i found a brand new dark side of moon for $20 on ebay and fleetwood mac rumors for $20. it seems some things are ridiculous but others arent too bad. i bought 3 vintage moody blues albums for $15 and they all play great. some things are absurd and i try to avoid those things
Me too but there is a problem. Some albums are better mastered on their vinyl version than on the CD one. So in some cases, for some albums (when the CD version is really badly mastered) I have to buy the vinyl version, despite the higher price. So I also have to do some research into this.
Vinyl is cheaper now than when I was a kid. I bought the Beatles White Album in 1968 for $11.98. That would be a $108 in today's money. To me this is a golden age of vinyl with so many high quality audiophile reissues. Loving vinyl collecting right now.
I bought a record for this recent RSD black Friday and I thought it was a fair price $50 it was a double album ruby red and cobalt blue " Error (404) by the Warning. I was a happy camper
Vinyl is cheaper now than when I was a kid. I bought the Beatles White Album in 1968 for $11.98. That would be a $108 in today's money. To me this is a golden age of vinyl with so many high quality audiophile reissues. Loving vinyl collecting right now.
Here in Australia releases are between $35 to $80... CDs are around the $35 mark.. vinyl up to $80. Sometimes buying the file is somewhat cheaper but I love in on media. Discogs sucks big time with ridiculous postage.. sometimes more in cost than the vinyl.
I have not bought a Record since I have been getting CDs, shortly after they stated come out. But I love to watch you channel as in the end it's all about the Music. I have added about 20 or so new 2024 CDs & I lost count on how many new to old CDs I have got this year. Right now, I'm on an old school Power Pop & Glam Rock kick.
Great video Frank! I’ve been buying more new albums on cd due to the rising cost of new vinyl. Usually I’ll only buy the vinyl if it’s one of my favorite bands or if I can get a great deal. This allows me to buy 2 to 3x the new music that I would if I stuck only to vinyl.
Good stuff Frank. My wife and I know we're both overspenders when we can be - her passion is books, mine is music - but we keep each other informed of what we're spending, and since she retired in March, we're being a little more frugal with our purchases all the way around, so that's a good thing. Hope you and the fam have a wonderful holiday!
I’ve come to the point that I just stopped buying vinyl. If it’s something I really want from a specific artist, then I’ll get it, but on the whole, not only is the hobby getting stupidly expensive, but I have a family and in a new relationship, and work, who has the time to sit down and enjoy my records anyway? Nice video Frank from Frank. 😊
With over 4,000+ Albums, 12" Singles, 45's since the mid-1970's to current, I'm pretty much set with my music. I'll still continue buying though in 2025 either different pressings of records I already have or a few stragglers I still want. I work hard, so I buy constantly as it is therapy for the soul.
I have decided on buying more audiophile records. Instead of 3 or 4 regular records buying 1 from accoustic sounds. Love hearing a great sounding record on my system
I’ve been dj’ing since the 80s, CDs offer the best of both worlds. I can quickly rip a CD and play the mp3 on a control vinyl using Serato DJ. I still collect certain artists and albums on vinyl, but it’s been mostly digital for me during the past few years.
I'm just buying second hand records like l have been for 35 years. New lps are ridiculously priced and 50% of them have pops, clicks, warps and skips and no where near the quality of the 70's / 80's. Quality control these days is non existent. I don't mind paying for new lps but when they are so poorly made it's just a waste of money then.
I still have a lot of records but turning my back on them more and more and buying cd's just for the cost and convience. Now I'm getting older (51) I know my hearing will decrate and vinyl does not sound that awsome anymore then when I was in my 20's and 30's. The other benefit is that cd's are more close to the original sounding master tape (when done by a proper producer), I'm not getting into the "let's make all mono records stereo issue" on CD's, that's another level of discussion. For me, CD's is pretty much what I like to buy now, and with the excellent equipment these days (Dac's and new cd players) you can squeeze so much more out of an CD then ever before. Have a great Xmas and happy new year Frank, for you, your family and friends. Greetings for The Netherlands.
My record buying has fallen to almost zero. They are out of their minds charging premiums for records. I would rather spend the money on a format like blu-ray audio that at least has improved sound potential and is usually cheaper than vinyl.
I've purchased maybe 10 full-priced new records in the last few years. The rest of my collection is birthday/Christmas asks and garage/estate sale finds. I do feel bad for young collectors starting out who don't have as much time as I do to hunt for cheap vinyl.
I've recently got back into seeking out vinyl but the prices are prohibitive and intimidating. I really pick and choose which is good BUT also deters me from buying artists I'm not familiar with. Sadly, I've watched as my local used shop has been raising their prices as well. Just because a 2024 remaster of something comes out, that doesn't mean a 30 year old, scratched copy is worth as much. Sigh.
It’s interesting that the run away answer for the first question (about issues) was prices but that the results at 5:05 show that the majority of respondents aren’t buying fewer records because of it.
Retro game prices have been absurdly high and increasing from the 2000’s to now. Covid made the already insanely high prices even higher, and they continue to rise even post covid. It sucks, but people still buy.
What a great answer that was Frank, buy your partner the album as a gift then claim in for yourself ha ha. Wouldnt work in my household as my wife hates the music I listen too. Have a great Christmas with your family and thanks as always for the shows Frank. Keep on spinnin !!
I am spending less on Vinyl. I bought two Brand New vinyl all year and the most recent buy was so disappointing, only liked one song, and after you open the album cannot return it. Even buying used on ebay not having much luck and I find that a lot of sellers don't know how to rate records and I find them in not as good shape as what they listed, but at least in most cases they can be returned
I still have some records I bought back in the late 70s when I was in high school and some from the college years in the early 80s. I recall records costing less than $10 back then. But, to me, that was still a lot for a kid in those days plus I needed beer money in college. I was only buying new vinyl the last couple of years, but I'm pickier now and lot of stuff is purchased on CD. Some of the vinyl I've bought the last year was just bad. I was recently looking to get a new turntable and nearly bought a Technics but wound up with an RT85 instead and I'm happy.
Hey Frank. Great video! I’ll probably buy the same amount - but that all depends on releases of course - what I don’t already have is what I gravitate to. Happy Holidays to you and yours! 🎄😺
I want to share my record buying rules when it comes to money. The Top Bands Rule: When one of my top bands releases music I can buy it regardless of price, in multiple formats without guilt. I’d far sooner own the releases of my top bands since I know I’ll get my money’s worth, while avoiding paying too much later if the music sells out. The Two Boxes of Beer Rule: Since giving up drinking, I can spend the equivalent of two boxes of beer ($40) each month on records without guilt. The Less Than a Panera Sandwich Rule: On any given day I can spend up to $10-$15 on a used record, since it’s less than a Panera sandwich. These rules work well for me, and I believe that record collecting is one of the more wholesome hobbies I could have, so I try to not over think things and just keep on spinning. Cheers Frank.
Great video, Frank. I have about 650 to vinyl albums (all Hip Hop). It seems like a daunting task to catalog them using Discogs, but I guess I will do it.
Rising record prices are a major factor for record collecting and these days, I'm really not prepared to pay more than $25 for an album, I can live without new vinyl records if I can listen to the album on TH-cam for free, and I don't even bother with expensive limited edition boxed sets. Despite having bought about 100 records on Amazon over the past several years for as little as $9.50 to at most $25, but on average, $15 to $20, I mainly prefer to buy records in excellent gently used condition at thrift stores (I've got 2,500 to 3,000 records already; most of which were bought cheaply and used) and I'll take chances on albums priced at two to three dollars each, but when it comes to lofty prices for new records, I don't do any blind buys ever. I always check out the album first on TH-cam and even then, I take a moment to decide if I actually need it in my physical media collection or if buying the CD makes more financial sense or if listening to various songs or albums on TH-cam for free is good enough at this stage. These are the kinds of purchasing decisions collectors have to determine for themselves depending on budget and practicality. :)
A lot of times a record's price at pre-order will be right at my top limit. Then another chunk for postage puts it out of touch. I opt for the much cheaper CD. Plus I frequent local record store sales where I can find good old stock for a dollar or two and come home with a nice stack.
