The spine and back flap are in the same maroon shade. "The Smiths" and "The World Won't Listen" are printed one above the other on the spine, in a different font and in reversed colours to the front, with a black and white Musicals logo at the top and the catalogue number in white at the bottom. The back flap features the 16-song track listing in white and nothing else. The cassette is made of clear plastic and bears generic white and blue Compact Cassette labels showing the Musicals logo and a stamped "455", but nothing related to the album.

Uruguay cassette [Linea Platino/Renew Variety 465.923]
The front of this rare unlicensed edition shows a cropped sideways version of the usual artwork, faded to a pale brown, with the album title above the name of the band in white in the bottom left corner and logos for Linea Platino and Renew Variety in the bottom right corner above the catalogue number. The spines and back are white with black text and logos. The album title and band name are repeated on the spine in the same unrelated fonts as on the front, with logos for Linea Platino and Renew Variety and the catalogue number at the bottom. The back displays the track listings for "Programa 1" and "Programa 2" and nothing else. The insert has one extra fold-out panel. It is white with black text consisting of the track listing as well as credits printed in Spanish. The cassette is made of black plastic and bears white paper labels with black text. The track listing is printed top-left on each side, with the catalogue number on the left and a blue Renew Variety logo in the top right corner.

Yugoslavia LP [RTV Ljubljana LL1626]
Contrary to popular opinion, the Yugoslavia LP appears to be a legitimate (not unlicensed) release, or at least this is what the quality of its packaging leads us to believe. The sleeve is of good quality and the name of the band and title on the front are positioned slightly differently than on the front of the UK LP. The back has the expected minor variations to account for the involvement of RTV Ljubljana. The titles in the track listing appear in white, grey and black, something many licensing companies had not respected (the grey song titles in places such as Greece, Holland, Israel, Italy, Portugal or Spain were printed in white). The inner sleeve looks just like the British one, but it is made of very thick card, its colour is closer to tan, and the Yugoslavian catalogue number is printed in the botton left corner on one side. The labels are similar in colour and layout to the UK labels, but they feature additional Skuc Ropot and RTV Ljubljana logos and credits. The catalog number is given there as ULP2260, which is different to what is found on the sleeve.

Yugoslavia cassette [RTV Ljubljana KL-1626]
The front artwork of the Yugoslavia cassette is just an oddly cropped version of the usual LP artwork (view left). The spine and back are white with black text and logos. The spine shows the name of the band and the album title in the same font as on the front. The RTV logo and the catalogue number are at the top and Rough Trade logo, label code and Dolby logo at the bottom. The only thing found on the back is the track listing. The track listing is repeated on the reverse of the insert, above the songwriting and production credits as well as Dolby logo and trademark warning. The cassette is made of black plastic and its paper RTV labels are a mix of pale and mid-blue. Release identification is printed in black at the top on each side, and the catalogue number in the bottom left corner.

unknown cassette [C101]
The origin of this item is unknown. The insert is exactly the same as the British insert. However the cassette itself is made of white plastic and its labels are light aqua. Nothing appears on them except for "See Inlay Card For Details", the side number, a Dolby logo and generic credits.