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J-card

What is J-card? A clear definition from the recording section of our glossary, with 14 related terms and further reading.

Definition of J-card

A J-card is the folded paper card inserted in the plastic storage case of most audio cassette releases, and of blank and home-recorded MiniDiscs, as well as being latterly wrapped around the outside of many Blu-ray and DVD steelbooks and similar special editions. The J-card usually contains an image of the album cover, a track listing, credits, and copyright information, with some releases having foldout cards with multiple panels to contain lyrics, liner notes, or additional artwork. Most J-cards contain the title of the content on the edge (the spine) for quick reference while in storage.

The J-card gets its name from being folded into the shape of the letter J (when viewed from the side) to fit inside the case: a large front panel, a narrow spine, and a short flap that turns in behind the media.

Today, custom made CD-R covers are often called J-cards. Similarly styled covers were used in CD covers in the 1990s for single cases and are still used today.

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What is J-card?

A J-card is the folded paper card inserted in the plastic storage case of most audio cassette releases, and of blank and home-recorded MiniDiscs, as well as being latterly wrapped around the outside of many Blu-ray and DVD steelbooks and similar special…

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