I have little to no disposable cash. But I would still occasionally be willing to spend $100 or more on a new or used record, if I knew that it has great sound quality. The sound quality on 80%+ of records are nothing special. In fact, most are less than nothing special. So it is pissing money down the drain. Digital is bad, too. But at least I can often demo 30 seconds of a song before purchasing it, and it does not cost me a fortune. I wish that there was a way to hold record companies accountable for the shoddy work that they put out. If movie studios put out equally shoddy work, customers would demand refunds from their purchases. And when I say "shoddy work", I am not referring to the plot or the acting skills, etc. I am referring to "if movies had sub-par picture quality -- not focused properly, poor lighting, blurry, too bright, over saturated colors, etc." All of the above goes on with the sound quality of digital and vinyl, by way of compression, equalization, lack of dynamics, lack of soundstaging, etc. Even if I was a billionaire, it would bother me to spend $50, or $80, etc, on a record, only to drop the stylus and instantly hear a sonic crime. The initial capture tapes (or digital equivalent) do not suffer from any of the above. The sound quality gets ruined by the clods in the studios that process and process and process the once glorious sounding tapes into a sonic mess. And it costs us a bundle for every one of those pressing. We have personnel in music studios earning a living screwing up the sound quality of hit song after hit song after hit song. Where else can you get paid to ruin something. And it is a slap in the face to the band (the artists) that practice and practice, and pour their hearts into their craft, only to have its sound quality wrecked by some incompetent doofus in the studio. For anyone that does not notice the lousy sound quality of most pressings, it is likely because you probably never heard the rare exceptions that sound glorious. That is because such glorious sounding pressings are just that -- rare. Once you hear such sonic gems, you might also get fed up with the vast number of sub-par sounding pressings being released. In any other industry, companies would go out of business. Can you imagine if only 2% of the meals served in an expensive restaurant were delicious? They would be out of business in a few weeks -- six months, tops. But for vinyl pressings, the studios keep serving the slop, and the public keeps purchasing the slop. I have a small, but fantastic sounding record collection. And I refuse to keep burning my money on one lousy sound pressing after another. I am very fortunate and happy to have what I have, and just live with the fact that it is over for me trying to grow my record collection. I play records for their amazing sound quality. But I am not going to continue purchasing thousands of dollars in records, only to toss 90%+ of them. If only there was a way to get refunds on the "defective" sounding pressings, or to hold the record companies accountable. I would even settle for having the names of the studio personnel included with the album. That would at least provide a guide as to who knows what they are doing, and who does not know what they are doing, and allow us to seek out records by competent studio personnel, and avoid records by incompetent studio personnel. Movies show the credits for everyone involved in the production. Alas, songs do not.
Great video Frank! I have started putting a limit on the records I buy to $29 and anything more than that I buy on CD. I love music too much to stop buying!
I spoke to a saleswoman at a vinyl store and she said that customers complain that the quality of LPs is nowhere near the quality of vinyl from 40+ years ago. And the prices are unreasonably high.
The prices for everything are going up, that's right! For food, rent, energy, gasoline, clothes (if you don't like to go out naked)...you need to pay for all these things! You better save money for things you have to replace, for example refridgerator, car, stereo system (how would you play records without?) and others! But you don't need to buy overpriced records! If you can afford, it's okay! I'd rather listen to the stuff I already have! If I play through every record, mostly CDs, I would take years before I'm ready!
LP record prices (new and used) have risen dramatically, more than the cost of living in general, over the last dozen years or so. Until the 2010s, it was rare than a record would sell for $30. Now, that's the low end of the standard MSRP. So, yes, the cost of records is eating up a greater share of the amount of money many people can spend on luxuries like recorded music. It's hard to even find used records at prices comparable to what they were ten years ago. Who hasn't noticed? Even CD prices are spiking -- maybe because the US record factories that converted to CD facilities in the '80s and '90s are now either closed or converting back to LPs again!
P.S. And if the incoming US administration slaps "ten to one thousand percent" tariffs on all imports (including petroleum products used for vinyl) as promised, you can expect record prices (and the cost of everything else) to skyrocket overnight.
Vinyl is cheaper now than when I was a kid. I bought the Beatles White Album in 1968 for $11.98. That would be a $108 in today's money. To me this is a golden age of vinyl with so many high quality audiophile reissues. Loving vinyl collecting right now.
@@juliosanchez8263 Yes, inflation is universal, but (I think Chanel 33 RPM did a video on this), you have to consider the cost of everything else, too, as a proportion of your income and expenses. I agree that recent audiophile LP reissues of long OOP jazz titles (at 33 1/3 rpm -- no 45s for me) are great, and they're about all I'm interested in -- mainly because, as Frank and others have said, I already have good copies (either on vinyl or CD) of most of the thousands of back catalog titles I have always wanted. At the same time, I don't want to buy new digitally recorded pop music on vinyl (a format for which it was not conceived or recorded) because there's very little such music that interests me. I'm not the target audience. I'm old.
I bought 8 albums this year and the only reason I got that many is because a site had a really good discount on a few titles. I want more but when a single LP is $35 and a double is $50+ I just can't justify it, any more.
Vinyl is cheaper now than when I was a kid. I bought the Beatles White Album in 1968 for $11.98. That would be a $108 in today's money. To me this is a golden age of vinyl with so many high quality audiophile reissues. Loving vinyl collecting right now.
Good evening 🥶❄️🎄☕️🍩 My issue is (I’m going through my record collection..getting rid of dupes and dead /poor pressings) is you’re paying near premium prices for ..MEH quality …I’ll still buy vinyl…but I’m extremely picky.
Sharp eye.... I got some near gear recently, including a Cambridge Audio AXA35 amp and DALI speakers. I've done some mixing and matching and now have 2 systems I'm really happy with. I will do a vid in the new year. Cheers!
Unfortunately records have been cottoned onto by scalpers and this is affecting the second hand market as much as new. I’m still buying shed loads of new records, almost always on pre order as off Discogs they almost always inflate to double the cost as soon as they’re sold out. I have picked up some early copies of Pink Floyd records as I think they are only going to go up and 1st press German copies (which used the same metals as UK copies) are still fairly reasonable in good condition but I don’t think that’s going to last. But I really need to put the brakes on, it is getting very expensive and I have other priorities in the near future with moving etc. Thanks so much for all your videos this year, wishing you and your family happy holidays!
Hello Frank! This is great. Comparing yourself to the survey results gives you a general idea about you as a collector and for others around the world. Brilliant ! /R
I still occasionally buy vinyl if it's something I really like, especially if it's not avaliable on CD. I've always been a CD person for the sound quality and it's just easier to do CDs than vinyl. I still enjoy buying some vinyl though it's a neat format
It really depends on what comes out. Early this year a few artists I loved released new albums and they were really disappointing. Some of the other questions. I spent $50 on a single album but box sets the most expensive being $125. I always look for Amazon marketplace copies. I've had very good luck with those. I'm glad I don't have to answer to anyone what I spend.
