Amazon's Vinyl Of The Month Club (sic)

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Amazon cashes in on the vinyl resurgence with record of the month club | Engadget

(I hate the trend of referring to vinyl records as "vinyls" but that's where it's going)

Amazon is targeting newbie record collectors with its latest subscription. If you sign up to the Vinyl of the Month Club, you’ll receive a new record for your collection every 30 days or so.

You won’t know what records you’ll receive as part of the $25 plan until they show up at your door, but they’ll be classics from the “Golden Era of Vinyl” — the 1960s and ‘70s — chosen by curators at Amazon Music. You’ll receive vinyls from the likes of Pink Floyd, Aretha Franklin and ABBA, so if you’ve been collecting records for a while or your tastes fall outside of the mainstream, this might not be for you.

Still, as Rolling Stone points out, the subscription can be decent value for money. Amazon quietly rolled out the Vinyl of the Month Club plan over the last few months. In that time, subscribers have received the likes of Pink Floyd’s The Walland The Clash’s London Calling. Those cost $47 and $32.56 on Amazon respectively, so you’d save a bit. But given the mystery bag format, there’s no telling in advance whether you’ll get an album you actually want.

You can return a vinyl as long as it’s sealed and unused. If you’re unfamiliar with the artist or album, it’s maybe worth checking it out on a streaming service before tearing the plastic wrapping off. You can also skip a month or cancel at any time. Shipping’s included in the $25/month fee and you don’t need to be a Prime member to sign up.
 
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Amazon cashes in on the vinyl resurgence with record of the month club | Engadget

(I hate the trend of referring to vinyl records as "vinyls" but that's where it's going)

Amazon is targeting newbie record collectors with its latest subscription. If you sign up to the Vinyl of the Month Club, you’ll receive a new record for your collection every 30 days or so.

You won’t know what records you’ll receive as part of the $25 plan until they show up at your door, but they’ll be classics from the “Golden Era of Vinyl” — the 1960s and ‘70s — chosen by curators at Amazon Music. You’ll receive vinyls from the likes of Pink Floyd, Aretha Franklin and ABBA, so if you’ve been collecting records for a while or your tastes fall outside of the mainstream, this might not be for you.

Still, as Rolling Stone points out, the subscription can be decent value for money. Amazon quietly rolled out the Vinyl of the Month Club plan over the last few months. In that time, subscribers have received the likes of Pink Floyd’s The Walland The Clash’s London Calling. Those cost $47 and $32.56 on Amazon respectively, so you’d save a bit. But given the mystery bag format, there’s no telling in advance whether you’ll get an album you actually want.

You can return a vinyl as long as it’s sealed and unused. If you’re unfamiliar with the artist or album, it’s maybe worth checking it out on a streaming service before tearing the plastic wrapping off. You can also skip a month or cancel at any time. Shipping’s included in the $25/month fee and you don’t need to be a Prime member to sign up.
So, in other words, Columbia House all over again for those who were born yesterday?
 
So, in other words, Columbia House all over again for those who were born yesterday?

I haven’t confirmed this, just going from memory.

The record clubs of old had minimum purchase requirements but members could choose from a decent selection of titles. Amazon’s club sends you a random “classic” 60s-70s album. I’m sure they’re not sending out random garbage and I think you can return it if you don’t like it.

Also another key point is old-school record clubs often sold special editions not available in stores. The jackets would say something like “Columbia House Edition”. Also, more importantly, the club records were sometimes pressed on a lower grade of vinyl than regular retail editions. So today, used record club editions often have lower value to collectors. At least with Amazon they’re sending you the regular retail pressings.

“That’s what I believe, but I could be wrong”.
 
I haven’t confirmed this, just going from memory.

The record clubs of old had minimum purchase requirements but members could choose from a decent selection of titles. Amazon’s club sends you a random “classic” 60s-70s album. I’m sure they’re not sending out random garbage and I think you can return it if you don’t like it.

Also another key point is old-school record clubs often sold special editions not available in stores. The jackets would say something like “Columbia House Edition”. Also, more importantly, the club records were sometimes pressed on a lower grade of vinyl than regular retail editions. So today, used record club editions often have lower value to collectors. At least with Amazon they’re sending you the regular retail pressings.

“That’s what I believe, but I could be wrong”.
There was this thread recently(as well as some others)here on the subject of the original premise; as you’ll see, I never though much of the concept…
What happened to Columbia House music club?

Then, and now, it represents to me a culture of a lack of passion for music; it just becomes lowest common denominator consumable fodder for an appathetic, uninvolved demographic. It might as well be cheese, or cheeseburgers. I don’t know about anyone else, but music is far more personal and important to me, emotional perhaps, mood and outlook changing. To sign up so that someone or something just sends out random, irrelevant titles in the hope that something will stick just seems bogus and bland. I seek out stuff, always have(the thrill of the hunt as it were), the crate digging, being such an involved customer that the person behind the counter knows me so well that they make a suggestion on something when I walk in the door, or a friend turns me on to something. The sense of discovery is still important to me. As well, you can get on Allmusic.com, look up an artist you like, and check out the “influenced by/influence on/similar artists” columns for tips; it’s not that difficult. I still rely on magazines like Mojo, Shindig, Ugly Thing, Vive Le Rock, for a heads up on emerging artists and examinations of older ones that I might have missed; not only does their outlook and scope align with my tastes in general, the writers are passionate about everything themselves, and often they dig up some left field acts that I never would have come across otherwise.
 
I’m not gonna be scornful of anyone who likes the idea of getting a random album once a month. Heck I might join the thing.

Not everyone has that deep a passion for discovering new music. Some people just want to build a collection of classic rock albums on vinyl (I refuse to call them vinyls) and look forward to being pleasantly surprised with something random. No like? Free returns.

Isn’t every level of interest in music good? I would argue it is.
 
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MP3 files at say 192 kbps (stereo) are free of vinyl artifacts. Does that make them better than vinyl? Some would say Yes. I would say Absolutely No.

But that’s me. I care more about overall audio quality than a few random vinyl artifacts.

Now if I buy a new vinyl record that skips or has egregious pops or crackling, I return it. Another reason for buying “vinyls” from Amazon.
 
My first album from Amazon (due today) will be:

John Coltrane, Giant Steps (60th Anniversary Edition) (2LP 180 Gram Vinyl)

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