In today’s world, we have the luxury of having virtually any song at our fingertips, but not too long ago, we had to buy physical albums to enjoy our favorite tunes. While many of us may have discarded those old records, some might still have a box or two tucked away in the garage, gathering dust. Vinyl records might seem like relics from the past to many, but they’ve been making a resurgence among today’s hipsters. The concept of the vinyl record dates back to the early 1900s, with RCA launching the first commercial record in the 1930s.
Over the years, vinyl records have seen periods of immense popularity, followed by obsolescence. However, one thing remains certain: specific old vinyl records can fetch a substantial sum of money. As technology has progressed, vinyl records have become a collector’s dream. Stumble upon a rare copy of a particular album, and you could be sitting on a small fortune. Do you happen to have one of these rare gems tucked away in that old box in your attic? It might be time to check for these iconic classics!
Tommy Johnson – Alcohol and Jake Blues
Year: 1930
Label: Paramount
Current Value: $37,100*
Rare blues records hold a special place in the hearts of collectors. In 1930, Tommy Johnson made a significant impact with his release of “Alcohol and Jake Blues” under a distribution deal with Paramount, which was a considerable achievement in its time. What makes this record even more precious is the fact that the master tapes no longer exist, rendering each existing copy (and they are scarce) priceless.
Johnson, a highly influential Delta blues musician from the late 1920s, left a lasting mark on subsequent artists, including Howlin’ Wolf, Robert Nighthawk, and Canned Heat, who named their band after Johnson’s song, “Big Road Blues.”
In 2013, a collector named John Tefteller spent $37,100 to acquire a second copy of Johnson’s record. Despite already owning one, he couldn’t pass up the opportunity because of the extreme rarity of the vinyl.
The Beatles – Yesterday & Today
Year: 1966
Label: Capitol Records
Current Value: $125,000*
Occasionally, it’s not only the music but also the album artwork that captures people’s attention. In the case of The Beatles’ 1966 album “Yesterday & Today,” the cover became famous for reasons beyond John and Paul’s musical prowess. Initially, the compilation album featured the band on the cover, surrounded by cuts of meat. However, the record label wasn’t too enthusiastic about it and opted for a more conventional replacement.
“Yesterday and Today” was The Beatles’ ninth Capitol Records album, featuring previously unreleased EMI tracks and non-album songs to boost fan sales. A handful of versions with the original cover still exist. In February 2013, one of these copies sold for $125,000, making it a valuable collector’s item.
U2 – Pride
Year: 1984
Label: Festival Records
Current Value: $9,000*
The Irish superstars, U2, have amassed significant wealth from their musical contributions. In the 1980s, they were hard at work recording “Pride (In The Name of Love).” While standard copies of the record are widespread, it’s the Australian pressings that stand out as exceptionally rare and significant.
U2’s iconic single “Pride (In The Name of Love)” was inspired by civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. Despite mixed initial reviews, it has become one of the band’s most famous songs and is featured on numerous compilations. There were reportedly only 50 copies of the translucent vinyl version ever made, and while the exact number of remaining copies is unknown, when they do appear, they can fetch around $9,000. Interestingly, Bono, the band’s lead singer, isn’t particularly fond of the song.
Bruce Springsteen – Spirit in the Night
Year: 1973
Label: Columbia
Current Value: $5,000*
While many might think Bruce Springsteen achieved immediate success with the release of “Born to Run,” he had been putting in the hard work for quite some time. His first single, “Spirit in the Night,” was released in 1973 and initially went under the radar. However, as The Boss rose to stardom, this single became a highly sought-after collector’s item.
Promotional copies of “Spirit in the Night” can fetch hundreds, while original copies command around $5,000. The song was born out of Clive Davis’ request for more singles before releasing Springsteen’s debut album. This led to Springsteen writing “Spirit in the Night” and “Blinded by the Light.”
The Rolling Stones – Street Fighting Man
Year: 1968
Label: London
Current Value: $17,000*
In 1968, it’s doubtful that the pre-fame Rolling Stones could have envisioned the enduring legacy they would create. At that time, the band was fully immersed in the rock ‘n’ roll star lifestyle, complete with dating beautiful women and embracing the jet-set lifestyle, leaving little room for thoughts beyond their music.
The Rolling Stones courted controversy with the original cover of “Street Fighting Man,” depicting a policeman standing over injured protesters. The record label deemed it inappropriate and destroyed all but 18 copies. In 2011, one of these rare originals sold for $17,000. Mick Jagger, in a 1995 Rolling Stone interview, openly supported the seventies’ unrest, and he had participated in the Grosvenor Square demonstrations, resulting in his arrest and charges by the police.
The Quarrymen – That’ll Be The Day
Year: 1958
Label: Kensington
Current Value: $3,500*
Before Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and John Lennon joined forces with Ringo Starr to form The Beatles, they were working diligently to establish themselves as The Quarrymen. In their pursuit of early success, the band recorded a rendition of Buddy Holly’s “That’ll Be The Day.”
The Quarrymen’s single was never released but exists in around 50 original copies gifted to family and friends by Paul McCartney. These originals are worth a substantial sum, while reprints still command over $3,500. In 1997, the three surviving original members reunited for a concert celebrating the fortieth anniversary of McCartney and Lennon’s meeting at a garden fete. Today, they continue to perform as the Quarrymen.
Steely Dan – Can’t Buy A Thrill
Year: 1972
Label: ABC Records
Current Value: $1,450.00*
Steely Dan’s debut album, “Can’t Buy A Thrill,” was recorded in 1972 at The Village Recorder in Los Angeles. Released in November of the same year, it marked the start of a prosperous journey for the American rock band. This classic rock album opened with “Do It Again” and concluded with “Turn That Heartbeat Over Again.”
