Traditionally, the dead wax between the final grooves and the record label is a relatively benign, uninteresting space. You might find a matrix number, or perhaps a few extra digits referring to the cut or take of a particular record—or maybe, if you’re lucky, the mastering engineer or pressing plant will add their own signature. Look a little closer, though, … Read More
Top 10 Most Expensive Vinyl Records Ever Sold
Let’s face it; record collecting isn’t exactly the cheapest hobby, and we’ve all spent more than we’d like to admit on a single record. The good news is, unless you’re a multi-millionaire, there’s a good chance even the most expensive vinyl records in your collection will pale into insignificance compared with the eyewatering exchanges on this list. After checking out … Read More
Watch Out for These Faults When Buying New Vinyl Records
There are many reasons to love vinyl records. After all, when at their best, they sound great, they look beautiful, and they truly add something extra to the whole listening experience. However, while the resurgence in consumer interest for vinyl records is undoubtedly something to celebrate, there is a growing concern within the vinyl community surrounding quality control. In a … Read More
Top Vinyl Record Quotes from Famous Collectors
In our increasingly digital age, there’s still a lot of love for good old-fashioned vinyl. There’s just something about the physicality of vinyl; the sound, the feel (the entire experience) that conjures up emotions in generations old and new. It’s hard to imagine the same passion for any digital format in years to come, and while we’ve seen some resurgence … Read More
Ten Things I Would Tell My Younger Record Collecting Self
Whatever we do in life, we never stop learning. Whether it’s through the school of hard-knocks or by following family, teachers and mentors, we never stop learning. Record collecting is no different. But what if you could go back in time. What would you do differently, and why? Here are the ten things I would tell my younger record collecting … Read More
Nine Classic Album Covers and What Makes them Great
For any vinyl collector, a considerable part of the appeal and experience is the artwork. In many cases, album covers are classic art pieces in their own right and a significant contributor to pop culture. Countless classic album covers are instantly recognizable; they transcend generational boundaries and form part of our collective identity as a society. In some case, they … Read More
Top Vinyl Record Collecting Tips & Life Hacks
Every vinyl record collector has a few tricks up their sleeve, a few hacks to make life easier and help them get back spinning records. In the following article, we share our top vinyl record collecting tips and some of the hacks we’ve learned along the way that help you preserve your collection, save money, and even avoid potential disasters … Read More
What Makes a Great Album Cover? With Spencer Drate & Judith Salavetz
Vinyl records are the greatest format for album artwork, as the larger space compared with CDs or a thumbnail image provides the perfect canvas for artistic expression. So What Makes a Great Album Cover? To find out more, I spoke to Spencer Drate and Judith Salavetz. They are revered for their reputation as outstanding album cover designers and their contributions … Read More
Not Everything is on Spotify – Owning Your Music Matters
Firstly, I’ll be honest, vinyl is my preferred music format, but I do own a subscription to the streaming platform Tidal. In my opinion, vinyl is the best way to experience music, but there is a time and a place for digital streaming services. I mean, I can’t exactly take my vinyl with me on the train, and let’s be honest, there … Read More
Record Shopping on Discogs with Sound Matters
It recently struck me that I spend a lot of time writing and talking about collecting and looking after vinyl records, but rarely do I ever share my experiences more directly. Particularly given the past year’s events, it’s important to converse with others as a global music and vinyl fanatics community. Music is such a huge part of what makes … Read More