The best way to hide a new purchase is to get some material representing dust and sprinkle it on the said item. I have less than 10 vinylv records I still require. Talking of costs. Labels now vastly overcharge. I understand inflation, but a number of items are overcharged using Covid and the current world situations as an excuse. The Kiss vinyl super deluxe box set is around $1000. The Kiss limted Animalize Picture Disc with a poor quality T Shirt plus the Hot In The Shed Picture Disc with another poor quality T Shirt were both priced around $170 and $175 each. They sold out. Pure madness.
Loved some of those comments, especially on the last question 😅. The price of new records is definitely an issue for me but it seems to be mainly the majors who have really upped their prices. A lot of new releases on smaller independent labels still seem affordable , at least here in the UK.
I' ve been buying used records since the mid -80's so I pretty much have everything I want. That said, I feel like the used market has been picked clean. Seems like what's left out there these days is all low grade records that would have been overlooked in previous years.
1) Availability. All too often, new releases discussed are sold out all too soon. 2) No. If I like it, if it is available, I buy it. 3) Same +/- 2 standard deviations. 4) 100-250, but I think only one out of about 1500. 50-100: a bunch, particularly specialty packaging releases. 5) Yes.
My personal choice are black records only which means ive not bought as many LPs this last year due to the releases i wanted were pressed only on yellow or splatter coloured vinyl so i just forgot about them.theres no shortage of LPs in our house to listen to but don't want to neglect the artists and bands that i love.more black pressings please.
I'm like "ugh, Discogs sponsor? I don't need to know about what I already know about" then 2:45 "Wait... What? I've got an app to download!" I've only catalogued about 1% of my collection because it was too tedious [for me].
I wish I would have seen this survey. Very interesting results. The Screaming for Vengeance album over your left shoulder brought back a memory, when that was originally released the vinyl was so thin that most pressings were so warped that they were unplayable. I returned that album seven times before I got a playable copy. Anyway, I'm at a point in my life where I can buy what I want and have purchased both LP and CD if something didn't sound so good. For example, I got the LP of Dawes Misadventures of Doomscroller and thought it sounded muddy. The CD sounded so much better! Long story longer, I now plan on buying both CD and LP if I don't like the sound of one format. My kids will have quite a collection to sort through when I'm gone.
Rising cost: Supply vs. Demand and collectibles? Not surprised. You guys are dealing in cycle of not only ‘collectibles’, but in a product that is low supply because of low demand… comparatively to the peak years of record buying. It’s only going to get worse as time goes on. I’m curious as to when our generation of record collectors dies out… where will vinyl end up?
I guess a lot of records will wind up needing new homes but I think they'll be a market. I've been pretty ambivalent to new vinyl but I love my dad's old records and they were a massive way for me to discover music, that's how I first heard the Doors, Hendrix, Zepp and countless others. As a teen in the 90s I was able to hoover up cheap 2nd hand vinyl (and in many cases 1st hand that had never been sold) because a lot people ditched their collections for CDs. I was getting into heavier music then and it was great way to get to know a lot of 70s and 80s hard rock and metal! Long story short, when the great record collections that still exist today do start getting sold off, as long as the prices don't take the p*ss too much, hopefully they'll be curious younger folk (who may or may not already be buying vinyl) who'll step in and discover some of the classic music that maybe they wouldn't stumble on Spotify - and then the music may get passed down a few more generations. I am worried that people will lose interest in the rich body of music of the 20th century, and vinyl records were a great part of carrying that music. So let's hope they avoid the landfill and wind up on a turntable somewhere, preferably in a house with kids in it, those kids will hear them and our cultural legacy lives on!
I used to think I was better off financially, because I was only either replacing records I had either lost through theft some 30-odd years ago, or the fact that I really only buy music I grew up with, ie the 60s, 70s and 80s (plus the odd 90s and 00s). But nowadays the older stuff is just flying out of the labels' doors. I mean, 3 Thin Lizzy boxsets in a single year? A "new" Bowie boxset is being released every year. And don't get me started on the number of different versions of The Cure's new album. Factor in others like the Floyd DSOTM 50th anniversary versions, The Who's "Who's Next" 50th versions, the Queen I release, RSD and RSD BF, the list goes on and on. And on. And as many others have noted, prices are only going one way. I reckon I have spent the best part of £2500 this year on vinyl alone (its probably a lot more tbh), with over £1000 of that going to one retailer alone. That isn't counting what I've spent on CDs as well, as most boxsets nowadays are CD-based. And as more 40th and 50th (and 60th, who knows) anniversaries are "celebrated", I can only see it getting worse.
Ripped all my records to FLAC and sold them this year. They cost to much, take up to much space and honestly they just started annoying me, I'm done. I realized I just like the sound of vinyl and don't care about the actual record and owning physical objects like that. FLAC keeps that sound intact and makes things much more convenient. Luckily I have a friend who owns a record store and they're letting me take records home and rip them.
@SpyderTracks I'm just not a collector, I did the same thing with CD's. Had hundreds of them and got rid of them before I started buying vinyl. It's so nice to just hit play on a FLAC player and let the album play all the way through and get the same sound without having to flip, brush or clean the record.
@ for me it wasn’t just the sound, with digital I just lost my passion for listening to music, can’t quantify why, the ritual of caring for vinyl and playback enhanced my overall experience and satisfaction. Never felt as into music as I do now with any other media, digital or otherwise.
cds are starting to go up in price as well. Look at the retro video game market, that’s been even more out of control post covid. I think if the global economy gets better, the prices should level back out for most things. I’m optimistic for improvements in 2025. Lower gas and oil prices should have drastic impact on bringing costs down.
I've slowed down some, but still buy vinyl, new & used, though I'm always picky about it.. Trying to score the best sounding pressings for the best price. 👍
My biggest issue is the lack of current pressings of things i want. Ive been waiting years for a Megadeth "Youthanasia" or Ozzy "Ultimate Sin" but can go to any walmart and find clearance Adele albums. I get the Music Industry is gonna "music industry," lol, but can i get a Page and Plant "No Quarter" for less than $200?
I think i bought one new album in 2024. Mind you, I've been collecting for a long time and have original issues. Prices on back catalog reissues are all over the place. Whoever prices these albums are out of their minds. Records used to be priced essentially by whether they were single or double albums. Now, these albums vary wildly in price, including back catalog ones. The record companies will lose in the long run, destroying their own market with pricing and losing customers.
Price mostly and the burn out on remixes and box sets etc, I really dont need 10 copies of a record I already have. I dont have as much time as I would like for what I have as it is.
Greetings Frank, I hope you and the fam are doing well. Thanks for another good post. The wife and I are 'empty nesters' so we have some freedom with our purchases. Retirement is in my future (2-3 years) and the retirement income will require me to be more selective w/ my purchases. There are always CDs (as long as their prices don't rocket thru the roof). "a lot of you are lying to your spouses about how much money you spend on music. It's ok, your secret is safe with me... "; Hilarious ... 🙃 Wishing you and yours a joyous Christmas and happy New Year. Keep on spinnin'!
In the first half of the 1970s an album was typically $5 to $6, a little less than the price of a steak dinner. How much is a steak dnner today compared to the price of an album? It's about the same ratio, isn't it?
In my opinion, Discogs is also partly to blame for the exploding vinyl prices! The (professional) dealers drive the prices immeasurably, because Discogs gives them the opportunity to sell uncomplicated and worldwide at extreme prices. The music industry then, of course, goes with it.
went record shopping a few months ago. Bought 2 albums & the grand total was $146 😅😅 ($130 before taxes). Amazon has the cheapest prices (pray that they double box with an LP mailer), but i would rather buy records locally
Records pretty much either come from thrifts or deep discount due to the cost. Apple Music lossless into Audacity to CD burner takes care of the CDs I can't thrift...
