Here in the Boston area I've seen just about every artist and album you could ever imagine at a thrift shop at some point--- on CD that is. Patience and frequency of visits are both key.... especially the latter. If you want something good on the cheap, you have to be either really lucky, or put in the work and go as often as you can.
Scores from this morning at my local Goodwill... all on CD, all $2.50: U2 The Best Of 1990-2000 & B-Sides Eric Clapton The Cream Of Clapton Sade The Best Of Sade Miles Davis Kind Of Blue Stevie Wonder The Definitive Collection Genesis We Can't Dance Score!
I see, and buy, Cure, Metallica, Depeche Mode, (Even on LP), New Order, (even on LP) Joy Division, (even on LP). Dark Side Of The Moon Black Prism, not yet.
Yep, Bruce in the US is very easy to find. I may pass over one of his CDs I don't have, if I see a CD by someone else I want. ( think this could by a new thread if not done yet.) CD or LP I passed on of an artist I wanted, and bought something else.
I have found all of the big bands (Beatles, Stones, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd classic albums, early Alberts AC/DC discs, complete Dire Straits early pressed CD's) at the thrifts over the years. Depeche Mode, Elvis, Madonna, Grant Green, Grace Jones, late period Boz Scaggs and many others have all been snapped up by me. Mind you, I'm the guy that grabs the stuff that other collectors might turn their nose up at, because it's not perfect enough. I do wish they'd go elsewhere sometimes, I will admit. Other times, I'll get a surprise and see that there's something special that's been left there - often, it's because it's damaged or missing a disc. It's a secondhand shop, guys - what are you expecting ? A signed Beatles LP ? We have two op shops within ten minutes from our house, which are next to each other. The best feeling is getting the stuff home and enjoying it either on the TV or through our nice big stereo. I recently got some Italian jazz - just piano and acoustic bass, an album that was probably from an audiophile shop. My wife really liked it and I was glad of the purchase - I'd never heard of the main artist, but took a chance, which is part of the thrill. I know certain labels for certain types of music that mainstream fans may not know and I shamelessly use this knowledge to my ear's advantage. I basically like helping charities and that's why I go - we donate too, so it goes both ways. Any music that I have enjoyed has been a bonus. Many of these places (Salvos, Vinnies and the like) now have loyalty cards so sometimes I go in and I find that the purchases cost me nothing because I have a certain number of points. It's basically awesome. I don't know why I started going back in the late 80's or so - I probably took my bike on the weekend and bought those early Australian Beatles and mono Byrds LP's, but this was a LONG TIME AGO. Though there are always some who take the fun out of it (by taking most of it) there always seems to be good stuff. The best thing to do is have an eclectic music taste - it might be Charlie Rich, Blue States, The Cars, Fine Young Cannibals or Tony Bennett. It brings both me (and others) happiness and benefits others in many ways that I will never know.
Yeah, I picked up a copy of The Black Rider at a charity shop (from a large Tom Waits donation that was gone within days), but it's rare to find his albums.
unknown labels are the best. for known labels, for $2.00 US each, I can take the chance. I need the cd to be without to many scratches, and all cds in the boxset. Take most of it, I can't help it if I like to much different types of music. I see that most people will check out a few rows of CDs and give up looking at the rest. I can't believe what they pass up. Blue States, that is new to me, will check it out. I will be going back to the thrift shops in June 2021.
I see them at the Goodwill, or then put at Goodwill Bins (Warehouses) dumpes. I find many near mint to crap stuff at both places.
All the artist I fanatically collect (Kylie, Gainsbourg Saint Etienne, Elvis etc) I've found in thrift shops. Rare stuff too Kylie – Dancing (2018, CD)
£250, and it doesn't appear to be extremely rare (more than 40 people claim ownership). The most expensive CD I've found at a thrift was my Doors Live at the Aquarius Part One set, which was £2. I like it, but not enough to pay £50 plus for a copy. You never see much of The Doors.
Have seen most titles from "major" acts at various times....but rarely anything from Joni Mitchell....perhaps she did not ship many units in Blighty...
There's a long, complicated backstory about it. Let's just say copies weren't available to the general public. It was some kind of freebie.
I saw two copies of Blue on vinyl in the same charity shop within a week on one another. Wish I bought both copies now. Admittedly, I haven't seen a copy since. And I haven't seen it on CD. But I put it down to the lack of classic rock in general. For some reason, classic rock doesn't appear often. I think most people must trade them to sites such as Music Magpie or sell them in job lots on ebay.
In the USA see all the time on CD and LP in thrift shops. So much so can get them in nm. she has never been a biiigg seller on the new market.
I saw Blue on CD once... I was going to grab it but it was scratched and scuffed up pretty good (as in on the floor of someone's car under a pile of crap scratched and scuffed), so I passed on it.
Hits and Misses are the two Joni albums that are likely to turn upon thrifts here. Then maybe Dog Eat Dog.
I'm pretty sure I've seen Hits many times. Never the other two though. I did find the golden great Hejira in an used store for £2.99 (mint condition). Joni Mitchell – Hejira (1989, Gold, CD)
The only two Joni albums I bought new are Hits and Misses. Blue and Court and Spark I found in the wild. Hejira I got off Discogs.
Last weekend, they were going to put a bunch of new donations on the shelf, but because the shelf stocker was busy, I asked if I could dig thru the cart and she said yeah, go ahead... There were probably 100 CDs, but they were mostly all things I already owned, so I really didn't score any big finds.