Vinyl Record Prices: What The HELL Is Going On? This Is Getting Crazy...
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- Опубліковано 4 лип 2024
- Buckle up folks, we're going to be diving into the seedy underbelly of the vinyl record scene. Rather than focusing on crazy aftermarket record prices, we're going to talk about retail record prices that are steadily climbing to heights unimaginable, talking about the recent price hike from Vinyl Me, Please and the ongoing trend in the underground hip-hop community where artists are putting records up for sale at truly unbelievable prices and are selling out... consistently. I hope you enjoy this case study where I pose a problem, a solution, and ask you for your thoughts and ideas in the comments on how we can avoid faceplanting down this slippery slope.
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Being a collector of nearly anything is a pain now due to flippers. Funko pops, vinyl, limited run video games, sneakers, trading cards, street clothes, etc. I wish all these companies/labels would adopt the open-preorder model so everyone has a chance to secure their copy, and they only have to press the amount they sell so they aren't left with over-stock. Seems like a win win to me.
dont forget about guns.. literally blown that guns being sold for 1k-6k are literally sold within seconds
@@terrorbytez6537 definitely right now guns are being sold like crazy. I live in the bible belt so I see it a lot
The problem is that we live in a society of scalpers, and I don't just mean of tickets. I know multiple people who deliberately find out what people are passionate about and want to buy, then they buy those items up so they can sell them to fans at a premium. When demand goes up from a fan base, not only does supply go down, but the leeches come out of the woodworks to make you pay every last dollar for that thing you love.
Ghe collector/ flippers will still buy dozens of any item.
@@derek96720 and they have every right to do so. Scalping is just basic economics.
Skipping releases by your favorite artists and then seeing the price triple is hard to watch.
Trust me, I know.
It's not much better when you Fork over 40 bucks for a double LP, and then two months later you see it for half the price!
And what percentage of them are 100% analog and do not come from a digital source
Depends on which album we are talking about legendary albums like dark Side of the moon are still Expensive. and may be even more expensive. due to people buying albums as an investment
Vinyl LPs seem to be treated as a luxury product for a super fan as opposed to a way to enjoy music.
the record companies have found a new opportunity to charge well for the music. you may remember the time when CDs were significantly more expensive than vinyl records. but then people started copying CDs and downloading music
Exactly.
@@Andersljungberg CDs are still expensive but are cheaper to make than vinyl are. Back when CDs were supposed to be the future of the industry After all CDs, then MP3s came along but vinyl survived. Vinyl is the longest running format so far. I used to deal in new vinyl and the prices were roughly the same. For some reason the vinyl market has turned to as you say “Luxury” which it’s never been.
The main problem is collector/flippers who buy dozens of copies of one record just to resell in 6-12 months down the road for a profit. If they keep buying in droves retail prices will keep going up in turn hurting the people who actually buy to listen.
Physical media in general is becoming luxury items. So many other ways to enjoy music, movies etc. So to own a physical release in vinyl form is def a luxury nowadays.
The A-Hole flippers buying RSD releases for 30 bucks and reselling them for 200 bucks and the stupid people buying them which enables this behavior.
Eh tbh as long as you’re actively trying it’s pretty easy to get stuff online
Miss the days of going in to a record store and getting a brand new record weeks after it's release for like $15
I remember when new LP’s were $5 to $7. It’s insane how expensive they’ve now gotten.
It likely costs close to 15$ to make a record unless it's a huge selling artist that presses thousands of them for discount . Vinyl isn't made in China.
Yup. Not THAT long ago. I bought Big Stars #1 Record for 12.99 brand new in maybe 2013. The EXACT same record new, right now, is 29.99 at the EXACT same store. Totally nuts.
How about now?
The most I've paid for any album so far was $50 and I still feel like that was too much. I don't think this video was made for me but it was a nice warning to see what is coming. No thanks. You guys can fight over those collectible splatter variants online. I'll keep spinning my lightly scratched black vinyl and enjoying every minute of each one.
Exactly, why pay $30-$60 for the most part inferior quality new re-issue album, when you can get a nice used copy for $5-$15.
My big purchase was for the 25th anniversary of Pink Floyd's Division bell release. I figured I couldn't get the original for that price so I bit the bullet. I'm glad I have it but I'm not sure I'd buy it again for that price.
@Steven Lee I spent $75 at Record Store Day Drop 1 last month. I still don't know if that was good or bad, but I like the records I bought.
Unless it's a box set I will never spend more than $50 for a single LP. Too much great cheaper music out there to be had.
I stopped buying records about two years ago. The whole thing just got way too cutthroat. Even the secondhand stuff has gotten way too inflated. It's time for the vinyl bubble to burst.
