My goodness, yes. There's a wealth of difference between reading reviews, suggestions and recommendations and having your collection curated by someone else. I know I couldn't do this simply from any streaming service I use. "People who listened to this also listened to..." shows me that only I am in control of my tastes. I'd never use this kind of service.
Exactly! Streaming platforms are slowly but surely increasing their control of the listening experience so that they can maximise their own profit margins by leading you to those tracks that are more profitable for them.
I miss the days when I could go down to Wayne’s Music Mart and listen to music in my own private booth. But even then the choices were funneled because of distribution.
Thanks, Charlotte! Yes, distribution can be an issue especially with big record stores. At least, though, the final decision as to which record(s) to purchase was/is ours, unlike with subscription services.
💯 back in the 70s my husband had a song that made number 10 on the regional charts for 2 weeks. He was only able to accomplish this because in those days mamy radio stations were still mom and pop operations. So he was able to promote his music by convincing the management of the radio stations to play his song. I know this doesn’t have anything to do with vinyl but have you listen to radio these days? The same songs play over and over on every station.
I agree with every word here. I obviously have some strong opinions on curated vinyl, but also the idea of curated services in general. I get that people are pressed for time or might not know much about fashion, music, etc., but at one point did we decide we were so busy that decision-making & choice were something we could outsource?
Thank you, Kevin! Absolutely: outsourcing the choosing spoils a big part of the fun for many of us who actually derive pleasure in the selection process, but there’s also an issue with wanting/expecting to be spoon-fed all the time, let alone the more serious implications in terms of our autonomy and decision-making power.
It's hard to imagine that this model will succeed. The whole point (okay, a major point) of collecting/listening to vinyl is the experience of going to the record shop and browsing the bins. I've ordered LPs online, but only ones that I'm certain won't be gotten any other way, and usually from the artist/label directly.
My brain is having a hard time with this concept. If a person doesn't have time to shop for records, they probably don't have time to listen to them either, so I can only imagine wealthy collectors using a service like this. But I am befuddled by a lot of stuff that is popularly experienced.
Thanks, Steve! I have no issue with ordering online (artist website, Discogs, even eBay). The main issue in my view is not choosing your own records.
I think the main reason why people decide to use a service like this is not so much due to lack of time or money. Sadly I think it’s because they don’t know enough artists/records and want an easy solution to fill that gap.
I don’t like the subscription model very much either, but I do own two VMP reissues: De La Soul’s ‘3 Feet High And Rising’, which until recently was practically impossible to get otherwise, and Aaliyah’s eponymous third album, which was similarly elusive.
For the first, I took out a one-month “subscription”, the latter I bought at around cost price on Discogs from a subscriber who didn’t care for Aaliyah’s work and forgot to sub out at the right time. (I appreciated this seller was one of the very few that offered it in mint condition without tremendously marking it up, by the way).
Judging purely by those two releases, I do have to say that your assessment of them as a careless company knocking out cheap reissues seems a bit unfair. They’re packaged in thick stock sleeves, with beautiful printing (the gold foil lettering on the Aaliyah sleeve is a particularly nice touch) and are remastered specifically for these releases. They also commission their own liner notes by various music journalists specifically for their releases. It seems quite obvious a lot of care goes into most, if not all, VMP releases. The Aaliyah one in particular is vastly superior to other pressings of that album.
Thanks, Jaap! I agree that some of the special realeses I have tested are not bad. Sound quality is in most cases decent, and the sleeve/artwork quality of some of these special editions (which you can purchase individually) is impressive. Mind you, these standalone releases are a far cry from their bread and butter reissues of old classics which you get monthly in a bundle of sorts with the subscription model. That’s also why the price difference is so big. Otherwise the business would not be sustainable.
These actually were part of the subscription model though, they weren’t standalone releases. I had to subscribe for the De La Soul record (and stopped my subscription as soon as I received it), and bought the Aaliyah record of another subscriber who received it as part of a subscription but didn’t care for it.
That being said, it definitely would’ve been preferable to be able to buy them as standalone releases. Subscribing is not for me. As you pointed out, curating is part of the fun of collecting.
Oh, that's very interesting to hear. And thank you for mentioning this, because comments like yours enrich the conversation and help clarify/qualify certain statements, which is always welcome. In terms of sound quality (which, needless to say, is subjective in and of itself, so I'll talk about my perspective, which may differ for others), I am under the impression that the guys at VMP tend to do a better job with reissues of relatively recent titles than with reissues of old classics (60s or even older). The material available to work from may be of better quality, I suspect, and this will make things easier for everyone involved (which is fair enough).
Absolutely agree with you that curating is where most of the fun is!