The album cover for “Can’t Buy a Thrill” was created by Robert Lockhart and depicted a scene from Rouen, France (although it was banned in Spain). Interestingly, Steely Dan’s own members, Donald Fagen and Walter Becker, later referred to the album’s cover art as the “most hideous album cover” of the seventies.
Elvis Presley – Rock ‘N’ Roll
Year: 1956
Label: RCA Victor
Current Value: $1,530.00*
“Rock ‘N Roll” by Elvis Presley served as the UK version of the rock star’s debut album. In the United States, Presley’s debut was a self-titled release. During its original launch, “Rock ‘N Roll” represented uncharted territory for major labels as the genre was still relatively new. However, the album’s success demonstrated the potential of rock ‘n roll music.
“Rock ‘N Roll” would go on to sell over one million units, becoming RCA’s first million-dollar album. The album cover featured a photo taken by William Robertson. Notably, the album’s cover art earned a spot on Rolling Stone’s “100 Greatest Album Covers” list in 1991.
Queen – Queen Rocks
Year: 1997
Record label: Parlophone, Hollywood
Worth Today: $1413.00*
Queen Rocks is unique for Queen. It is a compilation album, but it doesn’t really follow the usual “Greatest Hits” format. Instead, it focuses on deep tracks (though there are a few hits). Other tracks on Queen Rocks include songs that weren’t released as singles, including “Sheer Heart Attack,” “Tear It Up,” and “Put Out the Fire.”
This distinctive album was produced by EMI and released under the Parlophone label in Europe. However, in America, it was credited under the Hollywood label. “Queen Rocks” also included songs without Freddie Mercury, making it a unique and somewhat unconventional entry in the Queen discography.
The Beatles – The White Album
Year: 1968
Record label: Apple Records
Worth Today: $790,000*
The Beatles are so huge it’s only natural that they’ve got several special vinyls to their name. Their self-titled double album from 1968 became affectionately known as The White Album. While it sold an astronomical amount of copies, Ringo Starr held on to the very first copy ever pressed.
Ringo Starr auctioned his record with serial number ‘000001’ for $790,000, while his drum kit sold for $2.2 million on the same day. Apple Records, founded by the Beatles in 1968, showcased various artists, including their solo releases in the mid-seventies.
Prince – The Black Album (aka “The Funk Bible”)
Year: 1986-1987
Label: Warner Records
Current Value: $42,300*
Prince’s release of “The Black Album” in 1987 included a promo edition vinyl that was notably enigmatic. This version lacked a printed title, credits, photograph, or artist’s name, featuring only a black sleeve and a single emblem, the number “25677,” on the disc itself.
The commercial version of this vinyl retained the same number but in pink. “The Black Album” was Prince’s response to accusations that he had veered too much into pop territory. The album tackled weighty themes, but Prince decided to withdraw it shortly after release, believing it to be “evil.” He substituted it with “Lovesexy.”
The White Stripes – “Lafayette Blues”
Year: 1998
Record label: Italy Records
Worth Today: $12,700*
The White Stripes haven’t been around for a while, but there’s no denying that they left an impact that can’t be underestimated. Their 1998 single “Lafayette Blues” featured a hand-painted cover by Dave Buick, the founder of Italy Records.
The White Stripes, a garage rock band, titled their single “LaFayette Blues” after streets in their Detroit hometown, known for its French-named streets. Live performances of the single feature various street names. The B-side includes “Sugar Never Tasted So Good.” Originally sold for $6 at their gigs, rare copies now fetch a substantial $12,700. That’s quite a valuable find!
The Beatles – Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (signed)
Year: 1967
Record label: Parlophone
Worth Today: $290,000*
When something has been signed by all four Beatles, you know it is going to be worth a lot of money. The Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band studio album is worth nearly $300K in that condition. The Beatles released this album on May 26, 1967 in the UK, while the US had to wait a few more days for a June 2, 1967 release.
“Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” achieved remarkable success in both the UK and the US, much like The Beatles’ other albums. It held the top position on the UK Albums Chart for 27 weeks and dominated the US charts for 15 weeks.
Wu-Tang Clan – Once Upon a Time in Shaolin
Year: 2015
Label: RZA
Current Value: $2 million*
The Wu-Tang Clan demonstrated their knack for the extraordinary with “Once Upon a Time in Shaolin.” This secret hip-hop project took six years to record, resulting in just a single copy. It fetched an enormous $2 million in a sale.
“Once Upon a Time in Shaolin” was recorded in secret over six years and stored securely at the Royal Mansour Hotel in Marrakech, Morocco, awaiting auction by Paddle8, a music auction house. The album drew inspiration from Cilvaringz’s research into the Renaissance period. Notably, the Wu-Tang Clan included a clause allowing for a heist or caper to steal back the album, with the condition that only current Wu-Tang Clan members and actor Bill Murray could execute it without legal consequences.
Sex Pistols – “God Save the Queen”/“No Feeling”
Year: 1977
Label: Virgin/A&M
Current Value: $17,000*
The B-side vinyl single featuring “God Save the Queen” was highly controversial, with “No Feeling” as the A-side. Both tracks later appeared on “Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols.” “God Save the Queen” was released in 1977 during the Silver Jubilee, marking Queen Elizabeth II’s twenty-fifth year on the throne.
The Sex Pistols asserted that the release of the single was coincidental and not related to the event. However, the BBC and the Independent Broadcasting Authority banned this vinyl, and it remains banned to this day.