While I use discogs to database my collection, most of my albums are old with no barcodes. lol I am also guilty of buying my wife albums that I want. ;)
Frank, even when I was able to buy vinyl LPs, it was "hit and miss" from the used place. If I SERIOUSLY want an album, I get it on compact disc. 📀 I certainly enjoyed the brief run on vinyl LP. Listening to SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER (1977) on vinyl feels real. But it would feel artificial to listen to something just recently made on vinyl. Well, let's face it Frank. If you want to hide purchases from your wife, the easiest way to do it is digital downloads. Even CDs are easier to hide.
@@Channel33RPM Yea! Ha ha! Certain powers (ha ha) were starting to get annoyed with me merely because of the amount of space they took up. But my collection wasn't THAT big. So, I didn't get in MUCH trouble. And a MERRY CHRISTMAS to you and your family Frank. 🎄 Feliz Navidad. 🎄 Joyeux Noel! 🎄 Buon Natale. 🎄
Honestly for me quality control has gotten worse. I find 2014 2015 pressing all sound really good but then I bought a lot of records recently in 2024. They all have bad quality control and are off-center. Example: Smashing Pumpkins rotten apples greatest hits, from target. It’s not a very good pressing and quality control is very bad on it and it costs $40. Also, I would like to know what you think of Gruv Glide record cleaner. It’s my go to, but I’ve never really heard about it anywhere.
hey frank..great video..that last question made me laugh, because i buy so few records these days, my wife pretty much knows them all or doesnt care.. by the way..what's going on with cznada's postal system..in the u..s., they're saying nothing can be sent there..just curious.. anyway, hope you and the family have a warm and welcoming holiday season..peace man.. rocky
Thanks rocky-o.... and thanks for contributing the comment to the video. Yes, Canada Post was on strike for the last 4 weeks.... at the busiest time of year... Wild. The government finally ordered them back to work a few days ago, so the mail is flowing again. Cheers
I only buy maybe 4 albums a year now and it has to be something that I really want. I used to buy way more than that especially when I first started the hobby. I do agree that the used cd market is the best bang for your buck. Unless it’s a super rare cd that was released in limited quantities.
Let's be honest buying records can be a shopping addiction. It's all about the dopamine. Buying less is OK people 🤣 I'm fortunate to have a collection I'm happy with so one record a month is fine. If you are just starting out though and building a collection it must be frustrating with the cost and poor QC now.
Buying music is pretty much my life,nothing else interest me,I buy some physical movies but majority digital...vinyl,Cassetts some cds are a must,the hunt is thrilling.
Vinyl is cheaper now than when I was a kid. I bought the Beatles White Album in 1968 for $11.98. That would be a $108 in today's money. To me this is a golden age of vinyl with so many high quality audiophile reissues. Loving vinyl collecting right now.
People LOVE to complain about prices, but $8 in 1980 is $30.67 today. That isn't far off the mark. Most new vinyl is between $30-$40 now. We didn't blink at $8 in the 80s. The reality is that we as long-term collectors got spoiled because the used market was so affordable for so long. Now that vinyl is popular again we are simply seeing a shift in supply and demand. The used market is a finite commodity. The fewer original copies out there the more they will increase. This hobby takes no prisoners.
I still own about 600+ albums, most of them in perfect condition. From Meet the Beatles to…. I am 71 years old and my wife has no interest in them. Would love to sell them to someone who likes Beatles, ELP, Neil Young, Eagles, Doobies, CSN( and Y), Yes, Genesis and so on. Anybody have any suggestions? Thanks.
I have a theory. Mind you it's just a theory. The insane audiophiles who spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on their audio devices are driving the market. They spend obscene amounts of money on that stuff and they want it to mean something. They've realized 99% percent of the population can't touch them with respect to their equipment. But that's not enough for them. They want to out spend us on the one thing they need to enjoy their devices, the albums. It's mine, it's all mine. If they spend all that money on their toys, money is no object in terms of the price of albums. They aren't going to spend all that money on that stuff, then turn around and scour the thrit stores for albums. I wouldn't be surprised to find they are the people buying lots of albums just to jack up the prices on places like eBay. I was looking to maybe buy my best friend the Peter Jackson Beatles documentary Get Back for Christmas. Someone was selling it for $2,000.00. it wasn't even signed or anything. That pissed me off. I would imagine that companies that make audio equipment want to sell their wares to as many people as they can. However what good is a turntable if you don't have the album. It's a quid pro quo relationship. We should all call a general strike. As Coco Taylor says, Pitch a wang dang doodle. Physical media has become a fungable resourse like gasoline. The more we buy the higher the prices. I hate to say it but maybe the world of album buying has to die completely. I have no faith in it doing a course correction on it's own. But then I think no, the people who are CEOs of physical audio media wants the industry to just die because they don't want you to own your own music or movies, unless you are extremely rich. But their friends own the companies that produce the turntables and all that go with it. I don't get it. It's a three ring circus and we have to pay $50.00 and pick up the garbage.
Here’s why: because people aren’t happy unless they’re complaining about something new every five minutes. I’ve been enjoying collecting vinyl for 40 years, and I’m not about to start listening to the whiners and blowhards who run rampant in the “vinyl community” 🙄
The price of records is absurd. I have pretty much stopped buying vinyl now and just focus on Compact Discs.
i found a brand new dark side of moon for $20 on ebay and fleetwood mac rumors for $20. it seems some things are ridiculous but others arent too bad. i bought 3 vintage moody blues albums for $15 and they all play great. some things are absurd and i try to avoid those things
Me too but there is a problem. Some albums are better mastered on their vinyl version than on the CD one. So in some cases, for some albums (when the CD version is really badly mastered) I have to buy the vinyl version, despite the higher price.
So I also have to do some research into this.
Vinyl is cheaper now than when I was a kid. I bought the Beatles White Album in 1968 for $11.98. That would be a $108 in today's money. To me this is a golden age of vinyl with so many high quality audiophile reissues. Loving vinyl collecting right now.
@@AlexandruBurda Or you could find a FLAC rip of the first UK vinyl pressing on the internet...
I bought a record for this recent RSD black Friday and I thought it was a fair price $50 it was a double album ruby red and cobalt blue " Error (404) by the Warning. I was a happy camper
The price of vinyl is crazy.
Vinyl is cheaper now than when I was a kid. I bought the Beatles White Album in 1968 for $11.98. That would be a $108 in today's money. To me this is a golden age of vinyl with so many high quality audiophile reissues. Loving vinyl collecting right now.
Here in Australia releases are between $35 to $80... CDs are around the $35 mark.. vinyl up to $80. Sometimes buying the file is somewhat cheaper but I love in on media. Discogs sucks big time with ridiculous postage.. sometimes more in cost than the vinyl.
I have not bought a Record since I have been getting CDs, shortly after they stated come out. But I love to watch you channel as in the end it's all about the Music. I have added about 20 or so new 2024 CDs & I lost count on how many new to old CDs I have got this year. Right now, I'm on an old school Power Pop & Glam Rock kick.
Great video Frank! I’ve been buying more new albums on cd due to the rising cost of new vinyl. Usually I’ll only buy the vinyl if it’s one of my favorite bands or if I can get a great deal. This allows me to buy 2 to 3x the new music that I would if I stuck only to vinyl.
Thanks! CDs are definitely a good value nowadays.
@@Channel33RPM Shipping charges can often be the same for cds or vinyl.
