Top 25 How Much Are Motown Vinyl Records Worth 4435 Votes This Answer

You are looking for information, articles, knowledge about the topic nail salons open on sunday near me how much are motown vinyl records worth on Google, you do not find the information you need! Here are the best content compiled and compiled by the Chewathai27.com team, along with other related topics such as: how much are motown vinyl records worth most valuable motown vinyl records, motown greatest hits vinyl, motown lps ebay, motown 45 records, discogs, ebay uk, 45 records that are worth money

Contents

What are Motown records worth?

Motown was the most successful soul music label, with a net worth of $61 million.
…
Motown.

Motown Records
Parent company	Universal Music Group
Founded	June 7, 1958
Founder	Berry Gordy
Distributor(s)	Capitol Music Group (US) EMI Records (UK) Universal Music Group (worldwide)

How do I know if my vinyl records are valuable?

Here are four ways to determine the value of a vinyl record or record collection:

Check record prices online. Use these online resources to check vinyl records values: …
Get a record price guide. You can purchase vinyl record price guides such as the following: …
Get your records appraised. …
Ask record stores, online and off.

How do I find out what a record is worth?

Follow this guide to determine the current value of vinyl records based on recent sales in the largest vinyl marketplace in the world.
…
Vinyl Record Price Guide

Step 1: Identify the Vinyl Release. …
Step 2: Navigate To The Discogs Release Page. …
Step 3: Find Prices In The Statistics Section.

Are old vinyl records worth any money?

“If it’s in mint condition it might sell for $20 to $30 if it’s and a really good early pressing,” Allen said. Yes, just like first or early printings of books, first pressings or early pressings of albums are worth more — even to a 25-year-old consumer.

What is the rarest Motown record?

#1 – $660 – Marvin Gaye – This Love Starved Heart Of Mine (It’s Killing Me) (1995) This disc with picture sleeve was rumored to have been issued at a record executive’s convention as a premium, with only a handful of copies having since leaked into the general market.

Which vinyl records are most valuable?

The 10 most expensive vinyl records ever sold

The Beatles: Yesterday & Today – $125,000. …
John Lennon & Yoko Ono: Double Fantasy – $150,000. …
The Beatles: Sgt. …
Elvis Presley: ‘My Happiness’ – $300,000. …
The Beatles: The Beatles (White Album) – $790,000. …
Wu-Tang Clan: Once Upon a Time in Shaolin – $2 million.

What’s the best way to sell vinyl records?

The Best Places To Sell Your Vinyl Records

Discogs. The internet has made it so much easier to reach more people with the products you are selling. …
eBay. eBay is another popular online marketplace for selling your vinyls online. …
Nationwide Record Stores. …
Local Record Stores. …
Sell Directly To Local Buyers. …
Your Website.

Who will buy my vinyl record collection?

Cash For Records is an experienced, trusted buyer of vinyl 33s, 45s and 78s. You’ll get the best price for your vinyl album collection from a pro like Paul at Cash For Records. Remember, we come to you to review your albums with you!

What 45s are worth money?

Rock and roll and R&B 45s with the cardboard sleeves are worth at least $20, with many being worth more than $200. First pressings of albums have more value than second, third, or subsequent pressings. They are referred to as the “originals” that were purchased when the record first hit the charts.

Does anybody buy old records?

For over 15 years, DJ Records USA has been in the business of buying used LPs, 45s, 78s and 12” singles from thousands upon thousands of individuals all over the United States. We buy truckloads of records from collectors, DJs, audiophiles, music industry executives, and estates.

What is the rarest 45 record?

There are only two known copies of Do I Love You (Indeed I Do), a rare 45-rpm Northern soul track by Frank Wilson, one of which sold for $37,000 in 2009. But the fact that only two copies of the original 7” on the Soul label have ever materialised has long made it the holy grail of Northern soul collecting.

Are CDS worth anything?

Sell them in bulk online

The site, which resells via Amazon, requires you to scan or type in the bar code of each CD but pays about $1 to $2 per disc (and takes DVDs too).

What are the most valuable 45 records?

These droolworthy albums are among the most expensive vinyl records of all time

The Sex Pistols, God Save The Queen canceled single: $10,000 to $20,000. …
Frank Wilson, Do I Love You (Indeed I Do) 45 rpm in plain sleeve: $37,000. …
Aphex Twin, Caustic Window test pressing: $46,000.

How can I sell my old vinyl records?

The Best Places To Sell Your Vinyl Records

Discogs. The internet has made it so much easier to reach more people with the products you are selling. …
eBay. eBay is another popular online marketplace for selling your vinyls online. …
Nationwide Record Stores. …
Local Record Stores. …
Sell Directly To Local Buyers. …
Your Website.

