Another old school Too Many Records video. Cheers to that. I agree on all of these. The Zoetropes in particular need to go. Let me add on a few. 1. The $20-$30 7”??? Why is this a thing? 2. Signed insert cards. Either sign the cover or forget about it. Also the dubious claims an artist actually signed the record. I have serious doubts about Sabrina Carpenter signing all of her new record since there seems to be thousands of these constantly getting rereleased. 3. Staggering variant releases. Another annoying FOMO tactic. Seems now that different versions of new releases are coming out slowly over a week or two rather than all of them dropping at once.
Skyrocketing prices are going to cause the bubble to burst a lot faster than grading. What killed the comic book industry was the failure to realize that collectible comics were only valuable because they were rare, not because there were four variants with holographic covers. Records on the other hand are becoming a luxury item at an alarmingly quick rate and unless prices come down fairly soon I fear that most of us won’t be able to afford the hobby at all within the next few years.
@@deathfeel I’m mostly buying used records these days. New records just aren’t worth the money most of the time especially with quality control showing no signs of improving.
Limited to 4 is to prevent bulk buying price gougers from buying the lot. This happened to the mono reissue of Sgt Peppers. Sold out because eBay sellers were buying them all and not enough for the general public to buy at the retail price
with the beatles that makes sense and actually if it’s truly limited then even 4 is too many which i think Matt was saying. He is more saying that too many releases try to appear limited by saying ‘only 4’ - that’s not really limited. Print runs need to be stated.
@@rydogglessauldoggles7856 I get it but who wants to buy more than 1 copy unless their intentions were to hoard copies or resale. I think Matt is saying that the seller is to blame for limiting the amount bought, where it should be the insane buyers to blame for buying more than they need. Limiting is not a trend but a reason to combat with greedy resellers.
Actually the limited to four per customer is for charting purposes. Billboard allows four records to count one for one. Five to nine units per customer is counts as four four and ten or over are considered bulk and ineligible completely.
@@musicmogulwhat’s the rationale? That someone is bulkbuying with no intention of personal use/gifting? Is this also to prevent a music company from sending people out with blank checks to buy up all the records to inflate numbers?
In most instances, yes. Chart manipulation has always been around and that rule was put in place by Billboard to curb the attempt from agents of acts buy in bulk and inflate the album unit number which carries substantially heavier weight, by their metric, than streaming equivalent numbers.
Slabbing vinyl has got to be the worst one. It makes card and comic collecting stupid, and will do the same for vinyl. Nobody wants to pay someone to grade their albums, and what good is it behind plastic?
The card collecting bubble was burst because of overproduction. Slabbing in the hobby though has gotten ridiculous with collectors always seeking the perfect card . Some people buy only slabs and that is annoying. With some high end cards though I understand slabbing as it even creases are sometimes hard to detect. Also a Michael Jordan rookie is so heavily counterfeit led that buying an unslabbed card is just not smart. I do know people that buy cards in slabs to authenticate the card and and autograph and then crack them out and enjoy them in the or personal collection. I will say slabbing and grading has made the hobby way less fun. with comics i am not a fan because you can’t read the book but somewhat understand it. there are graphic novels and licensed reproductions of almost anything gif you want to read it and they do actually protect the books. the vinyl thing is stupid - it should be reserved for records that cost $1,000 and up that you can’t lay eyes on before purchasing. that you plan on cracking put and listening. to. I still think it’s bonkers but people will collect how they want to collect but I think overall grading is a scam , a money suck, and ruins hobbies.
Slabbing records is absolutely asinine... If it´s a signed copy of a record that sounds awful anyways, like a signed TOOL Lateralus or something along those lines, like, maybe it makes sense? But let´s be real here, almost all of those records will just be wasted as "financial deposits" just making it more expensive and difficult for actual record-lovers to afford copies they actually intend to play and listen to - it´s almost like that´s the entire point of a vinyl *record*...
As a collector who only buys cds i find it amazing that theres a whole community on lets say Discogs that goes endlessly in the review section, discussing how the new release sounds to them and focussing on all the small details, be it sound quality, surface wear, packaging ect. The collectors are actively spending 50 bucks on a lot of vinyl, just to hope that the vinyl sounds great and doesnt have an issue. I love that people collect whatever format they want, but see so much complaints on a lot of these new records, if a record company asks top dollar, there has to be some more of a quality control right. Now it feels like a lot of collectors are just "gambling" if their new limited album sounds great. And yeah some of them get the fomo and buy all variants, just to be 500 bucks further down the line and only one pressing is worth the quality control. In context i like buy cds at second hand shops just to listen to the music, so i'm maybe not the most knowledgable person when it comes to vinyl. But yeah, thats always one thing that baffles me.
I have bought 2 LPs recently that had skips in them. All the records available had that same skip. As if nobody did a listening check before they started pressing. The art of making records has become a joke these days.
Yeah, i wouldnt say this could not happen with cd pressings as well, but with a new cd you'll spend around 15, while the record sets you back triple that amount. Thats a lot of money for a faulty product. And i know there things as returns, but thats a gruelling process on its own. The same is true in gaming for instance. You pay 70 bucks for a product, but shipped with bugs, and it takes forever to fix them. Then when all is set and done you must pay another 50 to get the complete stuff. I've always been a collector myself and feel the frustration when the thing you collect becomes a gamble. I'd say always do research and save money.
Another one: The absurd rise in prices, which got to the point that even the worst most worn-out record, on the most tore sport jacket is being sold for more than it’s really worth. Sellers of both new and used vinyl need to stop this as soon as possible, or I will have no choice but to stop buying LPs. I bought at least one record a week, now I haven’t done it for more than two months. We love music, but we’re not clowns.
The “limited” point you made is so on point. If you can’t give me a number of copies it’s limited to, don’t even bother putting it on there. I’m also not a huge fan of them saying “limited to 25,000 copies”. That’s almost never gonna sell out so why even share that statistic
I remember a good 20 years ago seeing reissues of AC/ DC's Back in Black and thinking "What? Why? So many rare records without reissues and they're making more of one of the best sellers of all time? We have enough of these already."
Record slabbing is such a bad idea, defeats the entire point of LISTENING to music. I'm really starting to think the collector Vinyl record boom is bad for music in general. The lack of diversity in people's "collections" is laughable. Doesn't have to do with anything based on taste or what one grew up with. REcord Store Day is also run it's course... We had so many flippers and grimey old men who wanted that Olivia Rodrigo 45".
The only trend I am truly annoyed by is younger people calling a single record a “vinyl” and more than one record “vinyls”. As someone who has been buying and collecting records for over 30 years it is rude to use improper terms when you enter into a new hobby. There is absolutely no excuse for this.
Terminology changes in every hobby. Even if it's incorrect, improper terms can (and will) take over within new generations. It's better for your mental health to not let semantics and malproprisms bother you.
I was hoping you'd touch care and cleaning. I feel like there's too many gimmicks to clean and care for both the discs and turntable that as a newbie I don't know what's actually good or the tried and true option that will cost less.