I am disgusted by the price increases of vinyl. In those cases where the price is just getting too high, I pass on buying it and go back to CD's. Record companies should mass produce standard LP's, keeping the price affordable for everyone and then they can put out those special limited edition products for those that want to pay the higher prices.
Love your channel. I watch quite a few vinyl community channel’s and yours is by far the best. You’re very professional, articulate and very easy on the eyes. You’re the whole package. Looking forward to the next video.
Thank you, David! To 100k subs!! :)
I think the way Tyler the Creator does his releases is the best format. Everyone gets a chance at the rare collectible variant through a pre order window of 24hrs to a week. This way his record appreciates in value and makes its rounds among the hardcore collectors while still allowing him to release an unlimited quantity of a standard black as well. Both fans of just the music and the collectors win with this method. He maintains his status in the hypebeast circles while also allowing for new listeners to experience his music for the first time. Groups like Griselda aren't truly about the music and it shows. They base their entire business model off of FOMO and hypebeast culture. They market the hype more than the actual music because it's for the "#culture" and it's "#art". I really fuck with a lot of those guys music but they're downright obnoxious in that aspect. When you start buying music for any other reason than you liking the actual music, you've fallen victim to these practices. The FOMO is at a peak right now. I could rant about the wack ass Supreme wannabe Daupe record label but I'll leave it at that.
Great vid Matt. Been looking forward to this vid after you mentioned the topic on reddit. Only us consumers can change the current market format by voting with our $$$
what is this label you speak of at the end?
nvm
👆🏼this is the take right here
That's it right there. It reminds me of how Nike drops SB dunks, retail for $90 and the culture can decide resale. They might sell out fast but the chances are at least distributed fairly.
Records do not need to appreciate.
Imma just go ahead and call out The Weeknd. I love Abel but there’s no reason After Hours should have 12 variants and all of them being $40+. On top of that, a few of the “limited collectors” versions are literally the same 😐
After his autopen scandal, I'm surprised he continues to ride the line of pissing his fans off.
I’m done. Mostly because I have everything I want on vinyl already. New music I’ll just buy on CD, or if there are only a few good songs I’ll buy the MP3. I’ll always support the artist but I’m done paying that much for vinyl.
This trend began when colored vinyl started getting popular, and knowing the pellets used are no different in price. Same amount for black and any other color, but set at a higher price because of appearance. Latest gripe would be a single disc LP for Thin Lizzy Jailbreak with same diecut sleeve on silver vinyl for $45. They are capitalizing on everything.
There's so many color variants to certain albums these days that the black versions will end up being more collectible.
Format turned out great! Really great points.
Thanks Jules!
After a ten-year hiatus, I returned to vinyl during lockdown. I signed up to VMP and started shopping at indie stores here in London. And I loved it - at first.
But vinyl collecting quickly turned into a stressful hobby. Limited runs that sell out too quickly; overpriced new releases; warped, low-quality reissues with a premium price tag - not fun.
Chasing VMP for tracking information wasn’t a great use of my time, either.
Less than two months later, I sold my new turntable and twenty-odd LPs that I had collected.
Record labels have been price gouging for decades, a practice that pushed music fans towards piracy sites in the early 2000s.
In a way, the industry was given a chance to redeem itself with the emergence of streaming and the second coming of vinyl.
But it looks like they’re gonna screw it up - again.
To be fair, I got a couple of good deals, too. But having to log onto VMP at a specific time every month just to make sure you get a decent swap...? Nah.
I found a sealed marbled-red copy of Fontaines D.C.’s “Dogrel” one day. When I got it home to spin, it was warped like a flexi-disc. Gutted. Worse than a break-up. Checked out then and there. 😀
The irony is that torrent sites now have FLAC rips of vinyl records, some of them those rare unicorns that go for thousands.
The first thing I do after buying a very expensive LP or 45 is to rip it to my server and just let it rest on the shelf. Now and then I'll take it back when I'm in the mood bur mostly I'll have it at my fingertips anywhere, hi-fi system included.
Yeah, I’ve started buying lossless downloads through Qobuz. I wanna support my favourite artists in some way.
But I still enjoy Matt’s channel. I hope he doesn’t mind me living vicariously through his vinyl habit.
I wonder what will happen with HD Vinyl when it finally arrives. Will the prices shoot up even more?
Record manufacturers/industry will price their way right out of the vinyl resurgence that started a few years ago, and they'll have no one to blame but themselves.
Exactly!
Another big issue is the crazy differences in prices of albums nowadays. If I was to buy The White Album from the biggest book store in Bulgaria where I live, it would cost me the equivalent of around 72 dollars. That's insane and is keeping me away from supporting my favorite band and given the price I might as well save up for the super deluxe.