What is the rarest Northern Soul record?

The London Records pressing of the Darrell Banks 45 ‘Open The Door To Your Heart’/’Our Love’ is thought to be the only copy left of the original run, the rest of which were destroyed when rival EMI won the rights to release the single in 1966.

Who owns Motown Records?

Motown/Parent organizations

One of the Most Valuable Vinyl Records in My Collection – Motown Marvin Gaye/Diana Ross

Motown – Wikipedia

Article author: en.wikipedia.org
Reviews from users: 22473 Ratings
Top rated: 4.2
Lowest rated: 1
Summary of article content: Articles about Motown – Wikipedia Updating …
Most searched keywords: Whether you are looking for Motown – Wikipedia Updating
Table of Contents:

Contents

History[edit]

Motown Sound[edit]

Artist development[edit]

Motown subsidiary labels[edit]

British (pre-Tamla Motown) labels[edit]

Wikipedia

Record label originally from Detroit, Michigan

For the musical style associated with the label, see Motown (music style)

For other uses, see Motown (disambiguation) . For the city nicknamed Motown, see Detroit

Motown Records is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. It was founded by Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on June 7, 1958,[2][3] and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960.[4] Its name, a portmanteau of motor and town, has become a nickname for Detroit, where the label was originally headquartered.

Motown played an important role in the racial integration of popular music as an African American-owned label that achieved crossover success. In the 1960s, Motown and its subsidiary labels (including Tamla Motown, the brand used outside the US) were the most of the Motown sound, a style of soul music with a mainstream pop appeal. Motown was the most successful soul music label, with a net worth of $61 million. During the 1960s, Motown achieved 79 records in the top-ten of the Billboard Hot 100 between 1960 and 1969.

Following the events of the Detroit Riots of 1967, and the loss of key songwriting/production team Holland–Dozier–Holland that year over pay disputes, Gordy moved Motown to Los Angeles, California. Motown expanded into film and television production.

It was an independent company until MCA Records bought it in 1988. PolyGram purchased the label from MCA in 1993, followed by MCA successor Universal Music Group, which acquired PolyGram in 1999.[2]
Motown spent much of the 2000s headquartered in New York City as a part of the UMG subsidiaries Universal Motown and Universal Motown Republic Group. From 2011 to 2014, it was a part of The Island Def Jam Music Group division of Universal Music.[5][6][7] In 2014, however, UMG announced the dissolution of Island Def Jam, and Motown relocated back to Los Angeles to operate under the Capitol Music Group, now operating out of the Capitol Tower.[1] In 2018, Motown was inducted into Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame in a ceremony held at the Charles H. Wright Museum.[8]
History [ edit ]
Beginnings of Motown [ edit ]
Berry Gordy’s interest in the record business began when he opened a record store called the 3D Record Mart, a shop where he hoped to “educate customers about the beauty of jazz”, in Detroit, Michigan. (The Gordys were an entrepreneurial family.) Although the shop did not last very long, Gordy’s interest in the music business did not fade. He frequented Detroit’s downtown nightclubs, and in the Flame Show Bar he met bar manager Al Green (not the famed singer), who owned a music publishing company called Pearl Music and represented Detroit-based musician Jackie Wilson. Gordy soon became part of a group of songwriters—with his sister Gwen Gordy and Billy Davis—who wrote songs for Wilson. “Reet Petite” was their first major hit which appeared in November 1957.[9] During the next eighteen months, Gordy helped to write six more Wilson A-sides, including “Lonely Teardrops”, a peak-popular hit of 1958. Between 1957 and 1958, Gordy wrote or produced over a hundred sides for various artists, with his siblings Anna, Gwen and Robert, and other collaborators in varying combinations.[10] [11] The Hitsville U.S.A. Motown building, at 2648 West Grand Boulevard in Detroit, Motown’s headquarters from 1959 to 1968, which became the Motown Historical Museum in 1985