I appreciate you bringing up goldmine ratings. That's what is the industry standard and it works well. I have been selling vinyl and media since 1989 thank you
Slabbing? Hell no! The trend of some sellers who think only the grade of the vinyl matters, not the cover. “You don’t listen to the cover” bs. It’s the whole package. If the cover is beat and ring worn, I don’t want it.
Good rant. I share all the same, plus when it comes to limited runs of records... Frigging number them all. So a place says only 500 will be made... Well how do I know that if there is no number like 45/500 on the record??!!. Sounds like a scam to me. Just saying.
Completely agree on zoetropes. Not into these at all. Why would I ever want to pull out my phone to look at the record through an app while it spins? Will do that once, at most.
Thank you sir, on point as usual! I 100% agree! The vinyl industry has continued to “prostitute” itself over the last few years with its FOMO marketing, endless variants, etc. I’ve never been a collector and it’s never been a hobby to me. It’s simply my preferred format of listening. In the last year and a half, I have cut my vinyl purchases by 80% because of the trends. I’m just not mad at my money. Thanks again for sharing your perspective and keep up the great work!🙏🏻🎧
What I find that is the absolute worst vinyl trends is grossly escalating prices. So, a record pressing plant presses a record which now retails for close to $40., but then they press a record which retails for $20. On top of that, they may have 2 separate pressing runs of the same record, the second a little later, but they are using the same masters/stampers and where they were originally $40., now they are $20. The difference might be using 140g vinyl to 180g vinyl. Or maybe a change to color vinyl, which would typically cost more, but then it is retailed at $20. You have some very good points. I've never heard of "slabbing" a record before. In my personal collection, I might display a record between 2 pieces of clear plastic, but it's to display the differences between records. e.g., the original release of Dave Mason's "Alone Together" album on marbled vinyl. No two are identical. Also displayed is the piss-poor, supposedly marbled vinyl that Friday Music put out.;
Limiting records is terrible. I have a few but I listen to them all the time not caring how rare they are. I didn't buy them to hang on the wall or cherish as a Picasso. I don't look up my collection to see what it's selling for. Those who do that already have in their minds that their collection really means nothing but $ signs. I love music and I don't buy it thinking "I wonder who I can scam money out of if I sell this". If you don't want the records, don't buy them.
I love that you think not listening to a record is more criminal than not reading a comic or not playing a game. It’s the same. They’re all not fulfilling their purpose. The slabbing companies involved in all of these endeavours don’t give a fuck about the hobbies, they want our money.
100% agree on the whole slabbing deal. This has also hit the retro videogame market. Like a record is made to be listened to, videogames are meant to be played and neither deserve to be encased in a lifeless acrylic monstrosity. As someone who watched the long term effect this had on one of my hobbies (ie some clueless stuffed suit seeing procuring such items as an investment rather than something to be interacted with and enjoyed), I beg you all to PLEASE not let the insanity spread to the vinyl market.
I learned today that another reason all these variants exist is to game the billboard charts. Each variant counts as the same album as far as billboard is concerned. Makes the practice even more despicable.
I hate what Daupe! does with Westside Gunn and the rest of the Griselda crew. 100 copies each of four or five overpriced variants that sell out the moment that they’re released so that you’re stuck with having to buy an even HIGHER-priced bootleg from the notorious 128482. It would be nice if Daupe! would just do a standard edition that’s reasonably priced once in a while! Peace.
Even slabbed comics are rapidly losing their popularity. Slabbing records is simply a horrible idea that common sense dictates this 'fad' will never catch on.
Slabbing isn’t gonna be a big thing, they’ve been trying for years to make it a thing. Apart from something obscenely rare, or perhaps signed, there’s no reason to do this. Grading is a good thing for other interests, but retro fitting it to vinyl, isn’t great.
Slabbing a record makes next to no sense to me. You’re basically just implying the record jacket’s quality, not the actual disc’s pressing quality, because who’s really going to open a record sleeve when they’re going to grade it?
Great Video and list Matt. Zoetrope and Slabbing both need to stop and now. Lathe cut vinyl should be done by professionals. No one else should do it. If they do it should be labeled as such. But I still think it should be done by people that know what they are doing.
The biggest problem with industry now is people wanting to re-invent everything when it's already as good as its going to get. Everytime we make a wheel we must re invent it...oh and without even referencing the original wheel.
I've put a complete FULL STOP to my vinyl collection for the very reasons mentioned .... and I don't regret it one bit. More than happy with the collection I already have.... don't need anymore reissues or variants or new releases. 😎👍👍
Loved this vid, my head was nodding throughout. That said, even after doing a bit of research on Tuned In Grading, I still have no idea what this Steve Aoki cash grab even offers -- I mean, what's the point?
Great video, Matt! Thank you, all these things and more are annoying me as well. The limited edition thing... Just say how many? If it's limited to 50,000 copies, is it really limited?
I see the same with videogames, and gosh, it's the exact mindset but on a different media. Grading games is just as ridiculous and you nailed it, it's not just art to admire, it's a record to listen to (or a game to be played,).
One Step vinyl needs to go. It’s unnecessarily complex and expensive with no empirical improvement, it’s just good marketing. One Step vinyl is inferior to well done HQ180g pressings
1) I didn't know this was a thing I have one zoetrope and haven't seen any around but if so then yeah it's pointless 2) Good god yes Varients nearly killed the comic industry and they will if not kill certainly massively weaken the vinyl industry 3) Lathe cuts like bootlegs are going to happen it's less a trend and more criminals trying to rip people off 4) The limited thing is annoying but not a real problem like you said it's marketing 101 and doesn't really affect individuals 5) I used to work in a comic book shop and I despised slabbing with all my being and now I work in a record shop I was glad to see the back of it so I hope this trend dies hard - it's a pointless practise that just ruins stuff and turns great things into nothing more then trading cards (which I have no hate for as thats the one thing slabbing makes sense with) like varients stop trying to copy the comic industry it's already dying
@@mitchabate HAHA please don’t tell me to do my own “research” (like I haven’t) that is definitely the fast track to me completely dismissing you and your future comments. Maybe I’ve been lucky, because I own 7 UHQR releases and they are all stellar, if not the best versions of those particular records. Played on a Clearaudio Performance DC AiR & Mac XR100s, I can clearly tell the difference, and to me, worth the price.
Put me in the anti-Slabbing camp. I get it, I guess, but I think I'm just a bit too basic for stuff like that. I'm not a high end collector, so I'm just not the target demographic for something like that. My biggest gripe is something you highlighted with the Variant Nightmares section of this video...the Deluxe Edition of an album that comes out a year after the initial release. This isn't just limited to vinyl...it is still done with CDs as well. But given the cost for new vinyl these days, it feels even more dubious with that format. I understand that artists have a few outtakes, maybe some demos or a live cut that they want to share, but maybe wait a few years for an updated physical release featuring those tracks. Maybe just keep that stuff on the streaming/digital side for a bit...build up some anticipation. Or wait and do a stand alone rarities comp type of release gathering those types of tracks built up over a few years. All of those options would be acceptable to me and my wallet. I just can't stand having a new Deluxe Edition hit shelves a year after the initial release. Because you know that is all somewhat planned out in advance. It just reeks of money grab.