I’m a 60-year-old guy who’s been collecting records for a good half-century now. I joined Vinyl Me, Please because they do offer some flexibility. If you don’t want the monthly record, you can sub something from their other offerings. I stayed in the club for many years because the quality of their products is very high. The pressings were really clean and in general they did a great job. I quit the club only recently as I felt I’d exhausted their back catalog and, although the quality is high, the prices are, too.
I think there’s a place for something like VMP, especially for someone who’s building a collection. I definitely expanded my jazz and world music library with releases they offered that I might not have otherwise thought to purchase.
In any case, your posts are great. Keep up the terrific work.
Thank you very much for your kind and constructive comment, Andrew! I appreciate it a lot.
It’s great to hear your perspective especially seeing as you are such an experienced collector. I am glad to know that, all in all, it worked well for you and that it served a purpose while you were using it.
Comments like yours are extremely valuable for me because they enrich the conversation, so I thank you for taking the time to share your experience here.
I can see how a model like this can work for someone like you who, I am sure, was already familiar with most of the records that arrived at your doorstep, but who would perhaps not have thought of buying them, so in a way it helped you reconnect with music you knew and loved.
You had already done more than enough to lay the groundwork for the type of listening experience I refer to in my article, so in a way, our perspectives are complementary.
My main concern is I feel some people from around my generation may be relying on a model like this a bit too much instead of doing the hard (but wonderfully fulfilling) work of discovering music through their own efforts.
Great to hear you had a positive experience with the quality of the pressings you received.
Once again, thank you so much for your comment and sharing your views!
Thank you, Andres. Truth be told, I’m beyond thrilled that vinyl didn’t die. I was really afraid it would! And your posts here bring a smile to my face every time!
My background is in classical music. I listen to all kinds of music, but my expertise - and most of my collection - is classical. So, for me, being introduced to new music outside the classical realm was helpful. I’d sample the latest VMP offerings before taking the plunge, and that way I discovered music I might not have otherwise found my way to.
Of course there are other ways to do that - reviews, word of mouth, etc. I think it all depends on how you go about it. It’s so interesting to me how easy finding new music is nowadays. When I was younger, I had to either discover music from the radio or magazines or friends, or just taking a chance at the record store. Now everything can be done with minimal effort through streaming and online shopping.
I find it especially interesting that young people are getting into cassettes, too. They’re an inferior technology but I have great affection for them still. I wooed my husband partly by making him classical mixtapes - and he did the same for me with New Wave music.
This is beautiful, Andrew. I can see how it can be helpful if you come from a classical music background. In my case it’s the opposite, in a way (I grew up on blues, soul and jazz, with a healthy dose of gospel, pop, rock and R&B). Again, it’s so interesting and refreshing to hear different perspectives. Once again, thank you very much for sharing! The mixtapes thing you did with your husband is beautiful. Thanks again!
I agree with this take, although it would be interesting to learn the demographics of who is subscribing to Vinyl Me Please. Is it the younger generation, who never had the pleasure of perusing the bins at a Tower Records or BMG? Is it suburban Gen Xers who are outsourcing their own nostalgia on a whim? Is it actual music fans who are looking to learn about “new music” and this is just one avenue of pursuit? When the vinyl craze started to really heat up about 6-7 years ago, I assumed it was Gen Xers and Boomers, with disposable income, creating the demand. But the owner of a long-standing record store in Nashville said his most consistent customers were under 30. This anecdote suggests it might be the younger folks using the service. Most people buy many of their essentials on-line these days and younger people have grown-up buying nearly all essentials on-line. Now that owning some records is “essential” for every music fan, going on-line to do so probably seems perfectly normal to many people. Also, there are vast swaths of suburban America where the only nearby record store is a Target or Wal-Mart. The album selections at those places is rather limited. So Vinyl Me Please might seem like (and actually be) a wealth of surprises compared to the local Wal-Mart.
Thanks, Marcus! I think it’s a mixed bag in terms of demographics, from what I’ve been reading. I don’t think it’s the very young as the subscription is not cheap and most Gen Zers will only buy vinyl they are sure they love.
I’m pretty sure there’s a bit of everything but it’s predominantly the late millennial/X/early boomer with a steady job, who received a turntable as a gift or bought it on a whim “to try something new”, never cared much about artists and records beyond what was hot on the radio/their gym playlist, definitely wants to learn more about music and records but has kids and a family and work and whatnot so has decided to take (in their view) a shortcut. Build my collection, a combination of classics and must-haves, click of a button, records delivered, “focus on enjoying”.
Well said! Part of the pleasure is in choosing the next purchase. Why hand that over to someone who’s one step away from being an algorithm (ugh!), and pay for the privilege too?
Thanks, Ian! Yes, exactly. Discovering, choosing, selecting artists and records keep our minds active and engaged, and are, for many, a huge part of our identity.