In 1957, Gordy met Smokey Robinson, who at the time was a local seventeen-year-old singer fronting a vocal harmony group called the Matadors. Gordy was interested in the doo-wop style that Robinson sang. In 1958, Gordy recorded the group’s song “Got a Job” (an answer song to “Get a Job” by the Silhouettes), and released it as a single by leasing the record to a larger company outside Detroit called End Records, based in New York. The practice was common at the time for a small-time producer. “Got a Job” was the first single by Robinson’s group, now called the Miracles. Gordy recorded a number of other records by forging a similar arrangement, most significantly with United Artists.[12]
In 1958, Gordy wrote and produced “Come to Me” for Marv Johnson. Seeing that the song had great crossover potential, Gordy leased it to United Artists for national distribution but also released it locally on his own startup imprint.[12] Needing $800 to cover his end of the deal, Gordy asked his family to borrow money from a cooperative family savings account.[13] After some debate, his family agreed, and in January 1959 “Come to Me” was released regionally on Gordy’s new Tamla label.[14] Gordy originally wanted to name the label Tammy Records, after the hit song popularized by Debbie Reynolds from the 1957 film Tammy and the Bachelor, in which Reynolds also starred. When he found the name was already in use, Berry decided on Tamla instead.[citation needed] In April 1959, Gordy and his sister Gwen founded Anna Records which released about two dozen singles between 1959 and 1960. The most popular was Barrett Strong’s “Money (That’s What I Want)”, written by Gordy and a secretary named Janie Bradford, and produced by Gordy.[14] Many of the songs distributed locally by Anna and Tamla Records were nationally distributed by Chess Records (sometimes with Anna and Tamla imprints). Gordy’s relationship with Chess fostered closer dealings with Harvey Fuqua, nephew of Charlie Fuqua of the Ink Spots. Harvey Fuqua later married Gwen Gordy in 1961.[15]
Gordy looked toward creative self-sufficiency and established the publishing firm Jobete in June 1959 (incorporated in Michigan). He applied for copyrights on more than seventy songs before the end of 1959, including material used for the Miracles and Frances Burnett records, which were leased to Chess and Coral Records. The Michigan Chronicle of Detroit called Gordy an “independent producer of records”, as his contributions to the city were beginning to attract notice. By that time, he was the president of Jobete, Tamla, and the music writing company Rayber.[16]
Gordy worked in various Detroit-based studios during this period to produce recordings and demos, but most prominently with United Sound Systems which was considered the best studio in town. However, producing at United Sound Systems was financially taxing and not appropriate for every job, so Gordy decided it would be more cost effective to maintain his own facility.[16] In mid-1959, he purchased a photography studio at 2648 West Grand Boulevard and converted the main floor into a recording studio and office space. Now, rather than shopping his songs to other artists or leasing his recordings to outside companies, Gordy began using the Tamla and Motown imprints to release songs that he wrote and produced. He incorporated Motown Records in April 1960.[17]
Smokey Robinson became the vice president of the company (and later named his daughter “Tamla” and his son “Berry”). Several of Gordy’s family members, including his father Berry Sr., brothers Robert and George, and sister Esther, were given key roles in the company. By the middle of the decade, Gwen and Anna Gordy had joined the label in administrative positions as well. Gordy’s partner at the time (and wife from 1960 to 1964), Raynoma Liles, also played a key role in the early days of Motown, leading the company’s first session group, The Rayber Voices, and overseeing Jobete.[citation needed]
West Grand Boulevard [ edit ]
As mentioned above, in 1959, Gordy purchased the property that would become Motown’s Hitsville U.S.A. studio. The photography studio located in the back of the property was modified into a small recording studio, and the Gordys moved into the second-floor living quarters. Within seven years, Motown would occupy seven additional neighboring houses:

Hitsville U.S.A., 1959 – (ground floor) administrative office, tape library, control room, Studio A; (upper floor) Gordy living quarters (1959–62), artists and repertoire (1962–72)

Jobete Publishing office, 1961 – sales, billing, collections, shipping, and public relations

Berry Gordy Jr. Enterprise, 1962 – offices for Berry Gordy Jr. and Esther Gordy Edwards

Finance department, 1965 – royalties and payroll

Artist personal development, 1966 – Harvey Fuqua (head of artist development and producer of stage performances), Maxine Powell (instructor in grooming, poise, and social graces for Motown artists), Maurice King (vocal coach, musical director and arranger), Cholly Atkins (house choreography), and rehearsal studios

Two houses for administrative offices, 1966 – sales and marketing, traveling and traffic, and mixing and mastering

ITMI (International Talent Management Inc.) office, 1966 – management

Motown had hired over 450 employees and had a gross income of $20 million by the end of 1966.

Early Tamla/Motown artists included Mable John, Eddie Holland and Mary Wells. “Shop Around”, the Miracles’ first number 1 R&B hit, peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1960. It was Tamla’s first million-selling record. On April 14, 1960, Motown and Tamla Records merged into a new company called Motown Record Corporation. A year later, the Marvelettes scored Tamla’s first US number-one pop hit, “Please Mr. Postman”.[13] By the mid-1960s, the company, with the help of songwriters and producers such as Robinson, A&R chief William “Mickey” Stevenson, Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, and Norman Whitfield, had become a major force in the music industry.