Hey, I've noticed some other collectibles you have in the background. Maybe a video of your collection of any other stuff other than vinyl? Figures, funkos, posters etc? I think it would be interesting. Thanks!
@@TooManyRecords Thank you for the response. I think many of us collects other things as well, not only vinyl, so it could be fun to see what else are you into and passionate about.
"First time on vinyl"-releases, where the pressing is just crap, since they obviously sell these primarily to those who already own the CD, bought back in the 90's or 00's.
Chapel Roan is actually only 1.5 records for that price. Dude four is blank. J no it even an etching to my knowledge. This is the trend I hate most personally. If you don’t create your album with vinyl up in mind, and therefore need a side C to fit it all on vinyl, at least add four extra tracks on side D. Why not Good Luck Babe. Or any of her other non album tracks or covers. It’s infuriating.
We're you a teenager in the late 80s?. Vinyl (aka records) nobody called them vinyl until like 10, 15 years ago. The prices aren't anymore based on inflation as they were in 1988. An album ranged in price of 6.99 to 12.99 each. Minimum wage was $2.80 an hr. Today albums range from 19.99 to 39.99 and most states wages start at $14.50 an hr. So actually you have to work less time to buy one as you had to in the 80s. What the issue is, is that in the late 90s and most of the 2000s we all got used to the 9.99 CD prices at best buy, circuit city, Walmart and target. I assume if records were still being pressed during these times of the big titles the prices would have been around $10 to $15. So everyone needs to stop complaining about the prices especially if you're not old enough to know what it cost and how much it took to afford an album back in the day.
Test pressings that aren't. The most recent X album came out in a signed "test pressing" run of 500. 500 hundred copies is not a test pressing; it is a first run. To their credit, they did sign those copies and didn't upcharge as much as most artist-signed new releases. After that, they released three additional variants, telling you the number of copies of each, which is good, but tiering the prices accordingly, which is very, very bad. Reward fans who want the rarest variant for their hustle; let the market determine their later value.
Lack of flac - why are most digital downloads included with the vinyl (if you even get one) for mp3s!? This is 2024 - storage is not a problem - this is one of the reasons I love Bandcamp.
@@TooManyRecords- TRUE enough , restated - stores which take part in RSD are forced to buy certain amount of limited stock . In Which they can never sell . Probably wrong again, not a record store owner as yourself . RSD is not set up for independents as we are told, seems to be more of a corporate scam .
Slabbing records is ridiculous. Pure money making operation, nothing more. For one thing, many variations that collectors chase are inside the sleeve. Assuming that a perfectly preserved sealed copy is the ultimate, how can it be slabbed without looking inside? You often can't even tell the exact issue you have without looking at the record itself. I've seen slabbed records where the cover is for a re-issue and it's shown as an original pressing, which also tells me that whoever is evaluating them doesn't know much about records making the slab useless. While I see the usefulness in high end coin and card collecting, to me it took a lot of the fun out of the hobbies. It's just an attempt to turn a hobby into an investment. Since I'm not one to be buying and selling my music collection, regardless of what I pay, I assume in the end it will be worthless. Future prices mean nothing to me. For those engaged in active buying and selling it's generally a short term monetary investment, so I don't think it will ultimately take hold. Listen to what you have and get some enjoyment out of it.
Record companies greed. One sign of that is cutting in line to the pressing factories with their biggest artist. With the enticement of huge batches , the lesser known artists/bands get pushed down the line constantly. Happy to see Adele’s latest album going for $6-10 here in Sweden , because there’s thousands left over.
This is less a trend, more a fact of life. Since nearly all modern recordings are digital, with no actual analogue equivalent, nearly all vinyl releases are mastered by a computer (yes, the actual cutting for vinyl). Said computer has been programmed for caution, not for a "hot" sound. Far too often, the resulting vinyl record sounds dead, flat, dull, lifeless and disappointing. When the cut for vinyl prep (the first step toward the manufacture of the metal parts that records are stamped from) has been supervised and executed by a human mastering engineer, hopefully one with years of experience, the vinyl end result (from digital) can at least be acceptable, but occasionally even the human touch is not sufficient to result in a killer sounding slab of vinyl. Nothing is sadder than spending a HUGE dollar amount for 300 lp's to be pressed, often the max that a small band or indie performer can afford, only to find that the resulting vinyl sounds significantly less satisfying that listening the the digital version on youtube or bandcamp.
Limited to four on the purchase option is more about Billboard charting rules. Up to four gets one to one while five to nine only counts as four. Ten or more sales per customer get thrown out as “bulk” and are ineligible for their chart.
Releasing variants isn't a new thing. Many artists started doing this with CDs in the late 90s in different countries. Since musicians don't make a living off of record sales or streaming they have to play a game and record companies wanna make their money back on the production costs and distribution. If you want all the different songs and you're a fan you will buy these. Yes it's irritating when and artist puts out a deluxe version 6 months later with 3 or 4 new songs. I would rather they just release an EP rather than having the original with the new stuff. 7inch singles (aka 45s) would be cool to have again in excess. That could cut down on re-releasing an entire album with bonus material. It's not gonna happen though.
Yes we are in the age of variants and pressings of all the colors anything to get people to buy all copies. And yes...this whole thing about grading is getting out of hand. I had no idea records were now being graded. I know it started with comics and cards but now I see even VHS, DVDs ...it's ridiculous really and some collectors get them graded and in glass just because they think it looks cool. On their wall.
I was just about t comment we need to stop the “limited” thing. I actually fell for it with Jack White’s new record. Limited should mean no more than 2000, and that’s really pushing it.
1) meh. 2) never run into it. Re normal vs deluxe (or CD then vinyl) has happened, and that certainly annoys me. But only had that happen once, so not a thing, IMHO. 3) never seen that, not into those genres. I only have a couple of explicit lathe cuts, certainly has its own sound. 4) As always, buyers beware. 5) Just out of curiosity, how do you listen to a slabbed record?!? Never mind. LOL. 6) Paper inner sleeves, particularly on any kind of special release (deluxe, colored, limited numbers, etc.). "Paper sleeve are bad, mkay?" 70-80% or records I get have generic paper inner. Really?
I don't know if I would call variants a trend because it's been happening for so long at this point. My issue is that not only are there multiple versions of the same albums all in print at the same time, but they use so many buzzwords around them. You have records that are still in print, that you can go buy at your local record store... and yet they're releasing yet another variant of it? or they take old stock from 1-2 years ago, re-brand it as something new variant and then try to sell the rest of their stock. It's all just ridiculous at this point. It's confusing.
