Most popular artists based on what you see in the used record bins.

[Dmitry]

I consistently see the same names in the used record bins while fishing for that special overlooked masterpiece.

The following people made tons and tons of dollars based on their presistence in the record bins everywhere, from Arizona to Rhode Island. Here's my top 10 zillionaire list -

1.Billy Joel [by far]

2.Paul Simon [distant second]

3.Carole King

4.Jim Croce

5.Herb Alpert

6.Genesis [post-Gabriel, of course]

7.Allman Brothers

8.Doobie Brothers

9.Elton John

10.Men at Work [only one album, but it's everywhere]

[Teasing the Korean]

Thrift Stores:

Johnny Mathis

Jerry Vale

Robert Goulet

Mantovani

Herb Alpert

and of course:

Merry Christmas from Firestone Tires, Vols. 1-927

I once went to a thrift store where some wise guy put all the Dan Fogelberg albums in one area and grouped them by title. It took up an entire row of a bin.

[Dan Gould]

That "Yakity Sax" dude sold an awful lot, too.

[RDK]

Yeah, Boots Randolph. Also:

Barbra Streisand

Mitch Miller

[Aggie87]

R.E.M.'s "Monster" must be one of the top 10 releases of all time.

[Teasing the Korean]

I had to laugh when I saw that Herb's "Whipped Cream" was reissued on CD. Who could possibly be left on earth who still needs it and doesn't already have it (for a buck or less)?

[Rooster_Ties]

R.E.M.'s "Monster" must be one of the top 10 releases of all time.

"Monster" came out on the heals of maybe their best selling and/or most popular album to date ("Automatic for the People"), and many would argue that "Automatic for the People" is R.E.M.'s best album. (The AMG review says as much ("R.E.M. have never been as emotionally direct as they are on Automatic for the People, nor have they ever created music quite as rich and timeless, and while the record is not an easy listen, it is the most rewarding record in their oeuvre.") -- though FWIW, it's probably NOT in my personal top-5.)

Anyway, "Monster" was probably HUGE seller (or pretty darn big, anyway).

Trouble is, Monster was nothing like anything else in the entire R.E.M. catalog up to that point. Electric, and consciously without any blues hooks or changes -- in many ways "Monster" was almost an anti-R.E.M. album.

Thus, MANY people bought Monster, and probably half or more of them traded it back in.

Now I really love Monster ( ) -- and it's probably one of my two or three all-time favorite R.E.M. albums.

But most people aren't like me, it would seem.

Edited November 28, 2006 by Rooster_Ties

[Dmitry]

Barbra Streisand

Of course, how could I forget Babs!

[michel1969]

In France (and maybe Europe) there is always a good bunch of Mr Acker Bilk in every jazz bin !!

[michel1969]

The life and art of Fausto Papetti are also well documented. -_-

[Dmitry]

The life and art of Fausto Papetti are also well documented. -_-

He is generally unknown in America[we have enough of own dreck]!

Even if the music is crap, at least his LP covers are easy on the eyes.

[Teasing the Korean]

Al Hirt is in regular rotation at thrift stores.

What's incredible is when you find the gem sandwiched in a group of lame albums.

[michel1969]

Al Hirt is in regular rotation at thrift stores.

What's incredible is when you find the gem sandwiched in a group of lame albums.

And sometimes you find an Acker Bilk sandwiched in a Gil Mellé gem disguise !

[Big Al]

Kenny G sold a lot of vinyl as well.

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

i agree w/ those projections-- it is a testement to how much billy joel sucks. and the amt of gensis as to billy and paul simon- is wa less by the way

[Hot Ptah]

The late lamented Music Exchange in Kansas City had its extra copies of its 1 million+ vinyl albums on bookshelves lining the walls of the store. There were an incredible number of copies of Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the USA" and Steely Dan's "Aja" on those shelves.

[patricia]

But, wouldn't the plentiful supply of certain albums in used record bins be more of an indication of the titles being culled from collections, rather than their popularity?

If the albums were loved by their owners, they would not be in the bins it seems to me.

[GA Russell]

The late lamented Music Exchange in Kansas City had its extra copies of its 1 million+ vinyl albums on bookshelves lining the walls of the store. There were an incredible number of copies of Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the USA" and Steely Dan's "Aja" on those shelves.

I suspect that for the albums mentioned in this thread, the owners got tired of them and got rid of them.

But my hunch for both USA and Aja is that their owners upgraded to CD and then disposed of the LPs. We shouldn't forget that most people consider CDs to sound better than LPs.

[sidewinder]

In France (and maybe Europe) there is always a good bunch of Mr Acker Bilk in every jazz bin !!

