Vinyl records are selling well again as more vinyl records are being produced and audiophiles seek to hear again the sound emanating from a phonograph player.
Progression of LP/EP sales in millions
•$2005 $14.2
•$2006 $15.7
•$2007 $22.9
•$2008 $46.2
•$2009 $56.7
With the increase in sales of vinyl records I along with other record collectors are looking for vinyl records that used to be in my collection before they were sold at garage sales for almost nothing.
Just realized recently when visiting the local mega bookstore here in Knoxville, Tennessee that they were now selling vinyl records.
The first records I looked at were 95 cents and up and found a Kenny Rogers Greatest Hits album for 95 cents.
Then I noticed there was a section of budget albums which were selling for 25 cents. During my first trip there I bought albums of Rogers, Johnny Mathis (a 2 record set for 25 cents) and Frank Sinatra Christmas album for 25 cents which I found for sale on ebay for $9.99 and found a Perry Como Christmas album which was selling for $14.99 on ebay. It only cost me 25 cents at the bookstore.
These records were in excellent condition with the Kenny Rogers album looking like it had never been played.
Other albums bought on the first trip to the vinyl section included an album by the Carpenters, a 2 record set of the Harry James Orchestra, a Lennon Sisters album and a record about old time radio days all for 25 cents each.
The next trip I bought another Johnny Mathis album of his greatest hits, Vol. 3 of Tony Bennett’s greatest hits but it should have been Vol. 1 since it included his best known songs like I Left My Heart in San Francisco, The Good Life, I Wanna Be Around, Who Can I Turn To and The Best Is Yet To Come.
In addition I bought Mantovani Magic an album which I had owned too many years ago to recall and one of my favorite orchestra albums. I also bought albums by Lenny Dee, Ken Griffin, Andre Kostalanetz, Johnny Mathis Christmas album with Sleigh Ride and The Christmas Song, Earl Grant, 2 record set of the Guy Lombardo Orchestra, Linda Ronstadt album of American standards with Nelson Riddle Orchestra.
I bought about 20 albums in all for a total of less than $6. When I returned from Texas after spending a month with daughter’s family my wife gave me a record player so that is why I started collecting again.
My only problem with the store is that I couldn’t find any country and western albums so that was disappointing and probably means someone is buying them almost as soon as they are placed on the shelves.
The store also had huge albums with many records for 25 cents. This music was mostly classical music and symphony music. For a fan of classical music it would be a great buy.
This collector of vinyl records has close to a million vinyl record albums has been forced to try to sell his collection. It is sad that someone that has spent so much of their life building up what is considered by some the largest collection of vinyl records in the world only to have to lose it all in these tough economic times.
It would take days to go through his collection. I wouldn’t be surprised if he has to sell these albums on ebay a few at a time to pay his bills. He is sitting on a gold mine but it means nothing if nobody has the money to buy his collection.