I think RSD had a hand in all this as well. I mostly buy old used records though
I prefer buy reissued versions of releases but if I find a nice copy and price is correct (on my budget) I purchase it....
I agree. RSD, which was a fantastic thing, is really just the ultimate money grab now. Has ruined the entire concept.
Old used record prices are also going crazy.
This is what smart people do.
I find it really strange this has happened to hip hop especially - a genre built on dusty samples and 'two turntables and a microphone'... Along with dance music and indie/rock, hip hop kept the vinyl presses going in the 90s/early-00s, largely through 12" singles. And vinyl was cheap. As someone who bought vinyl through that period, the modern vogue for variants and special editions and exclusive drops is totally alien. Just give me a nice basic pressing on black wax, please, and press a decent number. Bells and whistles unnecessary. I am possibly totally out of the loop admittedly.
Back in the 80s when I brought the majority of my records/vinyl the prices were 5.99-10.99 oh the times have changed and inflation has increased
And if you were lucky enough to have a store like The Wiz or J&R Music World close by, new releases were about $3.99 - $5.99. I pretty much stick to used vinyl.
And what kills me is vinyl records are not expensive to manufacture!
That a vinyl record is now double or triple the price of a cd, or more in some cases, is ridiculous.
Millions of records !!!
At the time when CDs were more expensive than vinyl records
Well said. Special edition vinyl releases are a plague. Just give me a quality pressing on black vinyl with a normal sleeve. I don't understand why artists wouldn't want their music to be accessible to as many people as possible.
I agree. Give people the option, release the rare records in colored vinyl in the thick cardboard sleeve for the collectors/flippers. Then make a cheap, black vinyl copy with a cheap sleeve for people that actually just want the music. I much preferred when until about ten years ago most reissues/new titles were $13-18 with simple packaging. Like most sundazed/rhino titles etc.
Great video Matt and very interesting subject. I do agree that the price for regular albums is out of control.
Great points and vid. I've been collecting vinyl for over 50 years, beginning in 1965. At its largest, my collection consisted of around 5,000 LP's, 2,500 45's and a few hundred 78's (I've sold much of that over the years and my present collection is probably 1/3 that size now; much of it in storage). When I was most heavily buying new records (while in my teens and twenties), I was typically paying $1.50 - $3.00 for 45s, and maybe $4.99-$7.99 for LP's. I mention this because I think I still have that very low price point in my head. Along with that, most used vinyl was just incredibly cheap, even in NYC, San Francisco, and Boston, the three cities where I did most of my buying. Once in a great while, I'd spend $20+ or so on a used LP, usually some OOP jazz thing. That was a big deal.
As we know, cd's completely changed the price point for music; technology aside, it was one of the main incentives for record companies to manufacture them. So now we were paying on average 35% more for new releases with little if any gains over vinyl (early cd's were extremely meh, and if one collects 50s and 60s stuff, the practice of adding worthwhile bonus/previously unreleased/etc tracks as an incentive had not yet really begun). But vinyl was essentially being forced out, so if you wanted that new Stones album, that's what you did.
A few years ago, I started buying a fair amount of vinyl again and was just shocked by what was being charged (I collect a lot of reggae, and if one is buying really great foreign pressings/repros of those 45's, prices are often in the $13-$20 range before tax and shipping....that's a hell of a lot to pay for two songs, no matter how gorgeous the label is). At first, I just resisted, but I am a collector/record addict down to my toes and the charms became too much to resist:-). And then, similar to the case with cd's, I just got used to it. That seems to be what we all do. I totally agree with what David V said here about consumerism and elitism. If we have the disposable income to spare, we pay. And the companies charge and charge. Vinyl has also become this vanity thing where people with some money between the age of 23-45 seem to need to have a stereo and a bunch of albums from Urban Outfitters on display. In NYC, this has become a designer touch. I'm not being cynical or mean, it just is. And these folks seem to have no problem paying for it.
I totally avoided most of the "record club"/subscription -style stuff because that's where the prices just became offensively stupid.....and quite honestly, most of the vinyl that I was buying from American indies, and sometimes majors just completely sucked. Crappy, low-volume pressings, sometimes pressed off-center, less frequently skippy/noisy but often enough to make me stop buying new stuff on vinyl.