Hello TMR, I tend to watch my TH-cam videos on my TV, which is where I first saw your video listed. Before I watched, I pulled out the laptop and started my thoughts on my 5 Worst Record Trends. I want to see how we match up... Now, before I dive in, I am also looking at it from strictly the view as a consumer, so some of my gripes involve trends that the retail stores do as well. 1) Numerous color variants of the same record. Some Metal labels are notorious for doing this - it has to stop. There needs to be a purpose, other than making us collectors go crazy thinking we need every variant. Very lame of the label AND the band for approving it. When it comes to variants, I do enjoy when a band releases the first, let's say 300 on a non-black record and the rest are all black. This is great for touring bands so you can pick up a limited edition of the record only at the shows. Kinda cool. (as long as they tell you what the number is limited to, right?!) This is where hand-numbering comes into play. 2) A record pressed on high quality and super quiet wax, a really nice quality jacket with great photography and/or art, quality inserts, and then... the record is squeezed into a cheap paper sleeve. Horrible execution. 3) When you find out that a specific record has been release strictly by the label, not the artist(s). A lot of Best-Of's fall into this category, which is fine, I suppose, but I want to make sure that the artist is the one making the money on their art, not solely the distributor or label. The fans need to know this information before purchasing, but then why would the label even announce that?? I get it, it is now a widget that they sell and not art. That is why I much prefer labels like Dischord and Alternative Tentacles as they are also the artists and they care about their fanbase. 4) Speaking of not having all the information one needs listed on the record... This next complaint starts and ends with the retail stores that sell records. I truly believe that we, the consumers, should know right away if a record is a bootleg or not, especially if it is a major studio release. I kinda get the live show boots, but I think they should also get a sticker affixed to the shrink stating that it is a unofficial release. I shouldn't get home from the store, put on my new Clutch Self-Titled record, realize that this pressing is sonically inferior, and then find out from Discogs (when I log my entry) that I purchased a unofficial copy. I was duped three times at a shop near my house, and I will never shop there again. Passing bootlegs off as artist-approved records is simply a way of ripping off your customer AND the artist to save a couple of dollars. I find this behavior to be shady, at best. 5) And finally, I very much dislike opening a new record for the first time, and have to take the next 30 minutes cleaning the fu**er. I have photos of brand new records that look like they came out of an active wood-shop that didn't install dust collection. I am not kidding. I understand that some plants have higher standards than others, but I have purchased new records that have massive thumb prints covering the first two tracks of the record, along with enough dust to fill a thimble. This trend really burns me up because at the end of the day, nobody listens, nobody really cares, and nothing will ever change with those guilty companies. It is strictly a numbers game so a few complaints from a handful of people from the other side of the world mean absolutely nothing to these plants. Aside from all of that, I love my hobby - hah! Now to watch your video... TMR1) Zoetropes: I have a couple and I can't say I am impressed with them either. TMR2) Variants: I stated my dislike for the variant color ways being mass-produced, but I disagree a little with your example. I like it when an artist releases, let's say three of the same record but each of the three have a different last song on it. I find that kinda cool - AS LONG AS THERE IS A PURPOSE, and not just a cash-grab like you mentioned. I like it when records like these are limited and become a collectible. Now, if there are plans within the expected life-cycle of this release to put out a Deluxe version with all three songs, then that is just a dupe-for-cash. Intention is key, and the artist must be in control (and have integrity). TMR3) Lathe Cuts: I do not have any experience with this. Interesting points you make. I have a few songs from my old band that I have always wanted to have on vinyl, and was considering this option to cut down on the size run. Looks like I need to look into this a little more. Thanks for the heads-up! TMR4) Limited: Agreed! Transparency is essential. TMR5) Slabbing: I didn't know this was a thing.Thanks for sharing. If you made it this far, apologies for the novel, but this topic is always in my head, and I shop based on it. Thanks for doing what you do! I haven't been getting to your store as much as I'd like lately, but you are appreciated! Cheers, Ray
I hope this doesn't become a thing, but Beyonce's Cowboy Carter and from my understand the new Big Sean both have full priced records that don't have the full tracklist from streaming release. I've been holding off buying the Cowboy Carter box to have all the songs, because I spent 40 on a record thinking it was the full track list just to find out it doesn't have my favorite songs
They keep pressing rsd Motley Crue uk12inch singles that arent hard to find originals of, while im waiting for Blur - Live at Budokan, the Beach 2000 Dicraprio Soundtrack, etc etc
Too much colored vinyl / splattered vinyl gimmick 180 Gram snake oil BS to force a single album into a double album, and only 2 or MAYBE 3 songs a side if you're lucky Worse yet, adding extra BS live tracks to FORCE it into a double album...
I like slabbing personally. Why not bring more money into the hobby. I listen to 99% of my collection. But I would totally slab an old sealed very valuable record that I had no reason to ever open. I’ll probably do it eventually with some old blue notes I have that are sealed. Especially if I could buy a used cheaper listen copy of the same press that didn’t have the collectible value.
Charging large money for a reissue of a rare album and it comes in a cheap ass jacket and/or inner sleeve
I’ve been noticing a severe lack of digital downloads included with the purchase of the vinyl. Bandcamp aside.
Because downloading, unfortunately, has become more obsolete than CDs. Streaming killed it off.
Digital DLs went or started to go bye bye about 7/8 years ago. As soon as Spotify grabbed a share, DL lost their appeal.
You can basically stream anything for almost free.
@@iDigress77times I want to OWN my music - digital or vinyl.
I throw those away, don't need a download of my record lol.
Endless reissues - the record companies exploiting collectors - all too often the artists are getting nothing too - which makes it worse
Excessive variants!
There is such a thing as too many
I have yet to see one for sale! Peace.
THIS!
Another old school Too Many Records video. Cheers to that.
I agree on all of these. The Zoetropes in particular need to go. Let me add on a few.
1. The $20-$30 7”??? Why is this a thing?
2. Signed insert cards. Either sign the cover or forget about it. Also the dubious claims an artist actually signed the record. I have serious doubts about Sabrina Carpenter signing all of her new record since there seems to be thousands of these constantly getting rereleased.
3. Staggering variant releases. Another annoying FOMO tactic. Seems now that different versions of new releases are coming out slowly over a week or two rather than all of them dropping at once.
Signed insert cards. THE WORST.
Skyrocketing prices are going to cause the bubble to burst a lot faster than grading. What killed the comic book industry was the failure to realize that collectible comics were only valuable because they were rare, not because there were four variants with holographic covers. Records on the other hand are becoming a luxury item at an alarmingly quick rate and unless prices come down fairly soon I fear that most of us won’t be able to afford the hobby at all within the next few years.
I ve already returned to buying cds until all this bubble pop and we all return to buying records, with our hard earned money, in reasonable prices.
@@deathfeel I’m mostly buying used records these days. New records just aren’t worth the money most of the time especially with quality control showing no signs of improving.
@@Reidak12 good for you my friend. I live in a remote area and the high prices even for used records plus shipping is not viable for me at the moment.
Limited to 4 is to prevent bulk buying price gougers from buying the lot. This happened to the mono reissue of Sgt Peppers. Sold out because eBay sellers were buying them all and not enough for the general public to buy at the retail price
with the beatles that makes sense and actually if it’s truly limited then even 4 is too many which i think Matt was saying. He is more saying that too many releases try to appear limited by saying ‘only 4’ - that’s not really limited. Print runs need to be stated.