From 1961 to 1971, Motown had 110 top 10 hits. Top artists on the Motown label during that period included the Supremes (initially including Diana Ross), the Four Tops, and the Jackson 5, while Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, the Marvelettes, and the Miracles had hits on the Tamla label. The company operated several labels in addition to the Tamla and Motown imprints. A third label, which Gordy named after himself (though it was originally called “Miracle”) featured the Temptations, the Contours, Edwin Starr, and Martha and the Vandellas. A fourth, V.I.P., released recordings by the Velvelettes, the Spinners, the Monitors, and Chris Clark.

A fifth label, Soul, featured Jr. Walker & the All Stars, Jimmy Ruffin, Shorty Long, the Originals, and Gladys Knight & the Pips (who had found success before joining Motown, as “The Pips” on Vee-Jay). Many more Motown-owned labels released recordings in other genres, including Workshop Jazz (jazz) Earl Washington Reflections and Earl Washington’s All Stars, Mel-o-dy (country, although it was originally an R&B label), and Rare Earth, which featured the band Rare Earth themselves. Under the slogan “The Sound of Young America”, Motown’s acts were enjoying widespread popularity among black and white audiences alike.

Smokey Robinson said of Motown’s cultural impact:

Into the 1960s, I was still not of a frame of mind that we were not only making music, we were making history. But I did recognize the impact because acts were going all over the world at that time. I recognized the bridges that we crossed, the racial problems and the barriers that we broke down with music. I recognized that because I lived it. I would come to the South in the early days of Motown and the audiences would be segregated. Then they started to get the Motown music and we would go back and the audiences were integrated and the kids were dancing together and holding hands.[18]
In 1967, Berry Gordy purchased what is now known as Motown Mansion in Detroit’s Boston-Edison Historic District as his home, leaving his previous home to his sister Anna and then-husband Marvin Gaye (where photos for the cover of his album What’s Going On were taken).[19] In 1968, Gordy purchased the Donovan building on the corner of Woodward Avenue and Interstate 75, and moved Motown’s Detroit offices there (the Donovan building was demolished in January 2006 to provide parking spaces for Super Bowl XL). In the same year, Gordy purchased Golden World Records, and its recording studio became “Studio B” to Hitsville’s “Studio A”.

In the United Kingdom, Motown’s records were released on various labels: at first London (only the Miracles’ “Shop Around”/”Who’s Lovin’ You” and “Ain’t It Baby”), then Fontana (“Please Mr. Postman” by the Marvelettes was one of four) and then Oriole American (“Fingertips” by Little Stevie Wonder was one of many). In 1963, Motown signed with EMI’s Stateside label (“Where Did Our Love Go” by the Supremes and “My Guy” by Mary Wells were Motown’s first British top-20 hits). Eventually, EMI created the Tamla Motown label (“Stop! In the Name of Love” by the Supremes was the first Tamla Motown release in March 1965).

Los Angeles: 1972–1998 [ edit ]
After the songwriting trio Holland–Dozier–Holland left the label in 1967 over royalty-payment disputes, Norman Whitfield became the company’s top producer, turning out hits for The Temptations, Marvin Gaye, Gladys Knight & the Pips and Rare Earth. In the meantime Berry Gordy established Motown Productions, a television subsidiary which produced TV specials for the Motown artists, including TCB, with Diana Ross & the Supremes and the Temptations, Diana! with Diana Ross, and Goin’ Back to Indiana with the Jackson 5. The company loosened its production rules, allowing some of its longtime artists the opportunity to write and produce more of their own material. This resulted in the recordings of successful and critically acclaimed albums such as Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On (1971) and Let’s Get it On (1973), and Stevie Wonder’s Music of My Mind (1972), Talking Book (1972), and Innervisions (1973).

Motown had established branch offices in both New York City and Los Angeles during the mid-1960s, and by 1969 had begun gradually moving more of its operations to Los Angeles. The company moved all of its operations to Los Angeles in June 1972, with a number of artists, among them Martha Reeves, the Four Tops, Gladys Knight & the Pips, and many of the Funk Brothers studio band, either staying behind in Detroit or leaving the company for other reasons. By re-locating, Motown aimed chiefly to branch out into the motion-picture industry, and Motown Productions got its start in film by turning out two hit-vehicles for Diana Ross: the Billie Holiday biographical film Lady Sings the Blues (1972), and Mahogany (1975). Other Motown films would include Scott Joplin (1977), Thank God It’s Friday (1978), The Wiz (1978) and The Last Dragon (1985). Ewart Abner, who had been associated with Motown since the 1960s, became its president in 1973.