While there are definitely some fair record vendors out there, I think that the whole process, starting with the manufacturing has just become prohibitively expensive and silly. The loss of Apollo Masters earlier this year due to fire is probably not helping, either. When Covid hit, I started to look at my spending differently and basically just stopped buying, as I realized (for the umpteenth time) that I will never listen to everything I own before I die - not even close, when I consider the tens of thousands of hours of music I have on HD's. There's already enough tonnage in the world, and I've tried to make it a point to just enjoy what I have.
one point with the CD was apparently to charge more for the music they claimed even the vinyl record was too cheap. but we have seen the same trends in the film industry as well. DVD movies were significantly more expensive than VHS movies. they claimed that larger production volume would lower the price it never became so. then comes Bluray and those movies were not cheap
And to you Americans, I must say. There are other places than Amazon to buy music. Google the album or check out price comparison pages. and you can find used albums on Ebay at great prices
And the one that absolutely does not have to have every artist on vinyl record. so there are places where you can buy music downloads even in HI-res with pretty decent prices actually. then there are Tidal and Qobus. for those who want pretty good sound
This same thing happened with CDs and that caused Napster to become a thing. The people will revolt against vinyl if they keep increasing the prices.
Not to that extent though and most titles weren't limited!
Joel Brandenburg they’ll revolt by pressing bootleg records?
I don't think the will revolt against vinyl as much as they will revolt against NEW vinyl. The used market, even though it has gone up as well, is still pretty reasonable.
I am definately revolting against insane record prices; spending much more on Compact Discs now.
All great points! And awesome channel!!Some prices on the market after the LP leaves retail is crazy. That being said. Digging in crates and searching for a albums that seems impossible still exists. I understand that some of these albums probably will never make it to a store. So the only way is “internet sale”. Which is easier. Your home, not a hard search. Gonna pay a premium cause it’s also probably limited. Which is the main reason. Only time will tell. Cheers Matt!!
In Canada on record store day I paid $52 for the Spaceman 3 lp. The album is a nice colour, but there is no extras not even a digital download. I wanted the Gorillaz B sides but it was seriousley $86. These prices are crazy as they are often much more than what the lp is worth in its original form.
I have been collecting since the early 2000's and I am floored by how much hip hop costs. I am in for the long run and waiting for the bubble to burst so we can have normal prices again.
I absolutely agree. Vinyl prices are extortionate and unnecessary. It's got so bad that I've slowed down on buying vinyl now
Thank you for mentioning The Alchemist. Roughly a week ago I was ready for a noon drop of a 7" of earl sweatshirt's wind in my sails/45. I had my credit card ready and put everything in as fast as I could. After 40 seconds, the record was sold out and I just lost my chance. I contacted someone who got it in time and he wants to sell it to me for 100$. 100$ FOR A 7" SINGLE!
Thank you for giving awareness on this problem!
I’m the only person here super pumped vinyl is going through the roof. New records are standard at $35 or so. That’s pretty normal considering a cheeseburger is $20 in washington state. My collection went from around 20k up to around 50k couldn’t be happier.
I will not purchase Vinyl Me Please anymore - I've bought probably 6 albums from them, and at least half of those have some sort of cosmetic issue to the album cover (some fairly major ones, like large ripped seams or severely bent/creased corners) and they don't replace cosmetic issues. If I'm going to shell out the premium price, I want pristine quality and excellent customer service. I don't get either from them.
I almost never buy new vinyl and reissues because of how expensive they are. Used vinyl is much more affordable and sounds great (if you find the right pressings)
Thanks for making a video on this topic, it really need to be brought into the light. I just started collecting vinyl so I have only a few records at the moment, the last album I got was Logic’s “final” album no pressure and that purchase was definitely fueled by the fact that it was “limited edition”, there’s nothing special about it, no added features just the digital download code.
You never buy records just to collect. You buy records that you want to play, records that are going to give you a special time, a unique experience.
What, are you the vinyl police?
There are lots of vinyl collectors that have been at this for 50 years or more.
Who are you to tell someone else not to collect records?
I'm not aiming this at you personally...but there are way too many whiny commenters on here, particularly the fella who made this video. I've noticed that he tends to complain about this issue a LOT.
Myself, I have often bought 2 copies of my favorite albums going wayyyy back. One for my enjoyment, the other one to collect because they are our own personal treasures, and everyone is allowed to have those (or do we need permission??🤣).
Also, records do wear out after frequent listening no matter how well they're cared for. Sometimes I like to having one on standby in 20 years from now.
Oh, and there's also this example....My brother had a 1964 sealed copy of the Beatles Please Please Me that he bought at age 14 when it first got released. He had another copy he listened to all the time, and had one extra and just set it aside. Because it was sealed, it was worth hundreds of $$. He sold it 3 months ago for $875, and gave my nephew the money to help him buy some of his college textbooks and other things for college.
This is what you would call a 'return on investment'.