@@rydogglessauldoggles7856 I get it but who wants to buy more than 1 copy unless their intentions were to hoard copies or resale. I think Matt is saying that the seller is to blame for limiting the amount bought, where it should be the insane buyers to blame for buying more than they need. Limiting is not a trend but a reason to combat with greedy resellers.
Actually the limited to four per customer is for charting purposes. Billboard allows four records to count one for one. Five to nine units per customer is counts as four
four and ten or over are considered bulk and ineligible completely.
@@musicmogulwhat’s the rationale? That someone is bulkbuying with no intention of personal use/gifting? Is this also to prevent a music company from sending people out with blank checks to buy up all the records to inflate numbers?
In most instances, yes. Chart manipulation has always been around and that rule was put in place by Billboard to curb the attempt from agents of acts buy in bulk and inflate the album unit number which carries substantially heavier weight, by their metric, than streaming equivalent numbers.
this is, in my medical opinion, the best thumbnail in TMR history
Thank you doctor
Slabbing vinyl has got to be the worst one. It makes card and comic collecting stupid, and will do the same for vinyl. Nobody wants to pay someone to grade their albums, and what good is it behind plastic?
It’s asinine
@@TooManyRecords out of curiosity, can you explain how “slabbing” burst the card collecting bubble that you mentioned in video?
The card collecting bubble was burst because of overproduction. Slabbing in the hobby though has gotten ridiculous with collectors always seeking the perfect card . Some people buy only slabs and that is annoying. With some high end cards though I understand slabbing as it even creases are sometimes hard to detect. Also a Michael Jordan rookie is so heavily counterfeit led that buying an unslabbed card is just not smart. I do know people that buy cards in slabs to authenticate the card and and autograph and then crack them out and enjoy them in the or personal collection. I will say slabbing and grading has made the hobby way less fun.
with comics i am not a fan because you can’t read the book but somewhat understand it. there are graphic novels and licensed reproductions of almost anything gif you want to read it and they do actually protect the books.
the vinyl thing is stupid - it should be reserved for records that cost $1,000 and up that you can’t lay eyes on before purchasing. that you plan on cracking put and listening. to. I still think it’s bonkers but people will collect how they want to collect but I think overall grading is a scam , a money suck, and ruins hobbies.
Slabbing records is absolutely asinine... If it´s a signed copy of a record that sounds awful anyways, like a signed TOOL Lateralus or something along those lines, like, maybe it makes sense? But let´s be real here, almost all of those records will just be wasted as "financial deposits" just making it more expensive and difficult for actual record-lovers to afford copies they actually intend to play and listen to - it´s almost like that´s the entire point of a vinyl *record*...
As a collector who only buys cds i find it amazing that theres a whole community on lets say Discogs that goes endlessly in the review section, discussing how the new release sounds to them and focussing on all the small details, be it sound quality, surface wear, packaging ect.
The collectors are actively spending 50 bucks on a lot of vinyl, just to hope that the vinyl sounds great and doesnt have an issue.
I love that people collect whatever format they want, but see so much complaints on a lot of these new records, if a record company asks top dollar, there has to be some more of a quality control right.
Now it feels like a lot of collectors are just "gambling" if their new limited album sounds great. And yeah some of them get the fomo and buy all variants, just to be 500 bucks further down the line and only one pressing is worth the quality control.
In context i like buy cds at second hand shops just to listen to the music, so i'm maybe not the most knowledgable person when it comes to vinyl.
But yeah, thats always one thing that baffles me.
I have bought 2 LPs recently that had skips in them. All the records available had that same skip. As if nobody did a listening check before they started pressing. The art of making records has become a joke these days.
Yeah, i wouldnt say this could not happen with cd pressings as well, but with a new cd you'll spend around 15, while the record sets you back triple that amount. Thats a lot of money for a faulty product. And i know there things as returns, but thats a gruelling process on its own.
The same is true in gaming for instance. You pay 70 bucks for a product, but shipped with bugs, and it takes forever to fix them. Then when all is set and done you must pay another 50 to get the complete stuff.
I've always been a collector myself and feel the frustration when the thing you collect becomes a gamble. I'd say always do research and save money.
Another one: The absurd rise in prices, which got to the point that even the worst most worn-out record, on the most tore sport jacket is being sold for more than it’s really worth. Sellers of both new and used vinyl need to stop this as soon as possible, or I will have no choice but to stop buying LPs. I bought at least one record a week, now I haven’t done it for more than two months. We love music, but we’re not clowns.
People flexing their graded video games is annoying enough, seeing records in plastic cases is outright infuriating.
The “limited” point you made is so on point. If you can’t give me a number of copies it’s limited to, don’t even bother putting it on there. I’m also not a huge fan of them saying “limited to 25,000 copies”. That’s almost never gonna sell out so why even share that statistic
I remember a good 20 years ago seeing reissues of AC/ DC's Back in Black and thinking "What? Why? So many rare records without reissues and they're making more of one of the best sellers of all time? We have enough of these already."
Sounds like a "Swift" issue of the 5 different releases of the same album
Record slabbing is such a bad idea, defeats the entire point of LISTENING to music. I'm really starting to think the collector Vinyl record boom is bad for music in general. The lack of diversity in people's "collections" is laughable. Doesn't have to do with anything based on taste or what one grew up with. REcord Store Day is also run it's course... We had so many flippers and grimey old men who wanted that Olivia Rodrigo 45".
The only trend I am truly annoyed by is younger people calling a single record a “vinyl” and more than one record “vinyls”. As someone who has been buying and collecting records for over 30 years it is rude to use improper terms when you enter into a new hobby. There is absolutely no excuse for this.
It’s damn every age calling them vinyl/s! Just look at this comment section.
Cuz it’s cool. 🤮
@@tenorman lol I actually have a clip from 1980s Miami Vice where they call it vinyl. Not that it's incorrect, it's just overused.
Terminology changes in every hobby. Even if it's incorrect, improper terms can (and will) take over within new generations. It's better for your mental health to not let semantics and malproprisms bother you.
@@MickSupper it is fine to call records “vinyl”. Just don’t call a single record “a vinyl” or more than one record “vinyls”.
SOLID list of five trends that have to STOP!
I was hoping you'd touch care and cleaning. I feel like there's too many gimmicks to clean and care for both the discs and turntable that as a newbie I don't know what's actually good or the tried and true option that will cost less.
Agreed - Good call.
I appreciate you bringing up goldmine ratings. That's what is the industry standard and it works well. I have been selling vinyl and media since 1989 thank you
Thank you for bringing these up. Fuck slabbing. Free the music!
Slabbing? Hell no! The trend of some sellers who think only the grade of the vinyl matters, not the cover. “You don’t listen to the cover” bs. It’s the whole package. If the cover is beat and ring worn, I don’t want it.
Good rant. I share all the same, plus when it comes to limited runs of records... Frigging number them all. So a place says only 500 will be made... Well how do I know that if there is no number like 45/500 on the record??!!. Sounds like a scam to me. Just saying.
Great video. Zoetropes to me are a fad like 3D art was in the 1990's, once you see one, who cares!
Completely agree on zoetropes. Not into these at all. Why would I ever want to pull out my phone to look at the record through an app while it spins? Will do that once, at most.
