A magnetic tape cassette recording and playback apparatus, particularly for digital audio tapes, capable of performing a variety of controlled playback and recording operations in accordance with a user-inputted program. The cassettes are stored on shelves in a magazine and selectively extracted and transported to a drive unit for playing and recording. In one mode, the apparatus can carry out continuous recording from one cassette to another, and cassettes can be designated for recording, for instance, of only particular types of music. The cassettes are rewound at the completion of a playing program so as to be ready for the start of search operations for a subsequent program.