Good stuff Frank. My wife and I know we're both overspenders when we can be - her passion is books, mine is music - but we keep each other informed of what we're spending, and since she retired in March, we're being a little more frugal with our purchases all the way around, so that's a good thing. Hope you and the fam have a wonderful holiday!
Thank you - wishing you guys all the best!
I’ve come to the point that I just stopped buying vinyl. If it’s something I really want from a specific artist, then I’ll get it, but on the whole, not only is the hobby getting stupidly expensive, but I have a family and in a new relationship, and work, who has the time to sit down and enjoy my records anyway?
Nice video Frank from Frank. 😊
With over 4,000+ Albums, 12" Singles, 45's since the mid-1970's to current, I'm pretty much set with my music. I'll still continue buying though in 2025 either different pressings of records I already have or a few stragglers I still want. I work hard, so I buy constantly as it is therapy for the soul.
I have decided on buying more audiophile records. Instead of 3 or 4 regular records buying 1 from accoustic sounds. Love hearing a great sounding record on my system
Me to as well🎉
People asking high prices for vinyl, a lot of the time they are selling junk 😢
@@Gary-qq7og maybe it's time to go back to 8 tracks,,,lol
"Even 8 track tapes are getting exspensive"
@@Gary-qq7og damm I can't win!! Lol
I’ve been dj’ing since the 80s, CDs offer the best of both worlds. I can quickly rip a CD and play the mp3 on a control vinyl using Serato DJ. I still collect certain artists and albums on vinyl, but it’s been mostly digital for me during the past few years.
I'm just buying second hand records like l have been for 35 years. New lps are ridiculously priced and 50% of them have pops, clicks, warps and skips and no where near the quality of the 70's / 80's. Quality control these days is non existent. I don't mind paying for new lps but when they are so poorly made it's just a waste of money then.
Correct. I just am sick of spending 40 bucks on a new vinyl to find that it skips non-stop. Not worth it anymore.
I still have a lot of records but turning my back on them more and more and buying cd's just for the cost and convience.
Now I'm getting older (51) I know my hearing will decrate and vinyl does not sound that awsome anymore then when I was in my 20's and 30's.
The other benefit is that cd's are more close to the original sounding master tape (when done by a proper producer), I'm not getting into the "let's make all mono records stereo issue" on CD's, that's another level of discussion.
For me, CD's is pretty much what I like to buy now, and with the excellent equipment these days (Dac's and new cd players) you can squeeze so much more out of an CD then ever before.
Have a great Xmas and happy new year Frank, for you, your family and friends.
Greetings for The Netherlands.
Could be worse. Have you see concert ticket prices lately?
Yeah... crazy... I have been avoiding most as a result.
My record buying has fallen to almost zero. They are out of their minds charging premiums for records. I would rather spend the money on a format like blu-ray audio that at least has improved sound potential and is usually cheaper than vinyl.
There is a CD/Vinyl hybrid that been invented, not sure how it will go.
Very few vinyls being bought here and they're never a cold buy, just me collecting my favs. Still getting cds though.
I’ve greatly reduced my purchase of new vinyl. Prices are THE reason.
I've purchased maybe 10 full-priced new records in the last few years. The rest of my collection is birthday/Christmas asks and garage/estate sale finds. I do feel bad for young collectors starting out who don't have as much time as I do to hunt for cheap vinyl.
I've recently got back into seeking out vinyl but the prices are prohibitive and intimidating. I really pick and choose which is good BUT also deters me from buying artists I'm not familiar with. Sadly, I've watched as my local used shop has been raising their prices as well. Just because a 2024 remaster of something comes out, that doesn't mean a 30 year old, scratched copy is worth as much. Sigh.
It’s interesting that the run away answer for the first question (about issues) was prices but that the results at 5:05 show that the majority of respondents aren’t buying fewer records because of it.
Retro game prices have been absurdly high and increasing from the 2000’s to now. Covid made the already insanely high prices even higher, and they continue to rise even post covid. It sucks, but people still buy.
What a great answer that was Frank, buy your partner the album as a gift then claim in for yourself ha ha. Wouldnt work in my household as my wife hates the music I listen too. Have a great Christmas with your family and thanks as always for the shows Frank. Keep on spinnin !!
Thanks Graham. All the best to you and yours.
Hi Graham yes I could not get away with that either 😂 my wife never listens to my music. All the best from Rob in Devon.
I am spending less on Vinyl. I bought two Brand New vinyl all year and the most recent buy was so disappointing, only liked one song, and after you open the album cannot return it. Even buying used on ebay not having much luck and I find that a lot of sellers don't know how to rate records and I find them in not as good shape as what they listed, but at least in most cases they can be returned
I still have some records I bought back in the late 70s when I was in high school and some from the college years in the early 80s. I recall records costing less than $10 back then. But, to me, that was still a lot for a kid in those days plus I needed beer money in college. I was only buying new vinyl the last couple of years, but I'm pickier now and lot of stuff is purchased on CD. Some of the vinyl I've bought the last year was just bad. I was recently looking to get a new turntable and nearly bought a Technics but wound up with an RT85 instead and I'm happy.
Hey Frank. Great video! I’ll probably buy the same amount - but that all depends on releases of course - what I don’t already have is what I gravitate to. Happy Holidays to you and yours! 🎄😺
Happy Holidays to you too!
I want to share my record buying rules when it comes to money.
The Top Bands Rule: When one of my top bands releases music I can buy it regardless of price, in multiple formats without guilt. I’d far sooner own the releases of my top bands since I know I’ll get my money’s worth, while avoiding paying too much later if the music sells out.
The Two Boxes of Beer Rule: Since giving up drinking, I can spend the equivalent of two boxes of beer ($40) each month on records without guilt.
The Less Than a Panera Sandwich Rule: On any given day I can spend up to $10-$15 on a used record, since it’s less than a Panera sandwich.
These rules work well for me, and I believe that record collecting is one of the more wholesome hobbies I could have, so I try to not over think things and just keep on spinning. Cheers Frank.
I like your thinking...
Great video, Frank. I have about 650 to vinyl albums (all Hip Hop). It seems like a daunting task to catalog them using Discogs, but I guess I will do it.
I totally agree... I'm trying to break it off into small chunks, but I figure it may take me 1.5 to 2 years to do it.
Rising record prices are a major factor for record collecting and these days, I'm really not prepared to pay more than $25 for an album, I can live without new vinyl records if I can listen to the album on TH-cam for free, and I don't even bother with expensive limited edition boxed sets.
Despite having bought about 100 records on Amazon over the past several years for as little as $9.50 to at most $25, but on average, $15 to $20, I mainly prefer to buy records in excellent gently used condition at thrift stores (I've got 2,500 to 3,000 records already; most of which were bought cheaply and used) and I'll take chances on albums priced at two to three dollars each, but when it comes to lofty prices for new records, I don't do any blind buys ever. I always check out the album first on TH-cam and even then, I take a moment to decide if I actually need it in my physical media collection or if buying the CD makes more financial sense or if listening to various songs or albums on TH-cam for free is good enough at this stage.
These are the kinds of purchasing decisions collectors have to determine for themselves depending on budget and practicality. :)
A lot of times a record's price at pre-order will be right at my top limit. Then another chunk for postage puts it out of touch. I opt for the much cheaper CD.
Plus I frequent local record store sales where I can find good old stock for a dollar or two and come home with a nice stack.
I have little to no disposable cash. But I would still occasionally be willing to spend $100 or more on a new or used record, if I knew that it has great sound quality.
The sound quality on 80%+ of records are nothing special. In fact, most are less than nothing special. So it is pissing money down the drain.
Digital is bad, too. But at least I can often demo 30 seconds of a song before purchasing it, and it does not cost me a fortune.