This is another reason why people collect vinyl, or stamps, or coins, etc. to keep within the fam to pass on down. Not only is it enjoyable, but also helpful in such cases.
If the vinyl is worth shit in 20 years, who cares? There is no loss and no pain. Just extra minty records for other family members to enjoy...or sell, if that is what they wish.
These developments have been one of the reasons for why I’ve been focusing more on digging for fun stuff in second-hand dollar bins. It has gotten me into many genres I maybe wouldn’t have otherwise, like modern classical and swing jazz.
This is great! I love that you did so much research.
Thank you Caroline :)
it’s so hard man, I got into collecting for the music but once you get so deep you really start paying attention to the rarities. the fomo tied to records is crazy. I used to resell clothes, it’s almost like it’s becoming that, the culture around it. I have apps & Reddit’s just to keep up with releases. I hope the bubble pops, I really won’t mind, just keep buying records like I do now.
Very good topic Matt!
Normally here in Denmark the average record cost 25-30$ in my local shops - but sadly when i want something from the US the recordprice tend to be 40$ on the limited releases then the shippingcost is 25$, the “handling charge” from my countries post office is 25$ and last but not least the tax for around 10$.
Thats 100$ for a new 40$ record from the us...
It sadly often happens for me that I find the us pressings a lot more interesting.. But its hard when the prices from the shops is skyrocketing..
This is why I try to stick with used vinyl even with repressings. It's cheaper and if it's already open it's just a record I'm going to spin instead of a collectible I'm afraid to open.
Such a good thought out video about an issue we’re all trying to figure out what is going on. Crazy how hip hop is over pricing their vinyls, maybe it’ll cause bootlegs of their records. I heard video game soundtracks on vinyls are also really expensive.
25 year House Music DJ here... I will regularly spend $50-$100 each time I go to the record store but there’s no way I’ll pay more than six dollars for a record. The used vinyl market is where it’s at kids... 30+ dollars for one record? Not a chance.
I've bought new vinyl, but I stopped. Most of the time, new vinyl is just a digital master, and so I just buy the CD for much cheaper. I stick to buying quality vintage vinyl. It's cheaper, and much more satisfying.
Just think how I feel, I bought my first record in 1972, 10,000 records and still buying!
I missed Westside Gunn's - Supreme Blientele, and now you can't find it for less than $300-$400. This is a great video, because you touch on a lot of the issues these days that irritate fans of the MUSIC not the product. The resellers are destroying the community more and more because the community keeps buying at these ridiculous prices.
Great video. Great take
I've been lately considering getting in on some records I don't even care for, just because they're limited so I can sell later for ones that I actually want go listen to. And the problem is that just repeats the cycle and makes it worse. So you miss out either way. My local shop pretty much every new LP is 24.95, and goes up for doubles/special stuff. The bubble is making it really hard to be able to just buy records to listen to and enjoy.
The third party sellers hiking the price up after the drop are friends of the label/artist/distributor. There's few "arms-length" transactions going with inflated prices like that.
Urban Outfitters is charging $40 for some albums, a limited re-press of Lady Gaga's ARTPOP for example. It's beginning to get really out of hand, and I am definitely one of those fans that you mentioned that are panic buying anything by artists that I enjoy because I know it'll sell out and sell for an astronomical price later on. Another UA-camr I watch, Channel 33 RPM, just dropped a video talking about the decline of vinyl sales and I wonder if people are catching on to the price gouging.
The more people who buy the product the higher it will go in price, people stop buying, artist don't get paid, so the price comes down. Been buying second hand vinyl since the 70's have around 8400 lp's and probably only paid full price for 2/300 of them. I rather go without than fund some multi millionaire artist/record or retailer. Dealer near me has a copy of the beatles white album at £1000, its been there over 2 yrs and he can't understand why!!!!! Lol.
its first world economics. what do we want when we have everything we 'actually' need? what others cannot have? this is not a subcultural phenomenon. i think this video is making valid observations but its not the capitalist pigs out to ruin music. its a combination of consumerism and elitism that is rampant throughout humanity. first world, in particular.
This ^^
Amen.
Capitalism and vinyl go hand-in-hand. Sorry mate, but you can’t have your record and eat it too.
@@matthewbennett2735 true true
This hits the mark, most of the video is focused the aftermarket “value” on Discogs and thus only perpetuates the scenario. If people don’t buy to flip or buy to hoard, then those LPs dont sell out in the first place.
Even some bootlegs are £50.00 right now. The original albums of some old school punk bands have become so ridiculously expensive that people literally have to buy bootlegs to own any of the music.
I'm thinking about buying the new vinyl pressing of the Spirited Away soundtrack (which I absolutely love) - but do you guys think £65 ($84) is worth it for a black double lp?
