I can't completely agree with the Elvis records. If you want anything NM with bonus photos it's gonna cost you.
Speaking as a record store owner, I can affirm that most '50s artists have lost most of their audience, records that went for $200.00 in the '80s and '90s usually go for no more than $20.00 now. Fats Domino, Little Richard, Buddy Holly. A lot of mainstream '60s artists languish in the bins at any price. Lovin' Spoonful, Dave Clark Five, Billy J Kramer. My observation is that most any record reaches its peak around 40 years later. Exceptions? Things that were extreme or too adventurous in their time. Anything notorious. A lot of blues-based rock has sunk, artists like Steppenwolf, Canned Heat, Ten Years After, etc. Psychedelic is still good, but it's stopped going up.
These are exclusively dollar bin artists at most of the shops around here, regardless of condition. Any priced higher will sit around. I recently came across a mint copy of the DC5 debut with the alternate band photo on the cover and they were only asking $3. I almost went for it but I rarely listen to the copy I already have.
Apart from my mono copy of Clambake all my 60s soundtrack albums were £5-£7 each. And they're all in excellent condition. A couple are early 70s repressed, granted.
Duke Ellington -- his records and CDs are very cheap -- I started to buy them , and can now appreciate that they are the work of a master.
Certainly it's a generational thing. Now it's 70's and 80's vinyl that is selling the most. I do find it fun to find something like an old 45 collection where the old owner wrote these amazing high values on beat up copies and they're not worth anything close to those values now. If you go back further, there isn't much interest in anything from pre-rock artists except Frank Sinatra and one Bing Crosby record for two weeks out of the year.
"Interest" maybe right, but as far as price -- go see what original issue copies of artists on Blue Note are selling for. $$$$
In the world of jazz, many used LPs and CDs have lower prices, depending on the supply and demand. After Concord Records acquired Fantasy, they deleted hundreds of titles and they were sold for around $5 each. But some are relatively rare compared to others and will still command a premium. First edition jazz LPs from the 1950s and early 1960s may command high prices in near mint condition, many are bid up by Japanese collectors. As a collector for over a half century, I don't obsess over owning the first pressing, I would rather spend my money on more music for my collection, so a reissue works fine for me, so long as it isn't missing tracks.
I have seen every Moody Blues LP in the dollar bins. And they were not cutouts --- all were bought full price. Wonder if now that they are no longer touring, will their be more or less interest in their music? The last time I saw them live (DOFP 50) , there were more twenty-somethings in the audience that I had seen at a Moodies show in years !! And they were totally into it !
Moody Blues and Blue Notes are like almost both extreme ends of the vintage vinyl game. How do folks know it's the Japanese buying up the 4 figure '50s/'60s Jazz LPs on closed bids? Wouldn't mind checking Lesley Gore out for a dollar, but that's just not my reality over here. You can still find Tom Jones for a pound...
Dealers who sell a lot of vintage Blue Note first pressings regularly share that much of what they sell is to Japanese customers, like Fred Cohen at Jazz Record Center in New York City.
You're right. I was mainly talking about pop and rock artists and actually thought about editing my comment. It's a different story with jazz and blues for sure.
Other than Days of Future Passed, I don’t think there are rarer versions of their classic albums, nor do I recall label variations. Pretty much nothing other than a bar code to differentiate an 80’s pressing from an early one. I’ve no idea how popular they are with younger generations, though they still get spun a lot on hoary classic rock stations.
for whatever reason 99% of the pop/rock acts albums from 67-79 have renewed like they are the only ones that these is absolute zero interest more people looking for John Denver at the local stores
I think that the mystical/metaphysical aspects of some of the Moodies lyrics don't resonate with twenty-somethings today. No songs about guns or "getting paid" .
Regarding the Moodies, Days is the one LP that older and younger will seek out. It's had enough legacy and at least two recognizable hits still on classic rock playlists. The cover is intriguing as well. The other albums just seemed so abundant for years. Many of them being beat up too. Not to mention the dark tones of coloring on the artwork, they just aren't as inviting. Sometimes I think it just boils down to record store owners/employees tossing them in bargain bins because they got so used to it. That happened with my boss. And now there's no Moodies in the racks when there should easily be a copy of nearly every album. I had to nudge him and suggest we not bargain every copy that comes through. They will sell if they're clean. They just don't fly off the racks. On another note, I'm a little amused with something like Starship's 80's albums selling quicker than anything by early Jefferson Airplane anymore.
Hot Tuna seems to be held in higher regard by the jam band crowd than the JA. And you really can't give away Marty Balin's solo records anymore, even though he was an excellent singer.