It’s insane how much steam they picked up
BAN ZOETROPES!
Thank you sir, on point as usual! I 100% agree! The vinyl industry has continued to “prostitute” itself over the last few years with its FOMO marketing, endless variants, etc. I’ve never been a collector and it’s never been a hobby to me. It’s simply my preferred format of listening. In the last year and a half, I have cut my vinyl purchases by 80% because of the trends. I’m just not mad at my money. Thanks again for sharing your perspective and keep up the great work!🙏🏻🎧
What I find that is the absolute worst vinyl trends is grossly escalating prices. So, a record pressing plant presses a record which now retails for close to $40., but then they press a record which retails for $20. On top of that, they may have 2 separate pressing runs of the same record, the second a little later, but they are using the same masters/stampers and where they were originally $40., now they are $20. The difference might be using 140g vinyl to 180g vinyl. Or maybe a change to color vinyl, which would typically cost more, but then it is retailed at $20.
You have some very good points. I've never heard of "slabbing" a record before. In my personal collection, I might display a record between 2 pieces of clear plastic, but it's to display the differences between records. e.g., the original release of Dave Mason's "Alone Together" album on marbled vinyl. No two are identical. Also displayed is the piss-poor, supposedly marbled vinyl that Friday Music put out.;
Limiting records is terrible. I have a few but I listen to them all the time not caring how rare they are. I didn't buy them to hang on the wall or cherish as a Picasso. I don't look up my collection to see what it's selling for. Those who do that already have in their minds that their collection really means nothing but $ signs. I love music and I don't buy it thinking "I wonder who I can scam money out of if I sell this". If you don't want the records, don't buy them.
I love that you think not listening to a record is more criminal than not reading a comic or not playing a game. It’s the same. They’re all not fulfilling their purpose. The slabbing companies involved in all of these endeavours don’t give a fuck about the hobbies, they want our money.
Variants kill my soul as a fellow record store owner.
100% agree on the whole slabbing deal. This has also hit the retro videogame market. Like a record is made to be listened to, videogames are meant to be played and neither deserve to be encased in a lifeless acrylic monstrosity. As someone who watched the long term effect this had on one of my hobbies (ie some clueless stuffed suit seeing procuring such items as an investment rather than something to be interacted with and enjoyed), I beg you all to PLEASE not let the insanity spread to the vinyl market.
I learned today that another reason all these variants exist is to game the billboard charts. Each variant counts as the same album as far as billboard is concerned. Makes the practice even more despicable.
I hate what Daupe! does with Westside Gunn and the rest of the Griselda crew. 100 copies each of four or five overpriced variants that sell out the moment that they’re released so that you’re stuck with having to buy an even HIGHER-priced bootleg from the notorious 128482. It would be nice if Daupe! would just do a standard edition that’s reasonably priced once in a while! Peace.
That’s why Alchemist has started to do it right. A few limited and then a standard black that anyone can get.
Even slabbed comics are rapidly losing their popularity. Slabbing records is simply a horrible idea that common sense dictates this 'fad' will never catch on.
Slabbing isn’t gonna be a big thing, they’ve been trying for years to make it a thing. Apart from something obscenely rare, or perhaps signed, there’s no reason to do this. Grading is a good thing for other interests, but retro fitting it to vinyl, isn’t great.
Slabbing a record makes next to no sense to me. You’re basically just implying the record jacket’s quality, not the actual disc’s pressing quality, because who’s really going to open a record sleeve when they’re going to grade it?
Glad you mentioned Richard Houghten! A true Master
Bonus points for the Tim Heidecker x Tim Robinson clip
I find it interesting how many bootleg lathe cuts exist. My theory is since it's a handmade custom product it could be considered non-derived
Great Video and list Matt. Zoetrope and Slabbing both need to stop and now. Lathe cut vinyl should be done by professionals. No one else should do it. If they do it should be labeled as such. But I still think it should be done by people that know what they are doing.
The biggest problem with industry now is people wanting to re-invent everything when it's already as good as its going to get. Everytime we make a wheel we must re invent it...oh and without even referencing the original wheel.
I've put a complete FULL STOP to my vinyl collection for the very reasons mentioned .... and I don't regret it one bit.
More than happy with the collection I already have.... don't need anymore reissues or variants or new releases.
😎👍👍
Slabbing...the worst thing to EVER happen to record collecting. Stupidest thing I've ever heard. Play the damn record.
Loved this vid, my head was nodding throughout. That said, even after doing a bit of research on Tuned In Grading, I still have no idea what this Steve Aoki cash grab even offers -- I mean, what's the point?
Miss you buddy
Great video, Matt! Thank you, all these things and more are annoying me as well. The limited edition thing... Just say how many? If it's limited to 50,000 copies, is it really limited?
I see the same with videogames, and gosh, it's the exact mindset but on a different media. Grading games is just as ridiculous and you nailed it, it's not just art to admire, it's a record to listen to (or a game to be played,).
One Step vinyl needs to go. It’s unnecessarily complex and expensive with no empirical improvement, it’s just good marketing. One Step vinyl is inferior to well done HQ180g pressings
I feel like certain one steps will absolutely sound better on a nice system, tbh.
Collecting records and variants has become like collecting beanie babies
1) I didn't know this was a thing I have one zoetrope and haven't seen any around but if so then yeah it's pointless
2) Good god yes Varients nearly killed the comic industry and they will if not kill certainly massively weaken the vinyl industry
3) Lathe cuts like bootlegs are going to happen it's less a trend and more criminals trying to rip people off
4) The limited thing is annoying but not a real problem like you said it's marketing 101 and doesn't really affect individuals
5) I used to work in a comic book shop and I despised slabbing with all my being and now I work in a record shop I was glad to see the back of it so I hope this trend dies hard - it's a pointless practise that just ruins stuff and turns great things into nothing more then trading cards (which I have no hate for as thats the one thing slabbing makes sense with) like varients stop trying to copy the comic industry it's already dying
😅#2: Kudos for not calling Beyonce out directly!!!
I bought a lathe cut of the kendrick & drake beef and it was unlistenably bad smh. Low volume/high noise floor 🤣
Did they say it was a lathe
@@TooManyRecords Yes they...they also said it was "mid-fi" lol. But it was absurdly muffled.
Agree with everything....$125 to $150 for UHQR ?
Tbf, UHQR releases are dynamite
Not for that price - they are not all great
@@mitchabate I disagree, with the right set up and if it’s an album, you love the UHQR are definitely worth the price.
@@carywhitt i have thr right set up
They are not all great..do your research
@@mitchabate HAHA please don’t tell me to do my own “research” (like I haven’t) that is definitely the fast track to me completely dismissing you and your future comments. Maybe I’ve been lucky, because I own 7 UHQR releases and they are all stellar, if not the best versions of those particular records. Played on a Clearaudio Performance DC AiR & Mac XR100s, I can clearly tell the difference, and to me, worth the price.
Put me in the anti-Slabbing camp. I get it, I guess, but I think I'm just a bit too basic for stuff like that. I'm not a high end collector, so I'm just not the target demographic for something like that.