This is made worse by the fact that the album is only about £38 ($49) in Japan and that these shops in the west are hiking up the price. But whatever. I'd say it's probably worth it. None of the other Ghibli albums have been discontinued or hard to find. But none are as popular as Spirited Away. If you really love it, bite the bullet.
For real. It’s getting out of hand. This RSD, I put back 5 releases that were popular ones because it would have cost an extra $300. I wanted them and liked the music but that was too much. You definitely talked me into cancelling my VMP with this vid. Thanks! I’ve been on the fence since the, loyalty pricing email.
On point. Great video. I'm out on many of the variants because I don't feel like they add anything to the actual sound of the music. To each their own but these kinds of prices will wind up killing the goose that laid the golden egg.
Having been a collector since my teens I've seen both the vinyl downturn (mid 90s to mid 00s) and then revival in the last 15 or so years. Prices during the revival were quite reasonable and were an added incentive in terms of owning a physical copy of you favourite music/artist rather than simply streaming/downloading it. There is no question that the last 2-3 years has seen a marked increase in the price of vinyl - and not just the premium, deluxe releases. Stock standard releases have increased from AU$30 to $45 in quick time and there doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason for the price hike. To add insult to injury, I used to be able to purchase great quality product on the US Amazon website but this is no longer possible for products that can be bought on the local Australian Amazon website, which of course is significantly more expensive, even when you factor in the exchange rate.
An example: Prince's 1999 Super Deluxe vinyl from last year cost around $250 which seemed reasonable given the extras both in rarities and the quality of the product. This year sees the release of the deluxe version of Sign 'o' the Times and the price has tripled (most outlets are pricing at AU$750). Aside from the extra 4 records, I'm struggling to see why the price is so high. As a massive fan of Prince since the early 80s, this release is the pinnacle of his artistry, and I would have pre-purchased it by now. As it stands, the excessively high price is making me think twice as I'm finding it hard to justify a purchase of this magnitude, regardless of the fact that he's one of my all-time favourite artists re-releasing what is considered to be his all-time great album.
In a nutshell, I think record companies are taking advantage of the vinyl resurgence and I'm now seriously starting to contemplate whether I bother continuing down the collection road. Music and vinyl are my passion and I will always look to pay a fair price for most products - but I don't want to be taken for a ride. Sadly, it appears that is what record companies are now doing.
... and the bad vinyl pressings of collectibles.
Totally agree with everything you said. I really like what you said about “who are we to determine what art it worth.”
That being said, it’s all about supply and demand. I would venture to say Supreme is making way too much money on their clothes, think how much those cost to make vs. how much they cost. It goes for everything.
If I were an artist with that type of demand, I would just make more copies at a better price point so more people could hear the music, but maybe I’m over simplifying things. Like you said about the black vinyl releases. Dead on.
This is happening in quite a few different markets.
They see something immediately selling on the aftermarket way beyond its initial selling price and think “we’ll have some of that thank you” ...and boom , there you go a £35/£40 record for sale at the shops.
What are your thoughts on shipping costs compared to record costs? There’s a record I want to preorder which is only sold and shipped from USA at the moment, I’m in the UK and the shipping cost is more than the vinyl itself.
I think buying records internationally is always going to be extremely expensive, unfortunately.
Too Many Records I guess I’ll have to just go for it, thanks for the reply!
I want to own all the Outkast records but most of the time they're $40 a pop. Sucks because they're my favorite hip hop group
My VMP subscription renewed right before the price hike. I did drop my second album pick because it went from $23 to $33 a month. I made sure to write them an email about the price hike and I implore other members to do the same.
Great points. From what I'm seeing these days, a lot of these so called "collectors" are snapping up the expensive (and oh so colorful) LPs for the main reason of BRAGGING RIGHTS on social media. Taking selfies with the LPs, uploading them to instagram or tiktok, living up for the attention basically. Listing to the albums becomes secondary, which is damn sad.
I have noticed a hike since 2013. But there’s been a few albums that have been repressed that I was happy to pay 35-39 price point. Music On Vinyl has had a few of those. But was happy to just have it and not having to pay for the original press that was going for hundreds . But I feel ya on this topic. Getting older now....seems everything just gets more expensive and getting less and less for your money. Enjoy your videos. Hope everyone is doing ok out there.❤️...oh yeah...grats on that Pearl Jam record. Take care of yourself ✌🏻
All analog and pressed at RTI or QRP right?
The hip hop industry is assuming that there costumers ar idiots
*their and *are
*customers
Well, for the ones paying these ridiculous prices that assumption is pretty much correct.
I think you may have proved a point there...