By the 1970s, the Motown “hit factory” had become a target of a backlash from some fans of rock music. Record producer Pete Waterman recalls of this period: “I was a DJ for years and I worked for Motown – the press at the time, papers like NME, used to call it Toytown. When I DJ’d on the Poly circuit, the students wanted me to play Spooky Tooth and Velvet Underground. Things don’t change. Nowadays, of course, Motown is hip.”[20]
Despite losing Holland–Dozier–Holland, Norman Whitfield, and some of its other hitmakers by 1975, Motown still had a number of successful artists during the 1970s and 1980s, including Lionel Richie and the Commodores, Rick James, Teena Marie, the Dazz Band, Jose Feliciano and DeBarge. By the mid-1980s, Motown had started losing money, and Berry Gordy sold his ownership in Motown to MCA Records (which began a US distribution deal with the label in 1983) and Boston Ventures in June 1988 for $61 million. In 1989, Gordy sold the Motown Productions TV/film operations to Motown executive Suzanne de Passe, who renamed the company de Passe Entertainment and continues to run it as of 2018 .[21] Gordy continued to retain the Jobete music publishing catalog, selling it separately to EMI Music Publishing in parts between 1997 and 2004.[22] It is currently owned by Sony Music Publishing (Sony/ATV until 2021) through the acquisition of EMI Music Publishing in 2012 (as a leader of the consortium and eventually assigned full ownership in 2018).

During the 1990s, Motown was home to successful recording artists such as Boyz II Men and Johnny Gill, although the company itself remained in a state of turmoil. MCA appointed a series of executives to run the company, beginning with Berry Gordy’s immediate successor, Jheryl Busby. Busby quarreled with MCA, alleging that the company did not give Motown’s product adequate attention or promotion. In 1991, Motown sued MCA to have its distribution deal with the company terminated, and began releasing its product through PolyGram. PolyGram purchased Motown from Boston Ventures three years later.

In 1994, Busby was replaced by Andre Harrell, the entrepreneur behind Uptown Records. Harrell served as Motown’s CEO for just under two years, leaving the company after receiving bad publicity for being inefficient. Danny Goldberg, who ran PolyGram’s Mercury Records group, assumed control of Motown, and George Jackson served as president.

Final years of the Motown label: 1999–2005 [ edit ]
By 1998, Motown had added stars such as 702, Brian McKnight, and Erykah Badu to its roster. In December 1998, PolyGram was acquired by Seagram, and Motown was absorbed into the Universal Music Group. Seagram had purchased Motown’s former parent MCA in 1995, and Motown was in effect reunited with many of its MCA corporate siblings (Seagram had hoped to build a media empire around Universal, and started by purchasing PolyGram). Universal briefly considered shuttering the label, but instead decided to restructure it. Kedar Massenburg, a producer for Erykah Badu, became the head of the label, and oversaw successful recordings from Badu, McKnight, Michael McDonald, and new Motown artist India.Arie.

Diana Ross, Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder, and the Temptations had remained with the label since its early days, although all except Wonder recorded for other labels for several years. Ross left Motown for RCA Records from 1981 to 1988, but returned in 1989 and stayed until 2002, while Robinson left Motown in 1991 (although he did return to release one more album for the label in 1999). The Temptations left for Atlantic Records in 1977, but returned in 1980 and eventually left again in 2004. Wonder is the only artist from Motown’s early period that stayed during the late 2010s.

Universal Motown: 2005–2011 [ edit ]
In 2005, Massenburg was replaced by Sylvia Rhone, former CEO of Elektra Records. Motown was merged with Universal Records to create the Universal Motown Records and placed under the newly created umbrella division of Universal Motown Republic Group. Notable artists on Universal Motown included Drake Bell, Ryan Leslie, Melanie Fiona, Kelly Rowland, Forever the Sickest Kids, The Veer Union and Four Year Strong. Motown celebrated its 50th anniversary on January 12, 2009, and celebrated it in Detroit on November 20, 2009, in a black-tie Gala titled “Live It Again!” The event was hosted by Sinbad and included Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, the Temptations, Aretha Franklin and Kid Rock.[23][24]
In the mid-2011, Universal Motown reverted to the Motown brand after having been separated from Universal Motown Republic Group, hired Ethiopia Habtemariam as its Senior Vice President, and operated under The Island Def Jam Music Group.[5][7] Artists from Universal Motown were transferred to the newly revitalized Motown label.[6] On January 25, 2012, it was announced that Ne-Yo would join the Motown label both as an artist as well as the new Senior Vice President of A&R.[25][26] On April 1, 2014, it was announced that Island Def Jam will no longer be running following the resignation of CEO Barry Weiss. In a press release sent out by Universal Music Group, the label will now be reorganizing Def Jam Recordings, Island Records and Motown Records all as separate entities.[27] Motown would then begin serving as a subsidiary of Capitol Records.[28] In late 2018, Motown began celebrating its 60th anniversary by reissuing numerous albums from their catalog.

