How Much Did Albums Cost In The Early 70's?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Jerryb, Nov 9, 2008.

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  1. Jerryb

    Jerryb Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    New Jersey
    I think I remember paying about $3 or $4 for a single album? Am I wrong?
     
  2. John D.

    John D. Senior Member

    Pretty sure I used to get around 6 albums for 20 bucks with tax, so I would say closer to 3 bucks apiece. :D
     
    Fullbug likes this.
  3. Doug Sclar

    Doug Sclar Forum Legend

    Location:
    The OC
    The Warehouse usually had them on sale for $2.44. That was about as good as it ever got as far as I can remember. I bought quite a few at that price and for the most part still have them all.
     
    McLover likes this.
  4. Blencathra

    Blencathra New Member

    Location:
    UK
    My first album, "Cosmo's Factory", was purchased in 1970, for something between 30 and 40 shillings (approx £1.50 to £2).
     
  5. pocofan

    pocofan Senior Member

    Location:
    Alabama
    I recall the three to four dollar range.
     
    RickH likes this.
  6. QuestionMark?

    QuestionMark? 4TH N' GOAL

    Location:
    The End Zone
    I remember about 3.44 here, but gas is still 2.75 a gallon here, highest in the continental 48.
     
  7. axeugene

    axeugene It don't matter if yer by my side, I'm satisfied

    I went to an inflation calculator that said:

    What cost $3 in 1970 would cost $15.86 in 2007. (didn't go to 2008)

    That makes it seems about right.

    I guess that's what happens when you just print more money every year :)
     
    Fullbug likes this.
  8. The one thing I remember is that "Abbey Road" was more expensive than other albums because of the royality increase...nothing like passing it along to the consumer. Ultimately, it began a trend where the list price went up if I recall correctly in the early 70's.
     
  9. Doug Sclar

    Doug Sclar Forum Legend

    Location:
    The OC
    I do remember getting some records for $1.98 but they were classical releases on off labels like Nonesuch and Pickwich IIRC.
     
  10. Scott Strobel

    Scott Strobel Forum Resident

    Location:
    Selma, CA USA
    I regularly find used vinyl with original price stickers on shrink wrap that can say anything from $1.98 - $6.98 with most used vinyl finds in the $2-4 dollar range.
     
    Fullbug likes this.
  11. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host

    New releases cost either $2.98 or $3.44 in the early 1970's. That was still a fortune to us young folk.
     
  12. Surfin Jesus

    Surfin Jesus New Member

    Location:
    NYC USA
    I just found an ATCO inner sleeve from an early/mid 60's album that listed retail prices on their catalog - $4.98, which I thought seemed expensive for the time. I could only assume most were discounted by retailers.
     
  13. -Alan

    -Alan Senior Member

    Location:
    Connecticut, USA
    It was a different world back in 1970:

    Cost of a new home: $26,600
    Median household income: $8,734
    Cost of a first-class stamp: $0.06
    Cost of a gallon of regular gas: $0.36
    Cost of a dozen eggs: $0.62
    Cost of a gallon of milk: $1.15
    Rate of inflation: 6.5%

    http://www.1970sflashback.com/1970/ECONOMY.asp
     
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  14. Jay F

    Jay F New Member

    Location:
    Pittsburgh, PA
    King Larry at Heads Together in Squirrel Hill (Pittsburgh) sold 3 LPs for $10, and then 4 for $10. There was another guy here named Lou, and Flo's in Oakland, who sold them for that price, too. For awhile, they had a bit of a price war, though I don't think it ever went below $2.50 for a single LP. It was wondered if those cheap and plentiful records had "fallen off a truck," as we would later learn to call it. The big chain store here, National Record Mart, sold records for more, so much more that I don't think I ever bought an album there.

    My favorite place to buy records was the Listening Post in Shadyside, where you could both buy records and listen to stereo equipment. I think they charged a little more than Larry and his ilk, but it was much more fun to shop there.
     
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  15. QuestionMark?

    QuestionMark? 4TH N' GOAL

    Location:
    The End Zone
    I find quite a few records here that still have the shrink wrap on them that say NRM on the sticker. I always wondered where that was because I don't remember one here.
     