My biggest gripe is something you highlighted with the Variant Nightmares section of this video...the Deluxe Edition of an album that comes out a year after the initial release. This isn't just limited to vinyl...it is still done with CDs as well. But given the cost for new vinyl these days, it feels even more dubious with that format. I understand that artists have a few outtakes, maybe some demos or a live cut that they want to share, but maybe wait a few years for an updated physical release featuring those tracks. Maybe just keep that stuff on the streaming/digital side for a bit...build up some anticipation. Or wait and do a stand alone rarities comp type of release gathering those types of tracks built up over a few years. All of those options would be acceptable to me and my wallet. I just can't stand having a new Deluxe Edition hit shelves a year after the initial release. Because you know that is all somewhat planned out in advance. It just reeks of money grab.
Hey,
I've noticed some other collectibles you have in the background. Maybe a video of your collection of any other stuff other than vinyl? Figures, funkos, posters etc?
I think it would be interesting.
Thanks!
Okay! I’ll add it to my list.
@@TooManyRecords Thank you for the response. I think many of us collects other things as well, not only vinyl, so it could be fun to see what else are you into and passionate about.
The worst trend is more and more channels that talk and talk about it all day
By exclusively purchasing second hand I've enjoyed avoiding all this nonsense, especially Record Store Day
Limited should mean limited.
If you think about it, every record out there will eventually be limited to a number, so yes, that word means nothing unless true numbers follow it.
Good to see you pop in at VinylKing!
Was stoked to get to visit the shop!
this dude does vinyl right ... a little bit of everything !!!
"First time on vinyl"-releases, where the pressing is just crap, since they obviously sell these primarily to those who already own the CD, bought back in the 90's or 00's.
100% spot on!
Chapel Roan is actually only 1.5 records for that price. Dude four is blank. J no it even an etching to my knowledge. This is the trend I hate most personally. If you don’t create your album with vinyl up in mind, and therefore need a side C to fit it all on vinyl, at least add four extra tracks on side D. Why not Good Luck Babe. Or any of her other non album tracks or covers. It’s infuriating.
well done and very informative
We're you a teenager in the late 80s?. Vinyl (aka records) nobody called them vinyl until like 10, 15 years ago. The prices aren't anymore based on inflation as they were in 1988. An album ranged in price of 6.99 to 12.99 each. Minimum wage was $2.80 an hr. Today albums range from 19.99 to 39.99 and most states wages start at $14.50 an hr. So actually you have to work less time to buy one as you had to in the 80s. What the issue is, is that in the late 90s and most of the 2000s we all got used to the 9.99 CD prices at best buy, circuit city, Walmart and target. I assume if records were still being pressed during these times of the big titles the prices would have been around $10 to $15. So everyone needs to stop complaining about the prices especially if you're not old enough to know what it cost and how much it took to afford an album back in the day.
Test pressings that aren't. The most recent X album came out in a signed "test pressing" run of 500. 500 hundred copies is not a test pressing; it is a first run. To their credit, they did sign those copies and didn't upcharge as much as most artist-signed new releases.
After that, they released three additional variants, telling you the number of copies of each, which is good, but tiering the prices accordingly, which is very, very bad. Reward fans who want the rarest variant for their hustle; let the market determine their later value.
I agree about the rest pressing thing hard.
Lack of flac - why are most digital downloads included with the vinyl (if you even get one) for mp3s!? This is 2024 - storage is not a problem - this is one of the reasons I love Bandcamp.
Forcing independent record store's into corporate record store day .
For what it’s worth no store is forced into it.
@@TooManyRecords- TRUE enough , restated - stores which take part in RSD are forced to buy certain amount of limited stock .
In Which they can never sell .
Probably wrong again, not a record store owner as yourself . RSD is not set up for independents as we are told, seems to be more of a corporate scam .
Slabbing records is ridiculous. Pure money making operation, nothing more. For one thing, many variations that collectors chase are inside the sleeve. Assuming that a perfectly preserved sealed copy is the ultimate, how can it be slabbed without looking inside? You often can't even tell the exact issue you have without looking at the record itself. I've seen slabbed records where the cover is for a re-issue and it's shown as an original pressing, which also tells me that whoever is evaluating them doesn't know much about records making the slab useless. While I see the usefulness in high end coin and card collecting, to me it took a lot of the fun out of the hobbies. It's just an attempt to turn a hobby into an investment. Since I'm not one to be buying and selling my music collection, regardless of what I pay, I assume in the end it will be worthless. Future prices mean nothing to me. For those engaged in active buying and selling it's generally a short term monetary investment, so I don't think it will ultimately take hold. Listen to what you have and get some enjoyment out of it.
Record companies greed. One sign of that is cutting in line to the pressing factories with their biggest artist. With the enticement of huge batches , the lesser known artists/bands get pushed down the line constantly. Happy to see Adele’s latest album going for $6-10 here in Sweden , because there’s thousands left over.
Going back to vinyl at all is nuts
Nope. It's a fun hobby. Streaming is boring.
I’m holding off getting the new Hozier record because I feel like a deluxe version will be coming with the EPs.
This is less a trend, more a fact of life. Since nearly all modern recordings are digital, with no actual analogue equivalent, nearly all vinyl releases are mastered by a computer (yes, the actual cutting for vinyl). Said computer has been programmed for caution, not for a "hot" sound. Far too often, the resulting vinyl record sounds dead, flat, dull, lifeless and disappointing. When the cut for vinyl prep (the first step toward the manufacture of the metal parts that records are stamped from) has been supervised and
executed by a human mastering engineer, hopefully one with years of experience, the vinyl end result (from digital) can at least be acceptable, but occasionally even the human touch is not sufficient to result in a killer sounding slab of vinyl. Nothing is sadder than spending a HUGE dollar amount for 300 lp's to be pressed, often the max that a small band or indie performer can afford, only to find that the resulting vinyl sounds significantly less satisfying that listening
the the digital version on youtube or bandcamp.
So good 😂 I get mad when they release a better cooler super deluxe album when I just received my pre ordered .
Limited to four on the purchase option is more about Billboard charting rules. Up to four gets one to one while five to nine only counts as four. Ten or more sales per customer get thrown out as “bulk” and are ineligible for their chart.
This is actually interesting info thank you.
Releasing variants isn't a new thing. Many artists started doing this with CDs in the late 90s in different countries. Since musicians don't make a living off of record sales or streaming they have to play a game and record companies wanna make their money back on the production costs and distribution. If you want all the different songs and you're a fan you will buy these. Yes it's irritating when and artist puts out a deluxe version 6 months later with 3 or 4 new songs. I would rather they just release an EP rather than having the original with the new stuff. 7inch singles (aka 45s) would be cool to have again in excess. That could cut down on re-releasing an entire album with bonus material. It's not gonna happen though.
Yes we are in the age of variants and pressings of all the colors anything to get people to buy all copies. And yes...this whole thing about grading is getting out of hand. I had no idea records were now being graded. I know it started with comics and cards but now I see even VHS, DVDs ...it's ridiculous really and some collectors get them graded and in glass just because they think it looks cool. On their wall.