My goodness, yes. There's a wealth of difference between reading reviews, suggestions and recommendations and having your collection curated by someone else. I know I couldn't do this simply from any streaming service I use. "People who listened to this also listened to..." shows me that only I am in control of my tastes. I'd never use this kind of service.
Exactly! Streaming platforms are slowly but surely increasing their control of the listening experience so that they can maximise their own profit margins by leading you to those tracks that are more profitable for them.
I miss the days when I could go down to Wayne’s Music Mart and listen to music in my own private booth. But even then the choices were funneled because of distribution.
Thanks, Charlotte! Yes, distribution can be an issue especially with big record stores. At least, though, the final decision as to which record(s) to purchase was/is ours, unlike with subscription services.
💯 back in the 70s my husband had a song that made number 10 on the regional charts for 2 weeks. He was only able to accomplish this because in those days mamy radio stations were still mom and pop operations. So he was able to promote his music by convincing the management of the radio stations to play his song. I know this doesn’t have anything to do with vinyl but have you listen to radio these days? The same songs play over and over on every station.
Absolutely! What you say is very relevant in terms of who pulls the strings behind the tunes that we hear.
I agree with every word here. I obviously have some strong opinions on curated vinyl, but also the idea of curated services in general. I get that people are pressed for time or might not know much about fashion, music, etc., but at one point did we decide we were so busy that decision-making & choice were something we could outsource?
Thank you, Kevin! Absolutely: outsourcing the choosing spoils a big part of the fun for many of us who actually derive pleasure in the selection process, but there’s also an issue with wanting/expecting to be spoon-fed all the time, let alone the more serious implications in terms of our autonomy and decision-making power.
It's hard to imagine that this model will succeed. The whole point (okay, a major point) of collecting/listening to vinyl is the experience of going to the record shop and browsing the bins. I've ordered LPs online, but only ones that I'm certain won't be gotten any other way, and usually from the artist/label directly.
My brain is having a hard time with this concept. If a person doesn't have time to shop for records, they probably don't have time to listen to them either, so I can only imagine wealthy collectors using a service like this. But I am befuddled by a lot of stuff that is popularly experienced.
Thanks, Steve! I have no issue with ordering online (artist website, Discogs, even eBay). The main issue in my view is not choosing your own records.
I think the main reason why people decide to use a service like this is not so much due to lack of time or money. Sadly I think it’s because they don’t know enough artists/records and want an easy solution to fill that gap.
I don’t like the subscription model very much either, but I do own two VMP reissues: De La Soul’s ‘3 Feet High And Rising’, which until recently was practically impossible to get otherwise, and Aaliyah’s eponymous third album, which was similarly elusive.
For the first, I took out a one-month “subscription”, the latter I bought at around cost price on Discogs from a subscriber who didn’t care for Aaliyah’s work and forgot to sub out at the right time. (I appreciated this seller was one of the very few that offered it in mint condition without tremendously marking it up, by the way).
Judging purely by those two releases, I do have to say that your assessment of them as a careless company knocking out cheap reissues seems a bit unfair. They’re packaged in thick stock sleeves, with beautiful printing (the gold foil lettering on the Aaliyah sleeve is a particularly nice touch) and are remastered specifically for these releases. They also commission their own liner notes by various music journalists specifically for their releases. It seems quite obvious a lot of care goes into most, if not all, VMP releases. The Aaliyah one in particular is vastly superior to other pressings of that album.
Thanks, Jaap! I agree that some of the special realeses I have tested are not bad. Sound quality is in most cases decent, and the sleeve/artwork quality of some of these special editions (which you can purchase individually) is impressive. Mind you, these standalone releases are a far cry from their bread and butter reissues of old classics which you get monthly in a bundle of sorts with the subscription model. That’s also why the price difference is so big. Otherwise the business would not be sustainable.
These actually were part of the subscription model though, they weren’t standalone releases. I had to subscribe for the De La Soul record (and stopped my subscription as soon as I received it), and bought the Aaliyah record of another subscriber who received it as part of a subscription but didn’t care for it.
That being said, it definitely would’ve been preferable to be able to buy them as standalone releases. Subscribing is not for me. As you pointed out, curating is part of the fun of collecting.
Oh, that's very interesting to hear. And thank you for mentioning this, because comments like yours enrich the conversation and help clarify/qualify certain statements, which is always welcome. In terms of sound quality (which, needless to say, is subjective in and of itself, so I'll talk about my perspective, which may differ for others), I am under the impression that the guys at VMP tend to do a better job with reissues of relatively recent titles than with reissues of old classics (60s or even older). The material available to work from may be of better quality, I suspect, and this will make things easier for everyone involved (which is fair enough).
Absolutely agree with you that curating is where most of the fun is!