  16. rburly

    rburly Sitting comfortably with Item 9

    Location:
    Orlando
    It seems to me the cost of a new album was $3.99 (possibly $3.49).

    There were bargain bin sales for $1.99 or $2.99.
     
    McMenamin likes this.
  17. riknbkr330

    riknbkr330 Senior Member

    I believe in '74-'75 a single LP was $3.99 + 6% tax, at the Wherehouse on Lake Blvd. in Pasadena. Every Saturday I would do my chores and my mom would give me $2. Every other week I would ride my bike ( about 10 miles round trip) to this Wherehouse and buy a Beatles LP (US apple pressings) till I got them all. I do remember buying the White Album at a drum store in Sierra Madre...as they had records in one area.
     
    bpmd1962 likes this.
  18. Blair G.

    Blair G. Senior Member

    Location:
    Delta, BC, Canada

    What amazes me about these stats are the new home vs. household income numbers. 3 to 1.

    Where I live, for the average couple, the gap is worse. It's more like 4 or 5 to 1.

    I remember new records at about $3.99 when I started buying heavily in '74/'75
     
  19. Dalziel53

    Dalziel53 Senior Member

    I arrived in Canada in May, 1970 and bought Crosby, Still & Nash couch LP for $3.77. They were all around this price $3.77 to $3.99 (that's Canadian dollars).
     
  20. mrjinks

    mrjinks Optimistically Challenged

    Location:
    Boise, ID.
    fwiw, the solo beatles albums from 73-76 had (0698) printed along the spines. I always heard this was the suggested retail price for those discs. This would seem to be borne out by the fact that Wings over America has (1398) printed along the spine...
     
  21. fabtrick

    fabtrick New Member

    Location:
    NorCal
    You are correct.

    I used to shop at Pitchfork Records in Concord NH (STILL going after 35 years!). I distinctly remember paying 4.23 for "THE HOOPLE" by Mott The Hoople. This was 1975.

    I also recall paying $4 on sale at a department store for Exile On Main Street when it came out (it was a double set of course).

    About 1973/4, I convinced my Nana to buy me GET YER YA YA'S OUT at Britt's Department store - that was a whopping $4.99! For the life of me, I don't know how I got her to spend that much on an album!

    Now, I remember for my 5th birthday, going into Woolworths or Newburys (pretty much the same thing - a 5 and dime) with 3 one dollar bills (a collection of them from birthday cards) and buying a mono BEATLES VI (which was new at the time). So it was probably 2.79 or something.

    Albums started creeping up in price once things like Frampton Comes Alive, Fleetwood Mac and Saturday Night Fever started going double, triple and quadruple platinum. In a span of 10 years, the average list price went from 4.98 to 9.98 - nearly double.

    Thinking of it that way, I guess 35 years later to be paying $25 for a new album isn't that bad. But it STILL seems like robbery!
     
  22. drbryant

    drbryant Senior Member

    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    With all due respect, I clearly recall albums being in the $5.99 - $6.99 range in the early 70's. By the time we get to the late 70's/early 80's (when I was actually working at a record department of a chain store), they were $7.99 or $8.99, with double albums $11.99 or $12.99.
     
    Frankh likes this.
  23. namahealani

    namahealani Forum Resident

    Me too
     
  24. tob

    tob Forum Resident

    Location:
    Bethesda, MD USA
    In January 1971, when I bought my first "Rolling Stone" magazine (#74 - John Lennon "Working Class Hero" interview), there was a record store in Fitchburg, MA called "Turning Point". $4.98 list lps were $3.69, and $5.98 list lps were $4.29.
    This is when I "upgraded" from buying 45s to albums. 9th grade. Went back every 2 weeks to get a new Rolling Stone and to see what was new/interesting. What a long, strange trip it's been....

    --tob
     
  25. kevin

    kevin Senior Member

    Location:
    Evanston IL
    I remember buying REO Speedwagon's You Get What You Play For album at a local OSCO drug store for between $6-$8 when it came out.
     
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