They are idiots. Just go to the hip hop vinyl subreddit. Saw someone who bought three copies of The Scotts, a $20 single...
Saw Lil Ugly Mane - Three Sided Tape 2xLP for $40 retail a while back. Passed on that because this was like 2016 and $40 for a double LP was kinda nuts. Well they're $120 now 🤦♂️
I bought a limited edition LP Vinyl for $70 and I paid $35 for shipping. This is my first vinyl I have ever bought, but people now are reselling up to $400! The cheapest I could find was $150. So I don’t know if I made a good decision. Great Video Btw!
I have fallen to FOMO over the summer and even spent $125 on a single album (limited to 100) do I keep it? Do it flip it? I bought a lesser priced copy of the same album because I enjoy the music. I can’t sustain doing stuff like that on the regular.
Yes fomo has gotten the best of me but I really do only buy albums for the music, but’s it’s also nice to have a limited copy of the album I love. It’s a tough spot to be in.
Thanks for raising this 'prob'. Supply and demand. I guess it is tough to change this issue unless the demand drops which is impossible to control. Just be patient and wait. Slow down, which is the whole thing about listening to vinyl.
I remember when I started collecting records sometime around 1978ish.............
I’m not gonna lie I was one of the lucky people to get a black variant of action Bronson’s rare chandeliers and I love the project. By far one of my most expensive records to date. Last time I checked it was running on Discogs for around 800+ with only one for sale. Just checked again apparently either someone bought it or it got taken down but now the cheapest and only sale is going for 470$. I’m truly lucky and blessed, hope anyone who wants one can find a copy for sale at a good price. Much love
I'm in my late 40s and got into vinyl around age 13 back then it was everywhere. 30 odd years ago I was getting into the hobby for literally pence. For me charity shops were a source of solid playing records, It took time but part of the fun was trying to find them. Old school used record shops with the cardboard boxes in the basement were a joy. I spent many happy Saturday afternoons digging through boxes. My most memorable memory was coming face to face with a rat, it was worth it as I turned up a copy of brand new Cadillac by vince Taylor in one of those 5 singles for a pound deals!!
I don't mind paying up to a certain amount for vinyl, but this year ive noticed in certain shops I go to (HMV in the UK to be specific) the vinyl prices seem to have gone up from what they where last year, some releases being a standard of £25. It seems to be a little much for a standard version.
I got into collecting around 2004. And i remember the decline of the vinyl in the genre of rap. By the time Ghostface's "Fishscale" dropped, I remember thinking I better get 2 copies. By that following year, Def Jam had pretty much phased out vinyl pressing. By that time, the demand had dropped. Crazy how times changed.
I go support artist by buying their music AND more importantly, see them when they come to my area. The latter isn't happening currently, I do feel that there is a rush to get new releases because of what Matt is talking about. RSD with all the other stuff coming out that I have to preorder is hurting my wallet.
its even worse for those international, in australia have to pay a ftonne for shipping of most things, and if we get the australian store version, even after the initial usd price is converted to aud, they add on extra on top in the end more money
Exactly! Take Gorillaz song machine for example. It’s retail is 79USD (already overpriced) on US sites. Then I see JB Hi-Fi (Aus retailer) have it listed and I think “oh good, I can save a bit on shipping now at least” and they have the damn thing retailing for $189 AUD ($137 USD)!! Who on earth is paying $189 AUD for a 2LP black wax album that isn’t limited... what is going on??
@@mozztacc ye I just saw that's and as an Australian, clarifying what jbhifi is, is funny to me lol
Guy Batchelor hahaha yeah soz, for some reason I felt the need to clarify what it was for non-Australians possibly reading this.
It's fine, I get it lol
@@mozztacc I'm glad you explained (the Netherlands here) 👍
Best video yet on this channel
Thank you man!
My issue with new pressings is not only the price, but the fact that a lot of them are warped. I talked myself into picking up the White Album remix even though I have it on CD, and paid 40 bucks for a warped LP. I'm surprised and relieved it actually played well. I would flip it but I don't want to stick someone else with a warped LP set.
New Uada drops sept 30th. Not out yet. $30 on their merch site for preorders. Black vinyl and gray vinyl still available. I see both being sold second hand( mind you, the vinyl isn’t in their hands yet and it’s still available) for over$60.
I’m still trying to figure out Why anyone listens to rap much less on vinyl looks like I’ll be saving money ...
In the 90s, CDs were generally 30-50% more expensive than records. I recently saw a Tower Records' ad from the mid-90s advertising an album at $11.99 (cd) & $7.99 (lp). Granted there are fewer manufacturers today and adding in inflation I do expect it to be higher but anything over $22.99 seems like gouging and anything over $30 is ridiculous, and I don't care how many pretty extra cards or lyric sheets they add to it. It's simply not worth it. Record labels have been gouging fans and stiffing artists for years and this is no different. Lower the price and sell more.