I was just about t comment we need to stop the “limited” thing. I actually fell for it with Jack White’s new record. Limited should mean no more than 2000, and that’s really pushing it.
1) meh. 2) never run into it. Re normal vs deluxe (or CD then vinyl) has happened, and that certainly annoys me. But only had that happen once, so not a thing, IMHO. 3) never seen that, not into those genres. I only have a couple of explicit lathe cuts, certainly has its own sound. 4) As always, buyers beware. 5) Just out of curiosity, how do you listen to a slabbed record?!? Never mind. LOL. 6) Paper inner sleeves, particularly on any kind of special release (deluxe, colored, limited numbers, etc.). "Paper sleeve are bad, mkay?" 70-80% or records I get have generic paper inner. Really?
Slabbing won't take off, no chance
It's depressing that you're even talking about this stuff.
TOOL lateralus love the album hate how it’s only on picture disk falls apart faster
I don't know if I would call variants a trend because it's been happening for so long at this point. My issue is that not only are there multiple versions of the same albums all in print at the same time, but they use so many buzzwords around them. You have records that are still in print, that you can go buy at your local record store... and yet they're releasing yet another variant of it? or they take old stock from 1-2 years ago, re-brand it as something new variant and then try to sell the rest of their stock. It's all just ridiculous at this point. It's confusing.
Really hoping the new post Malone album doesnt do a vinyl variant for the deluxe
Variants are for CDs re issue of old albums to incentivize buying
Hello TMR,
I tend to watch my TH-cam videos on my TV, which is where I first saw your video listed. Before I watched, I pulled out the laptop and started my thoughts on my 5 Worst Record Trends. I want to see how we match up... Now, before I dive in, I am also looking at it from strictly the view as a consumer, so some of my gripes involve trends that the retail stores do as well.
1) Numerous color variants of the same record. Some Metal labels are notorious for doing this - it has to stop. There needs to be a purpose, other than making us collectors go crazy thinking we need every variant. Very lame of the label AND the band for approving it. When it comes to variants, I do enjoy when a band releases the first, let's say 300 on a non-black record and the rest are all black. This is great for touring bands so you can pick up a limited edition of the record only at the shows. Kinda cool. (as long as they tell you what the number is limited to, right?!) This is where hand-numbering comes into play.
2) A record pressed on high quality and super quiet wax, a really nice quality jacket with great photography and/or art, quality inserts, and then... the record is squeezed into a cheap paper sleeve. Horrible execution.
3) When you find out that a specific record has been release strictly by the label, not the artist(s). A lot of Best-Of's fall into this category, which is fine, I suppose, but I want to make sure that the artist is the one making the money on their art, not solely the distributor or label. The fans need to know this information before purchasing, but then why would the label even announce that?? I get it, it is now a widget that they sell and not art. That is why I much prefer labels like Dischord and Alternative Tentacles as they are also the artists and they care about their fanbase.
4) Speaking of not having all the information one needs listed on the record... This next complaint starts and ends with the retail stores that sell records. I truly believe that we, the consumers, should know right away if a record is a bootleg or not, especially if it is a major studio release. I kinda get the live show boots, but I think they should also get a sticker affixed to the shrink stating that it is a unofficial release. I shouldn't get home from the store, put on my new Clutch Self-Titled record, realize that this pressing is sonically inferior, and then find out from Discogs (when I log my entry) that I purchased a unofficial copy. I was duped three times at a shop near my house, and I will never shop there again. Passing bootlegs off as artist-approved records is simply a way of ripping off your customer AND the artist to save a couple of dollars. I find this behavior to be shady, at best.
5) And finally, I very much dislike opening a new record for the first time, and have to take the next 30 minutes cleaning the fu**er. I have photos of brand new records that look like they came out of an active wood-shop that didn't install dust collection. I am not kidding. I understand that some plants have higher standards than others, but I have purchased new records that have massive thumb prints covering the first two tracks of the record, along with enough dust to fill a thimble. This trend really burns me up because at the end of the day, nobody listens, nobody really cares, and nothing will ever change with those guilty companies. It is strictly a numbers game so a few complaints from a handful of people from the other side of the world mean absolutely nothing to these plants.
Aside from all of that, I love my hobby - hah! Now to watch your video...
TMR1) Zoetropes: I have a couple and I can't say I am impressed with them either.
TMR2) Variants: I stated my dislike for the variant color ways being mass-produced, but I disagree a little with your example. I like it when an artist releases, let's say three of the same record but each of the three have a different last song on it. I find that kinda cool - AS LONG AS THERE IS A PURPOSE, and not just a cash-grab like you mentioned. I like it when records like these are limited and become a collectible. Now, if there are plans within the expected life-cycle of this release to put out a Deluxe version with all three songs, then that is just a dupe-for-cash. Intention is key, and the artist must be in control (and have integrity).
TMR3) Lathe Cuts: I do not have any experience with this. Interesting points you make. I have a few songs from my old band that I have always wanted to have on vinyl, and was considering this option to cut down on the size run. Looks like I need to look into this a little more. Thanks for the heads-up!
TMR4) Limited: Agreed! Transparency is essential.
TMR5) Slabbing: I didn't know this was a thing.Thanks for sharing.
If you made it this far, apologies for the novel, but this topic is always in my head, and I shop based on it.
Thanks for doing what you do! I haven't been getting to your store as much as I'd like lately, but you are appreciated!
Cheers,
Ray
OBI strips on new American/European hip hop releases suck
Agreed. OBI strips belong only on Japanese manufactured releases.
I don’t mind them. I hate the side strips that VMP uses.
I hope this doesn't become a thing, but Beyonce's Cowboy Carter and from my understand the new Big Sean both have full priced records that don't have the full tracklist from streaming release. I've been holding off buying the Cowboy Carter box to have all the songs, because I spent 40 on a record thinking it was the full track list just to find out it doesn't have my favorite songs
How about 5 things you enjoy?
Negative is so 2016.
Do you know how to spot a lathe cut record? Or is it obvious once you see it?
It’s fairly obvious in person I think.
They keep pressing rsd Motley Crue uk12inch singles that arent hard to find originals of, while im waiting for Blur - Live at Budokan, the Beach 2000 Dicraprio Soundtrack, etc etc
Too much colored vinyl / splattered vinyl gimmick
180 Gram snake oil BS to force a single album into a double album, and only 2 or MAYBE 3 songs a side if you're lucky
Worse yet, adding extra BS live tracks to FORCE it into a double album...
For me it’s faux obi’s just do a proper obi.
Calling them vinyl or vinyls.
I like slabbing personally. Why not bring more money into the hobby. I listen to 99% of my collection. But I would totally slab an old sealed very valuable record that I had no reason to ever open. I’ll probably do it eventually with some old blue notes I have that are sealed. Especially if I could buy a used cheaper listen copy of the same press that didn’t have the collectible value.
I still listen to a lot of Punk and Hardcore. The reissues and anniversaries are out of control.
Don’t buy modern titles by modern crap bands …instant no problems !!!
Repressing EP's on LP's. With music only appearing on half of one side.