Motown UK launched in September 2020 under Universal UK’s EMI Records (formerly Virgin EMI Records) division.[29]
Motown Sound [ edit ]
Motown specialized in a type of soul music it referred to with the trademark “The Motown Sound”. Crafted with an ear towards pop appeal, the Motown Sound typically used tambourines to accent the back beat, prominent and often melodic electric bass-guitar lines, distinctive melodic and chord structures, and a call-and-response singing style that originated in gospel music. In 1971, Jon Landau wrote in Rolling Stone that the sound consisted of songs with simple structures but sophisticated melodies, along with a four-beat drum pattern, regular use of horns and strings, and “a trebly style of mixing that relied heavily on electronic limiting and equalizing (boosting the high range frequencies) to give the overall product a distinctive sound, particularly effective for broadcast over AM radio”.[30] Pop production techniques such as the use of orchestral string sections, charted horn sections, and carefully arranged background vocals were also used. Complex arrangements and elaborate, melismatic vocal riffs were avoided.[31] Motown producers believed steadfastly in the “KISS principle” (keep it simple, stupid).[32]
The Motown production process has been described as factory-like. The Hitsville studios remained open and active 22 hours a day, and artists would often go on tour for weeks, come back to Detroit to record as many songs as possible, and then promptly go on tour again. Berry Gordy held quality control meetings every Friday morning, and used veto power to ensure that only the very best material and performances would be released. The test was that every new release needed to fit into a sequence of the top five selling pop singles of the week. Several tracks that later became critical and commercial favorites were initially rejected by Gordy, the two most notable being the Marvin Gaye songs “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” and “What’s Going On”. In several cases, producers would rework tracks in hopes of eventually getting them approved at a later Friday morning meeting, as producer Norman Whitfield did with “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” and The Temptations’ “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg”.

Many of Motown’s best-known songs, including all the early hits for the Supremes, were written by the songwriting trio of Holland–Dozier–Holland (Lamont Dozier and brothers Brian and Eddie Holland). Other important Motown producers and songwriters included Norman Whitfield, William “Mickey” Stevenson, Smokey Robinson, Barrett Strong, Nickolas Ashford & Valerie Simpson, Frank Wilson, Pamela Sawyer & Gloria Jones, James Dean & William Weatherspoon, Johnny Bristol, Harvey Fuqua, Gil Askey,[33] Stevie Wonder, and Gordy himself.

The style created by the Motown musicians was a major influence on several non-Motown artists of the mid-1960s, such as Dusty Springfield and the Foundations. In the United Kingdom, the Motown Sound became the basis of the northern soul movement. Smokey Robinson said the Motown Sound had little to do with Detroit:

People would listen to it, and they’d say, ‘Aha, they use more bass. Or they use more drums.’ Bullshit. When we were first successful with it, people were coming from Germany, France, Italy, Mobile, Alabama. From New York, Chicago, California. From everywhere. Just to record in Detroit. They figured it was in the air, that if they came to Detroit and recorded on the freeway, they’d get the Motown sound. Listen, the Motown sound to me is not an audible sound. It’s spiritual, and it comes from the people that make it happen. What other people didn’t realize is that we just had one studio there, but we recorded in Chicago, Nashville, New York, L.A.—almost every big city. And we still got the sound.[34]
The Funk Brothers [ edit ]
In addition to the songwriting process of the writers and producers, one of the major factors in the widespread appeal of Motown’s music was Gordy’s practice of using a highly-select and tight-knit group of studio musicians, collectively known as the Funk Brothers, to record the instrumental or “band” tracks of a majority of Motown recordings. Among the studio musicians responsible for the “Motown Sound” were keyboardists Earl Van Dyke, Johnny Griffith, and Joe Hunter; guitarists Ray Monette, Joe Messina, Robert White, and Eddie Willis; percussionists Eddie “Bongo” Brown and Jack Ashford; drummers Benny Benjamin, Uriel Jones, and Richard “Pistol” Allen; and bassists James Jamerson and Bob Babbitt. The band’s career and work is chronicled in the 2002 documentary film Standing in the Shadows of Motown, which publicised the fact that these musicians “played on more number-one records than The Beatles, Elvis, The Rolling Stones, and The Beach Boys combined”.[35] Ashford later played on Raphael Saadiq’s 2008 album The Way I See It, whose recording and production were modelled after the Motown Sound.[36]
Much of the Motown Sound came from the use of overdubbed and duplicated instrumentation. Motown songs regularly featured two drummers instead of one (either overdubbed or in unison), as well as three or four guitar lines.[35] Bassist James Jamerson often played his instrument with only the index finger of his right hand, and created many of the basslines apparent on Motown songs such as “Up the Ladder to the Roof” by The Supremes.[35]
Artist development [ edit ]
Artist development was a major part of Motown’s operations instituted by Berry Gordy. The acts on the Motown label were fastidiously groomed, dressed and choreographed for live performances. Motown artists were advised that their breakthrough into the white popular music market made them ambassadors for other African-American artists seeking broad market acceptance, and that they should think, act, walk and talk like royalty, so as to alter the less-than-dignified image commonly held of black musicians by white Americans in that era.[37] Given that many of the talented young artists had been raised in housing projects and lacked the necessary social and dress experience, this Motown department was not only necessary, it created an elegant style of presentation long associated with the label.[38] The artist development department specialized primarily in working with younger, less-experienced acts; experienced performers such as Jr. Walker and Marvin Gaye were exempt from artist-development classes.