I’m a 60-year-old guy who’s been collecting records for a good half-century now. I joined Vinyl Me, Please because they do offer some flexibility. If you don’t want the monthly record, you can sub something from their other offerings. I stayed in the club for many years because the quality of their products is very high. The pressings were really clean and in general they did a great job. I quit the club only recently as I felt I’d exhausted their back catalog and, although the quality is high, the prices are, too.
I think there’s a place for something like VMP, especially for someone who’s building a collection. I definitely expanded my jazz and world music library with releases they offered that I might not have otherwise thought to purchase.
In any case, your posts are great. Keep up the terrific work.
Thank you very much for your kind and constructive comment, Andrew! I appreciate it a lot.
It’s great to hear your perspective especially seeing as you are such an experienced collector. I am glad to know that, all in all, it worked well for you and that it served a purpose while you were using it.
Comments like yours are extremely valuable for me because they enrich the conversation, so I thank you for taking the time to share your experience here.
I can see how a model like this can work for someone like you who, I am sure, was already familiar with most of the records that arrived at your doorstep, but who would perhaps not have thought of buying them, so in a way it helped you reconnect with music you knew and loved.
You had already done more than enough to lay the groundwork for the type of listening experience I refer to in my article, so in a way, our perspectives are complementary.
My main concern is I feel some people from around my generation may be relying on a model like this a bit too much instead of doing the hard (but wonderfully fulfilling) work of discovering music through their own efforts.
Great to hear you had a positive experience with the quality of the pressings you received.
Once again, thank you so much for your comment and sharing your views!
Thank you, Andres. Truth be told, I’m beyond thrilled that vinyl didn’t die. I was really afraid it would! And your posts here bring a smile to my face every time!
My background is in classical music. I listen to all kinds of music, but my expertise - and most of my collection - is classical. So, for me, being introduced to new music outside the classical realm was helpful. I’d sample the latest VMP offerings before taking the plunge, and that way I discovered music I might not have otherwise found my way to.
Of course there are other ways to do that - reviews, word of mouth, etc. I think it all depends on how you go about it. It’s so interesting to me how easy finding new music is nowadays. When I was younger, I had to either discover music from the radio or magazines or friends, or just taking a chance at the record store. Now everything can be done with minimal effort through streaming and online shopping.
I find it especially interesting that young people are getting into cassettes, too. They’re an inferior technology but I have great affection for them still. I wooed my husband partly by making him classical mixtapes - and he did the same for me with New Wave music.
This is beautiful, Andrew. I can see how it can be helpful if you come from a classical music background. In my case it’s the opposite, in a way (I grew up on blues, soul and jazz, with a healthy dose of gospel, pop, rock and R&B). Again, it’s so interesting and refreshing to hear different perspectives. Once again, thank you very much for sharing! The mixtapes thing you did with your husband is beautiful. Thanks again!
I purchase music based on songs I like to hear, it sounds as if a vinyl subscription is is nothing but a surprise box! 🎁 Lol!
I agree with this take, although it would be interesting to learn the demographics of who is subscribing to Vinyl Me Please. Is it the younger generation, who never had the pleasure of perusing the bins at a Tower Records or BMG? Is it suburban Gen Xers who are outsourcing their own nostalgia on a whim? Is it actual music fans who are looking to learn about “new music” and this is just one avenue of pursuit? When the vinyl craze started to really heat up about 6-7 years ago, I assumed it was Gen Xers and Boomers, with disposable income, creating the demand. But the owner of a long-standing record store in Nashville said his most consistent customers were under 30. This anecdote suggests it might be the younger folks using the service. Most people buy many of their essentials on-line these days and younger people have grown-up buying nearly all essentials on-line. Now that owning some records is “essential” for every music fan, going on-line to do so probably seems perfectly normal to many people. Also, there are vast swaths of suburban America where the only nearby record store is a Target or Wal-Mart. The album selections at those places is rather limited. So Vinyl Me Please might seem like (and actually be) a wealth of surprises compared to the local Wal-Mart.
Thanks, Marcus! I think it’s a mixed bag in terms of demographics, from what I’ve been reading. I don’t think it’s the very young as the subscription is not cheap and most Gen Zers will only buy vinyl they are sure they love.
I’m pretty sure there’s a bit of everything but it’s predominantly the late millennial/X/early boomer with a steady job, who received a turntable as a gift or bought it on a whim “to try something new”, never cared much about artists and records beyond what was hot on the radio/their gym playlist, definitely wants to learn more about music and records but has kids and a family and work and whatnot so has decided to take (in their view) a shortcut. Build my collection, a combination of classics and must-haves, click of a button, records delivered, “focus on enjoying”.
Well said! Part of the pleasure is in choosing the next purchase. Why hand that over to someone who’s one step away from being an algorithm (ugh!), and pay for the privilege too?
Thanks, Ian! Yes, exactly. Discovering, choosing, selecting artists and records keep our minds active and engaged, and are, for many, a huge part of our identity.