I wish that there was a way to hold record companies accountable for the shoddy work that they put out.
If movie studios put out equally shoddy work, customers would demand refunds from their purchases. And when I say "shoddy work", I am not referring to the plot or the acting skills, etc. I am referring to "if movies had sub-par picture quality -- not focused properly, poor lighting, blurry, too bright, over saturated colors, etc."
All of the above goes on with the sound quality of digital and vinyl, by way of compression, equalization, lack of dynamics, lack of soundstaging, etc.
Even if I was a billionaire, it would bother me to spend $50, or $80, etc, on a record, only to drop the stylus and instantly hear a sonic crime.
The initial capture tapes (or digital equivalent) do not suffer from any of the above. The sound quality gets ruined by the clods in the studios that process and process and process the once glorious sounding tapes into a sonic mess.
And it costs us a bundle for every one of those pressing.
We have personnel in music studios earning a living screwing up the sound quality of hit song after hit song after hit song. Where else can you get paid to ruin something. And it is a slap in the face to the band (the artists) that practice and practice, and pour their hearts into their craft, only to have its sound quality wrecked by some incompetent doofus in the studio.
For anyone that does not notice the lousy sound quality of most pressings, it is likely because you probably never heard the rare exceptions that sound glorious. That is because such glorious sounding pressings are just that -- rare. Once you hear such sonic gems, you might also get fed up with the vast number of sub-par sounding pressings being released.
In any other industry, companies would go out of business.
Can you imagine if only 2% of the meals served in an expensive restaurant were delicious? They would be out of business in a few weeks -- six months, tops.
But for vinyl pressings, the studios keep serving the slop, and the public keeps purchasing the slop.
I have a small, but fantastic sounding record collection. And I refuse to keep burning my money on one lousy sound pressing after another. I am very fortunate and happy to have what I have, and just live with the fact that it is over for me trying to grow my record collection. I play records for their amazing sound quality. But I am not going to continue purchasing thousands of dollars in records, only to toss 90%+ of them.
If only there was a way to get refunds on the "defective" sounding pressings, or to hold the record companies accountable.
I would even settle for having the names of the studio personnel included with the album. That would at least provide a guide as to who knows what they are doing, and who does not know what they are doing, and allow us to seek out records by competent studio personnel, and avoid records by incompetent studio personnel. Movies show the credits for everyone involved in the production. Alas, songs do not.
I feel like rising cost started being the issue 3-4 years ago . I’m way more into finding deals .
Great video Frank!
I have started putting a limit on the records I buy to $29 and anything more than that I buy on CD.
I love music too much to stop buying!
Budgeting/limits are always a good idea. I try to do the same.
I spoke to a saleswoman at a vinyl store and she said that customers complain that the quality of LPs is nowhere near the quality of vinyl from 40+ years ago. And the prices are unreasonably high.
The prices for everything are going up, that's right! For food, rent, energy, gasoline, clothes (if you don't like to go out naked)...you need to pay for all these things! You better save money for things you have to replace, for example refridgerator, car, stereo system (how would you play records without?) and others! But you don't need to buy overpriced records! If you can afford, it's okay! I'd rather listen to the stuff I already have! If I play through every record, mostly CDs, I would take years before I'm ready!
LP record prices (new and used) have risen dramatically, more than the cost of living in general, over the last dozen years or so. Until the 2010s, it was rare than a record would sell for $30. Now, that's the low end of the standard MSRP. So, yes, the cost of records is eating up a greater share of the amount of money many people can spend on luxuries like recorded music. It's hard to even find used records at prices comparable to what they were ten years ago. Who hasn't noticed? Even CD prices are spiking -- maybe because the US record factories that converted to CD facilities in the '80s and '90s are now either closed or converting back to LPs again!
P.S. And if the incoming US administration slaps "ten to one thousand percent" tariffs on all imports (including petroleum products used for vinyl) as promised, you can expect record prices (and the cost of everything else) to skyrocket overnight.
Vinyl is cheaper now than when I was a kid. I bought the Beatles White Album in 1968 for $11.98. That would be a $108 in today's money. To me this is a golden age of vinyl with so many high quality audiophile reissues. Loving vinyl collecting right now.
@@juliosanchez8263 Yes, inflation is universal, but (I think Chanel 33 RPM did a video on this), you have to consider the cost of everything else, too, as a proportion of your income and expenses. I agree that recent audiophile LP reissues of long OOP jazz titles (at 33 1/3 rpm -- no 45s for me) are great, and they're about all I'm interested in -- mainly because, as Frank and others have said, I already have good copies (either on vinyl or CD) of most of the thousands of back catalog titles I have always wanted. At the same time, I don't want to buy new digitally recorded pop music on vinyl (a format for which it was not conceived or recorded) because there's very little such music that interests me. I'm not the target audience. I'm old.
I bought 8 albums this year and the only reason I got that many is because a site had a really good discount on a few titles. I want more but when a single LP is $35 and a double is $50+ I just can't justify it, any more.
Vinyl is cheaper now than when I was a kid. I bought the Beatles White Album in 1968 for $11.98. That would be a $108 in today's money. To me this is a golden age of vinyl with so many high quality audiophile reissues. Loving vinyl collecting right now.
I feel ya. It's getting harder to justify new albums at those prices.
Once prices in the U.K. rose above £30 I’ve stopped a lot of my purchases….
I don't think I ever spent more than $20 for an lp.
Good evening 🥶❄️🎄☕️🍩
My issue is (I’m going through my record collection..getting rid of dupes and dead /poor pressings) is you’re paying near premium prices for ..MEH quality …I’ll still buy vinyl…but I’m extremely picky.
I know exactly what you mean.
Is that a Cambridge audio amplifier in the background beside your Technics turntable?
Sharp eye.... I got some near gear recently, including a Cambridge Audio AXA35 amp and DALI speakers. I've done some mixing and matching and now have 2 systems I'm really happy with. I will do a vid in the new year. Cheers!
@Channel33RPM I'm excited about the video ,,cheers
Unfortunately records have been cottoned onto by scalpers and this is affecting the second hand market as much as new. I’m still buying shed loads of new records, almost always on pre order as off Discogs they almost always inflate to double the cost as soon as they’re sold out. I have picked up some early copies of Pink Floyd records as I think they are only going to go up and 1st press German copies (which used the same metals as UK copies) are still fairly reasonable in good condition but I don’t think that’s going to last. But I really need to put the brakes on, it is getting very expensive and I have other priorities in the near future with moving etc. Thanks so much for all your videos this year, wishing you and your family happy holidays!
Thank you - all the best to you and yours.
Hello Frank! This is great. Comparing yourself to the survey results gives you a general idea about you as a collector and for others around the world. Brilliant ! /R
Cool, thanks
That is a really useful option to catalog your collection by Discogs.
Thanks!
What do you do if your records don’t have a barcode how do you scan them onto the dicogs
You have to input them manually. I usually search via the catalog number on the spine.
I just paid £66 in England for 3 new lps, they're good but it seems extortionate.
I’ve been collecting less popular areas / groups. Still very affordable as the mainstream ignores some great music.
I still occasionally buy vinyl if it's something I really like, especially if it's not avaliable on CD. I've always been a CD person for the sound quality and it's just easier to do CDs than vinyl. I still enjoy buying some vinyl though it's a neat format
It really depends on what comes out. Early this year a few artists I loved released new albums and they were really disappointing.
Some of the other questions. I spent $50 on a single album but box sets the most expensive being $125. I always look for Amazon marketplace copies. I've had very good luck with those.
I'm glad I don't have to answer to anyone what I spend.