Many of the young artists participated in an annual package tour called the “Motortown Revue”, which was popular, first, on the “Chitlin’ Circuit”, and, later, around the world. The tours gave the younger artists a chance to hone their performance and social skills and learn from the more experienced artists.

Motown subsidiary labels [ edit ]
In order to avoid accusations of payola should DJs play too many records from the original Tamla label, Gordy formed Motown Records as a second label in 1960. The two labels featured the same writers, producers and artists.

Many more subsidiary labels were established later under the umbrella of the Motown parent company, including Gordy Records, Soul Records and VIP Records; in reality the Motown Record Corporation controlled all of these labels. Most of the distinctions between Motown labels were largely arbitrary, with the same writers, producers and musicians working on all the major subsidiaries, and artists were often shuffled between labels for internal marketing reasons. All of these records are usually considered to be “Motown” records, regardless of whether they actually appeared on the Motown Records label itself.

Major divisions [ edit ]
One of Tamla Motown logos

Tamla Motown Records: Motown’s non-US label, established in March 1965 and folded into the regular Motown label in 1976. Distributed by EMI, Tamla Motown issued the releases on the American Motown labels, using its own numbering system. In some cases, Tamla Motown would issue singles and albums not released in the United States (for example, the singles “I Second That Emotion” and “Why (Must We Fall in Love)” by Diana Ross & the Supremes with the Temptations, as well as the successful Motown Chartbusters series of albums).

Secondary R&B labels [ edit ]
Additional genre labels [ edit ]
Country [ edit ]
Hip hop/rap [ edit ]
Jazz [ edit ]
Rock [ edit ]
Other [ edit ]
Independent labels distributed by Motown [ edit ]
Miscellaneous labels associated with Motown [ edit ]
Groovesville Records

Inferno Records

IPG Records

Rayber Records

Ric-Tic Records

Rich Records

Summer Camp Records

Tabu Records

British (pre-Tamla Motown) labels [ edit ]
London American Records issued the releases for Motown from 1960 to 1961.

Fontana Records issued the releases for Motown from 1961 to 1962.

Oriole American Records issued the releases for Motown from 1962 to 1963.

Stateside Records issued the releases for Motown from 1963 to 1965, when the Tamla Motown label was created.

See also [ edit ]
References [ edit ]
Citations [ edit ]
Print sources [ edit ]
Flory, Andrew (2017). I Hear a Symphony: Motown and Crossover R&B. University of Michigan Press. ISBN 978-0-472-12287-5 .

See How Much Vinyl Records Are Worth on Flipsy

Find out how much your vinyl records are worth and where to sell them for cash

Find your phone’s value We reached out to experts to answer your questions about where to sell vinyl records. We do this as a service to introduce who we are: experts in finding a place to sell your phone. Use Flipsy to find your phone’s value plus get offers from more than 20 stores who compete to pay top dollar. Stores are trust verified, offer free shipping and pay within a few days of receiving your phone. Best wishes and thanks for visiting!

Do you have stacks of old vinyl records packed away or collecting dust on your shelf? Ever wonder if your vinyl records are worth anything? We enlisted the help of three experts to show you which are the most valuable records in the world, how to find record values, and where to sell records so you can cash in on your old vinyl.

The average eBay selling price for vinyl records is around $15, though vinyl record values vary significantly: from 50 cents to $50 or more. You need to do some research to determine exactly how much your vinyl records are worth. Here are some highly-valuable vinyl records. RECORD VALUE (up to) Do I Love You – Frank Wilson (original copy) $40,000 Yesterday and Today – The Beatles (the butcher album) $125,000 Good Luck Charm – Elvis Presley $20,000 Hell Hound on My Trail – Robert Johnson $10,000 Velvet Underground (debut demo acetate) $25,000 Hear the Beatles Tell All $30,000 Moody Blue – Elvis Presley (experimental colors) $2,000 Street Fighting Man – The Rolling Stones $18,000 Xanadu – Olivia Newton-John & Electric Light Orchestra $10,000 Road Case (limited edition 48-disc set) – Led Zeppelin $15,000

Contents

Did You Know? Some VHS & Betamax tapes are worth hundreds.