I've stopped buying a lot of impulse buys because I end up not playing them, not liking the music all that much, and just wasting money. It's cheaper for me in the end to risk losing out on some limited pressings initially and paying more later on the second-hand market if I decide I really do want it than buying up stuff I won't listen to.
Try living in New Zealand. I picked up Avril Lavigne Goodbye Lullaby yesterday at a retail store for $70 not rare really that’s just what records cost here.
I bought the second flatbush zombies album for 150... This video really made me scratch my head. U are damn right with what u said at the end. I wish they would put out default black unlimited runs aswell!
And Napster was justified cuz people bitched about 20 dollar CD's. You kidding me. Pure greed.
The Spirited Away soundtrack coming in late 2020 is $70. I would LOVE to get my hands on this but I can’t justify paying this price for a 2LP that isn’t limited edition.
Do you know what happens when crap like this goes on in recorded music circles? Bootlegs. Counterfeits. Pirates. Shady downloads & under-the-table home-burned tapes & CD's. It's not new, it's happened many times before & the current atmosphere here will get it as well. Let the word go forth; Quit this crap, or don't cry when these things start happening. The fans WILL take revenge.
I recieved an email about a limited edition vinyl from an artist so naturally ordered immediately. Only to find out a week later he had a new deluxe edition vinyl. You would think the original limited edition would have all the songs but I was wrong. And i missed out on the deluxe vinyl. It's out of hand.
I am just barely getting in to vinyl. Bought my first turn table in August 2020. So I’m not super familiar with the market, but I paid $75 for a Lifehouse record, Almeria. Most of the records I have added to my collection cost $30 for 2 LP albums. Many though were $50 for some special artists like Josh Garrels.
This really blows, I hope it doesn't trickle down into the emo and hardcore scene where I get most of my vinyl from. The most expensive new album I bought was $40 on the mondo jaws soundtrack. Although it made sense because on their website it goes for $35 and I bought this at my local shop so it's a little more so they make a profit.
I wonder how the big box stores factor into the increase. It is pretty common to go to a label's site or artist's site see "limited" variants for 35 bucks. Then, Amazon has it for $25 or lower.
I try to support the labels and artists without the middle man as much as possible. However, if the record is $35 and they only offer Priority Mail, I may just go to Amazon, pay $25 with free shipping and get the black version of the record.
It has to make sense to see that markup.
Great vid Matt
Thank you
I think the vinyl market can be likened to the sneaker market especially with the surge of vinyl sales, some people found it profitable. Therefore creating an unwanted inflated price for limited vinyl presses. It's sad but as long as there are people who take advantage of a situation, these will never end. I just wanna listen to 80s jpop vinyl records without breaking the bank :(
I'm one of those people that cancelled my subscription to VMP when the price jumped way up. I just couldn't justify it anymore. I love the Third Man Records subscription service and I've done it since 2009. It's always worth the money and they put a lot into those quarterly releases.
I've not been able to bring myself to pay for a "vinyl club." Not knowing what I am paying for is just something I can't bring myself to do. Third Man Vault is the one I almost joined, but for $65 (every record/three months apart) I balked.
I collect quad records. I agree the vinyl scene has gone crazy. Getting the quad version of Aerosmith Toys in the Attic can go over $160. And don't get me started on jazz records from Impulse or Black Jazz labels. The most I've spent was on Black Sabbath Paranoid for $75
Records have become luxury items. As a longtime buyers it blows my mind. It is kind of a bummer for younger people. at least you can stream stuff.
Awesome points, there have been SO many releases that I’ve skipped on for being high as hell. The Chari XCX record from last year being $40 on black wax? Nah chief.
This is the flip side (get it) of "I need to have physical media..." It's a racket, just like Record Store Day--which I hate but I'm a sucker for it.
Back in the 80s a 2 disc would be new about £12 to £15 and the quality was much much better.
I agree that vinyl prices are going higher. I was in Walmart a couple of days ago, and I saw a copy of The Beatles '1'. I picked it up and the sticker price is $37.78. I put it back down and decided to look online to see if I could find a better price. Nope, not really, after the tax is tagged on, the price is about the same. But then again, it is The Beatles.
Just starting to get into vinyl and realizing a lot of the records I love and want are either extremely high priced or not pressed on vinyl (lil uzi vert, frank ocean, young thug, 2014 ATL rap) but there are still a lot of my fav’s/ a lot of cool records and some surprising bootlegs, im still pretty excited to start collecting 👍