The best way to hide a new purchase is to get some material representing dust and sprinkle it on the said item.
I have less than 10 vinylv records I still require.
Talking of costs. Labels now vastly overcharge. I understand inflation, but a number of items are overcharged using Covid and the current world situations as an excuse.
The Kiss vinyl super deluxe box set is around $1000.
The Kiss limted Animalize Picture Disc with a poor quality T Shirt plus the Hot In The Shed Picture Disc with another poor quality T Shirt were both priced around $170 and $175 each.
They sold out. Pure madness.
Loved some of those comments, especially on the last question 😅. The price of new records is definitely an issue for me but it seems to be mainly the majors who have really upped their prices. A lot of new releases on smaller independent labels still seem affordable , at least here in the UK.
New vinyl is way too expensive.
If the rising costs of vinyl (and CDs) doesn't get you then ridiculous shipping prices will...
I' ve been buying used records since the mid -80's so I pretty much have everything I want. That said, I feel like the used market has been picked clean. Seems like what's left out there these days is all low grade records that would have been overlooked in previous years.
1) Availability. All too often, new releases discussed are sold out all too soon.
2) No. If I like it, if it is available, I buy it.
3) Same +/- 2 standard deviations.
4) 100-250, but I think only one out of about 1500. 50-100: a bunch, particularly specialty packaging releases.
5) Yes.
My personal choice are black records only which means ive not bought as many LPs this last year due to the releases i wanted were pressed only on yellow or splatter coloured vinyl so i just forgot about them.theres no shortage of LPs in our house to listen to but don't want to neglect the artists and bands that i love.more black pressings please.
I did just pick up the deluxe anniversary REM New Adventures in Hifi for $19, 2 cds, 1 bluray, book, 7" design.
I'm like "ugh, Discogs sponsor? I don't need to know about what I already know about" then 2:45 "Wait... What? I've got an app to download!" I've only catalogued about 1% of my collection because it was too tedious [for me].
Glad to be of service... :)
I wish I would have seen this survey. Very interesting results. The Screaming for Vengeance album over your left shoulder brought back a memory, when that was originally released the vinyl was so thin that most pressings were so warped that they were unplayable. I returned that album seven times before I got a playable copy. Anyway, I'm at a point in my life where I can buy what I want and have purchased both LP and CD if something didn't sound so good. For example, I got the LP of Dawes Misadventures of Doomscroller and thought it sounded muddy. The CD sounded so much better! Long story longer, I now plan on buying both CD and LP if I don't like the sound of one format. My kids will have quite a collection to sort through when I'm gone.
Sorry you missed it... I will likely roll out another one next December.
Rising cost: Supply vs. Demand and collectibles? Not surprised. You guys are dealing in cycle of not only ‘collectibles’, but in a product that is low supply because of low demand… comparatively to the peak years of record buying. It’s only going to get worse as time goes on.
I’m curious as to when our generation of record collectors dies out… where will vinyl end up?
Most of it... likely in a landfill...
I guess a lot of records will wind up needing new homes but I think they'll be a market.
I've been pretty ambivalent to new vinyl but I love my dad's old records and they were a massive way for me to discover music, that's how I first heard the Doors, Hendrix, Zepp and countless others.
As a teen in the 90s I was able to hoover up cheap 2nd hand vinyl (and in many cases 1st hand that had never been sold) because a lot people ditched their collections for CDs. I was getting into heavier music then and it was great way to get to know a lot of 70s and 80s hard rock and metal!
Long story short, when the great record collections that still exist today do start getting sold off, as long as the prices don't take the p*ss too much, hopefully they'll be curious younger folk (who may or may not already be buying vinyl) who'll step in and discover some of the classic music that maybe they wouldn't stumble on Spotify - and then the music may get passed down a few more generations.
I am worried that people will lose interest in the rich body of music of the 20th century, and vinyl records were a great part of carrying that music.
So let's hope they avoid the landfill and wind up on a turntable somewhere, preferably in a house with kids in it, those kids will hear them and our cultural legacy lives on!
I used to think I was better off financially, because I was only either replacing records I had either lost through theft some 30-odd years ago, or the fact that I really only buy music I grew up with, ie the 60s, 70s and 80s (plus the odd 90s and 00s). But nowadays the older stuff is just flying out of the labels' doors. I mean, 3 Thin Lizzy boxsets in a single year? A "new" Bowie boxset is being released every year. And don't get me started on the number of different versions of The Cure's new album. Factor in others like the Floyd DSOTM 50th anniversary versions, The Who's "Who's Next" 50th versions, the Queen I release, RSD and RSD BF, the list goes on and on. And on. And as many others have noted, prices are only going one way. I reckon I have spent the best part of £2500 this year on vinyl alone (its probably a lot more tbh), with over £1000 of that going to one retailer alone. That isn't counting what I've spent on CDs as well, as most boxsets nowadays are CD-based. And as more 40th and 50th (and 60th, who knows) anniversaries are "celebrated", I can only see it getting worse.
Having to pay a lot for records I owned. (Black Sabbath-Live Evil)$$$
Ripped all my records to FLAC and sold them this year. They cost to much, take up to much space and honestly they just started annoying me, I'm done. I realized I just like the sound of vinyl and don't care about the actual record and owning physical objects like that. FLAC keeps that sound intact and makes things much more convenient. Luckily I have a friend who owns a record store and they're letting me take records home and rip them.
How long had you been collecting?
@@SpyderTracks Over a decade
@ man, that’s a real shame. But if you’re getting your kicks out of digital rips I guess that’s all you need.
@SpyderTracks I'm just not a collector, I did the same thing with CD's. Had hundreds of them and got rid of them before I started buying vinyl. It's so nice to just hit play on a FLAC player and let the album play all the way through and get the same sound without having to flip, brush or clean the record.
@ for me it wasn’t just the sound, with digital I just lost my passion for listening to music, can’t quantify why, the ritual of caring for vinyl and playback enhanced my overall experience and satisfaction. Never felt as into music as I do now with any other media, digital or otherwise.
cds are starting to go up in price as well. Look at the retro video game market, that’s been even more out of control post covid. I think if the global economy gets better, the prices should level back out for most things. I’m optimistic for improvements in 2025. Lower gas and oil prices should have drastic impact on bringing costs down.
I've slowed down some, but still buy vinyl, new & used, though I'm always picky about it.. Trying to score the best sounding pressings for the best price. 👍
My biggest issue is the lack of current pressings of things i want. Ive been waiting years for a Megadeth "Youthanasia" or Ozzy "Ultimate Sin" but can go to any walmart and find clearance Adele albums. I get the Music Industry is gonna "music industry," lol, but can i get a Page and Plant "No Quarter" for less than $200?
I think i bought one new album in 2024. Mind you, I've been collecting for a long time and have original issues. Prices on back catalog reissues are all over the place. Whoever prices these albums are out of their minds. Records used to be priced essentially by whether they were single or double albums. Now, these albums vary wildly in price, including back catalog ones. The record companies will lose in the long run, destroying their own market with pricing and losing customers.
Great vid Frank! \m/
Price mostly and the burn out on remixes and box sets etc, I really dont need 10 copies of a record I already have. I dont have as much time as I would like for what I have as it is.
i’m pretty much priced out of buying any new records. it’s hard to justify dropping over $40 for a new album when u can buy many Cds with that.
Greetings Frank, I hope you and the fam are doing well. Thanks for another good post. The wife and I are 'empty nesters' so we have some freedom with our purchases. Retirement is in my future (2-3 years) and the retirement income will require me to be more selective w/ my purchases. There are always CDs (as long as their prices don't rocket thru the roof).