Here too !

Pick up though the ones with Stan Tracey on them.

[Alexander]

The late lamented Music Exchange in Kansas City had its extra copies of its 1 million+ vinyl albums on bookshelves lining the walls of the store. There were an incredible number of copies of Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the USA" and Steely Dan's "Aja" on those shelves.

I suspect that for the albums mentioned in this thread, the owners got tired of them and got rid of them.

But my hunch for both USA and Aja is that their owners upgraded to CD and then disposed of the LPs. We shouldn't forget that most people consider CDs to sound better than LPs.

Yeah, I think it has less to do with people wanting to rid themselves of the music, and more to do with the fact that they just don't own a turntable anymore. They got rid of the records because they don't listen to them. "Aja" is one of the best Steely Dan albums (probably THE best late period album). I can't imagine someone not liking it.

Now one album I see ALL THE TIME in used bins (on CD) is Joe Henderson's "Lush Life." For the life of me, I can't imagine WHY anyone would get rid of that album. I think that a lot of people bought it because it won a Grammy, and it was the only jazz album they owned. They got rid of it because they never listened to it...

Edited November 29, 2006 by Alexander

[kenny weir]

Two that should be listed right up there - for a live album apiece: Peter Frampton, Neil Diamond.

Edited November 29, 2006 by kenny weir

[patricia]

The late lamented Music Exchange in Kansas City had its extra copies of its 1 million+ vinyl albums on bookshelves lining the walls of the store. There were an incredible number of copies of Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the USA" and Steely Dan's "Aja" on those shelves.

I suspect that for the albums mentioned in this thread, the owners got tired of them and got rid of them.

But my hunch for both USA and Aja is that their owners upgraded to CD and then disposed of the LPs. We shouldn't forget that most people consider CDs to sound better than LPs.

Yeah, I think it has less to do with people wanting to rid themselves of the music, and more to do with the fact that they just don't own a turntable anymore. They got rid of the records because they don't listen to them. "Aja" is one of the best Steely Dan albums (probably THE best late period album). I can't imagine someone not liking it.

Now one album I see ALL THE TIME in used bins (on CD) is Joe Henderson's "Lush Life." For the life of me, I can't imagine WHY anyone would get rid of that album. I think that a lot of people bought it because it won a Grammy, and it was the only jazz album they owned. They got rid of it because they never listened to it...

Although that's a good point about people replacing their LPs with CDs of the same library, I also think that they took the opportunity to just junk their crappy stuff too.

The good stuff, old jazz albums in good shape fly out of my vinyl sources, while Neil Diamond, Zamfir, Lawrence Welk and other similar artists are always there.

I also think that there are many people, like me, who thought that CDs would be more durable and easier to store, not to mention that replacement parts for our turntables would become difficult to find.

Turns out that that isn't really true, although for a while it was a real concern as LPs disappeared from music stores.

During that period, I did in fact cull my record collection in favour of CDs, to my regret. It took about seven years to re-build my record collection, which is now about 3,000 titles.

I, of course, do have hundreds of CDs, as well as audiotapes. But, my vinyl is the jewel in my mucical crown.

To me, there IS a difference in the sound of a record in good condition and a CD, or an audiotape.

[Dan Gould]

Let's not forget that a lot of used records come from people who are no longer concerned about vinyl vs CDs, but rather the soundtrack of the particular place they're now residing.

Their survivors are the ones who are keeping the record store well stocked in Born in the USA and Yackity Sax.

[patricia]

Let's not forget that a lot of used records come from people who are no longer concerned about vinyl vs CDs, but rather the soundtrack of the particular place they're now residing.

Their survivors are the ones who are keeping the record store well stocked in Born in the USA and Yackity Sax.

Last time I went to my favourite vinyl emporium there were eight copies of Born In The U.S.A. on the shelf.

I thought at the time that most people bought it for the title track and then discarded it, having little or no interest in the rest of the album.

The one thing that I miss about vinyl is the '45.

When you bought a '45, you weren't stuck with a whole album if you only wanted one song which was popular at the time.

Sometimes even the "B" side was never listened to.

I actually think that a more clear picture of what was being listened to, particularly during the fifties and early sixties could be seen if '45s were better looked after, which, unfortunately they weren't.

They cost 99 cents, versus around five dollars, so weren't treated as gently.

Too bad.

You can find '45s in good condition.

But, not that often in my experience.

Edited December 1, 2006 by patricia

[sidewinder]

Another two that seem to be everywhere (over here that is) are Jeff Lynne's 'War Of The Worlds' 2LP set and Stevie Wonder's 'Songs In The Key Of Life'.