"a lot of you are lying to your spouses about how much money you spend on music. It's ok, your secret is safe with me... "; Hilarious ... 🙃
Wishing you and yours a joyous Christmas and happy New Year.
Keep on spinnin'!
In the first half of the 1970s an album was typically $5 to $6, a little less than the price of a steak dinner.
How much is a steak dnner today compared to the price of an album?
It's about the same ratio, isn't it?
In my opinion, Discogs is also partly to blame for the exploding vinyl prices! The (professional) dealers drive the prices immeasurably, because Discogs gives them the opportunity to sell uncomplicated and worldwide at extreme prices. The music industry then, of course, goes with it.
went record shopping a few months ago. Bought 2 albums & the grand total was $146 😅😅 ($130 before taxes). Amazon has the cheapest prices (pray that they double box with an LP mailer), but i would rather buy records locally
Records pretty much either come from thrifts or deep discount due to the cost. Apple Music lossless into Audacity to CD burner takes care of the CDs I can't thrift...
While I use discogs to database my collection, most of my albums are old with no barcodes. lol I am also guilty of buying my wife albums that I want. ;)
Frank, even when I was able to buy vinyl LPs, it was "hit and miss" from the used place. If I SERIOUSLY want an album, I get it on compact disc. 📀 I certainly enjoyed the brief run on vinyl LP. Listening to SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER (1977) on vinyl feels real. But it would feel artificial to listen to something just recently made on vinyl. Well, let's face it Frank. If you want to hide purchases from your wife, the easiest way to do it is digital downloads. Even CDs are easier to hide.
Haha, yup... records are definitely more difficult to hide.... :)
@@Channel33RPM Yea! Ha ha! Certain powers (ha ha) were starting to get annoyed with me merely because of the amount of space they took up. But my collection wasn't THAT big. So, I didn't get in MUCH trouble. And a MERRY CHRISTMAS to you and your family Frank. 🎄 Feliz Navidad. 🎄 Joyeux Noel! 🎄 Buon Natale. 🎄
Shipping out of California is outrageous.
Honestly for me quality control has gotten worse. I find 2014 2015 pressing all sound really good but then I bought a lot of records recently in 2024. They all have bad quality control and are off-center. Example: Smashing Pumpkins rotten apples greatest hits, from target. It’s not a very good pressing and quality control is very bad on it and it costs $40. Also, I would like to know what you think of Gruv Glide record cleaner. It’s my go to, but I’ve never really heard about it anywhere.
I've never checked out Gruv Glide, but have been meaning to. Thanks for the reminder.
hey frank..great video..that last question made me laugh, because i buy so few records these days, my wife pretty much knows them all or doesnt care..
by the way..what's going on with cznada's postal system..in the u..s., they're saying nothing can be sent there..just curious..
anyway, hope you and the family have a warm and welcoming holiday season..peace man..
rocky
Thanks rocky-o.... and thanks for contributing the comment to the video.
Yes, Canada Post was on strike for the last 4 weeks.... at the busiest time of year... Wild. The government finally ordered them back to work a few days ago, so the mail is flowing again.
Cheers
I only buy maybe 4 albums a year now and it has to be something that I really want. I used to buy way more than that especially when I first started the hobby. I do agree that the used cd market is the best bang for your buck. Unless it’s a super rare cd that was released in limited quantities.
Yeah, the used CD market is a great place to find deals.
Another great video!!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Let's be honest buying records can be a shopping addiction. It's all about the dopamine. Buying less is OK people 🤣 I'm fortunate to have a collection I'm happy with so one record a month is fine. If you are just starting out though and building a collection it must be frustrating with the cost and poor QC now.
Buying music is pretty much my life,nothing else interest me,I buy some physical movies but majority digital...vinyl,Cassetts some cds are a must,the hunt is thrilling.
I basically quit buying used records, and the prices of those are out of control. I will only buy quality or quantity.
Vinyl is cheaper now than when I was a kid. I bought the Beatles White Album in 1968 for $11.98. That would be a $108 in today's money. To me this is a golden age of vinyl with so many high quality audiophile reissues. Loving vinyl collecting right now.
Lol love it ty for the shout-out
Hope you didn't mind that I had a little bit of fun with that one. I figured you'd get a kick out of it.
The most I paid was 70 dollars for a sealed original Metallica death magnetic record
Price to me dictates everything. Prices on new and used vinyl is absurd. I keep nothing from my wife. Thats why we are still married after 48 years.
People LOVE to complain about prices, but $8 in 1980 is $30.67 today. That isn't far off the mark. Most new vinyl is between $30-$40 now. We didn't blink at $8 in the 80s. The reality is that we as long-term collectors got spoiled because the used market was so affordable for so long. Now that vinyl is popular again we are simply seeing a shift in supply and demand. The used market is a finite commodity. The fewer original copies out there the more they will increase. This hobby takes no prisoners.
I still own about 600+ albums, most of them in perfect condition. From Meet the Beatles to…. I am 71 years old and my wife has no interest in them. Would love to sell them to someone who likes Beatles, ELP, Neil Young, Eagles, Doobies, CSN( and Y), Yes, Genesis and so on.
Anybody have any suggestions?
Thanks.
Do you have any Rolling Stones?
@ Yes.
@@19trebor53 How much would you charge me for Beggar's Banquet, Sticky Fingers, Let It Bleed, and Exile on Main Street?
Basically buying a $500 lp is like buying a share of stock, penny stock perhaps.
I have a theory. Mind you it's just a theory.
The insane audiophiles who spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on their audio devices are driving the market.
They spend obscene amounts of money on that stuff and they want it to mean something. They've realized 99% percent of the population can't touch them with respect to their equipment. But that's not enough for them. They want to out spend us on the one thing they need to enjoy their devices, the albums. It's mine, it's all mine.
If they spend all that money on their toys, money is no object in terms of the price of albums.
They aren't going to spend all that money on that stuff, then turn around and scour the thrit stores for albums. I wouldn't be surprised to find they are the people buying lots of albums just to jack up the prices on places like eBay.
I was looking to maybe buy my best friend the Peter Jackson Beatles documentary Get Back for Christmas. Someone was selling it for $2,000.00. it wasn't even signed or anything. That pissed me off.
I would imagine that companies that make audio equipment want to sell their wares to as many people as they can. However what good is a turntable if you don't have the album. It's a quid pro quo relationship.
We should all call a general strike. As Coco Taylor says, Pitch a wang dang doodle.
Physical media has become a fungable resourse like gasoline. The more we buy the higher the prices.
I hate to say it but maybe the world of album buying has to die completely. I have no faith in it doing a course correction on it's own.
But then I think no, the people who are CEOs of physical audio media wants the industry to just die because they don't want you to own your own music or movies, unless you are extremely rich.
But their friends own the companies that produce the turntables and all that go with it.
I don't get it. It's a three ring circus and we have to pay $50.00 and pick up the garbage.
Resellers are marking up the cost.
or to amazon lockbox..lol
At least when you buy vinyl you own it..thats better than paying for streaming and you own nothing
Here’s why: because people aren’t happy unless they’re complaining about something new every five minutes. I’ve been enjoying collecting vinyl for 40 years, and I’m not about to start listening to the whiners and blowhards who run rampant in the “vinyl community” 🙄
It's great those crooks at discogs are paying you so much money to do videos. When will you be trying to sell us mop slippers, sir?
Overpriced, also too many scratched and non playable records.
$750 was the most I paid for a cd. I did buy the Japanese Madonna box set of 3" singles for a bargain at $999.99.
Is record collecting a male thing, or is your group of followers male only?