View VHS & Betamax Values

The most valuable records in the world

“I spoke up and gave the boy a true appraisal of all his records. I was immediately thrown out of the store.”

Getting tossed out of a record store might not be the best strategy for selling valuable vinyl records, but for John Marshall it was the catalyst that lead him to become one of the world’s preeminent record appraisers, even consulting for master horror novelist Stephen King.More than 20 years ago, Marshall was browsing a record store when a young boy came in with a box of records to sell. The cashier offered the boy $5 for the entire lot, despite it containing a valuable Elvis 45 produced by Sun Records.“I knew it was worth well over $1,000, so I spoke up and gave the boy a true appraisal of all his records. I was immediately thrown out of the store,” Marshall says. “It made me realize that most people have no idea about the value of records.”

Marshall’s love for old records began when he started collecting albums from the jukebox distributor down the street from his childhood home. His collection grew during a 30-year career in radio, when he would save promo records that flooded the station.

The record falls into the category of collectible records known as “Northern Soul,” a term that came about several years ago when obscure soul music from the U.S. became in high demand in northern England. The record is legendary in rock ‘n roll circles. As the story goes, Frank Wilson, a record producer at Motown who had no interest in being a singer, was goaded into recording the song by Motown owner Barry Gordy. Eventually, Gordy prevailed and Wilson recorded the song, but when Gordy wanted Wilson to do shows to promote it Wilson refused. After an intense argument, Gordy demanded all copies be destroyed, so the only copies known to exist are promos sent to radio stations that bear the words “Promotional. Not For Sale.”

“I bought many of them purely for the love of music, not realizing then they could be worth a lot of money down the road,” he says. “It was probably in the mid-70’s that I became aware there was a collector’s market for records.”Today, Marshall (aka Mighty John Marshall) operates Money Music , a website dedicated to record values, and the YouTube channel Mighty John’s Money Music He said most collectors consider the world’s current most valuable record to beon Soul Records (a division of Motown), for two reasons:

An original copy of this record is worth up to $40,000, but be careful – there are a lot of counterfeits out there, and all known originals are promotional copies that aren’t worth near that much.

“The $40,000 price for the Frank Wilson single is for a stock (retail) copy,” says Charlie Essmeier, who owns Rare Records and has been collecting and selling records since the 1970’s. “Promotional copies turn up every now and again and sell for $200 to $400 or so. The stock (non-promotional) copies were apparently destroyed before they could be distributed to retailers, making them quite rare.”

Did You Know? Some old magazines can be worth $50,000+

See if you have any

Credit: John MarshallOf course, it’s not the only valuable record. As Marshall explains, the most collectible records are those recorded by theand. Original stereo copies of the Beatles album Yesterday and Today can be worth as much as $25,000.Essmeier says the price tag for “ the butcher album ” could be even higher.“Original copies of this album were made with a photo of the Beatles in butcher smocks, surrounded by pieces of toy dolls and raw meat. The album was withdrawn before release, but a handful of copies have survived,” Essmeier explains.“In addition, several hundred thousand copies were shipped to stores with a new cover photo pasted over the original. It’s possible – though not advised – to remove the second cover to reveal the first one. Prices can range from as little as $50 to as much as $75,000 depending on a number of factors. It’s the valuable record that members of the public are most likely to have the original pressing of.”

In fact, in 2016, a sealed mint copy of the record sold at auction for $125,000.

Other Beatles albums sought by collectors include original U.S. and U.K. copies of The Beatles, also known as The White Album, with low numbers stamped on the cover.

“Each copy was individually numbered, and copies with numbers under 10,000 command a premium,” says Essmeier. “A U.S. copy numbered #0000181 recently sold for $3,000, for example.”

Essmeier adds that U.K. copies that were pressed for export also have good value. Those copies feature black Parolophone labels instead of green Apple labels.

Did You Know? Old Polaroid cameras can be worth more than $100.

View Classic Camera Values

Want to sell your old books? Find

the best place to sell any used book for the most money

Credit: Charlie EssmeierTheis 1962’s Good Luck Charm. Regular 45’s that include the picture sleeve are worth up to $50; however, RCA also released a 7-inch 33 that’swith the original picture sleeve.Credit: John MarshallBlues records released prior to World War II can also be extremely collectible.1937 Hell Hound on My Trail can be, as can other Robert Johnson recordings released between 1937 and 1939.Genre-wise, the most valuable records are typically in rock ‘n roll, blues, soul, and jazz, with the 1950s and 1960s the most collectible years.

“There are certainly records before and after those decades that can be quite valuable, but most overall value is in the 50’s and 60’s,” Marshall says. Essmeier says the most valuable vinyl records are almost all unique, one-of-a-kind items.

“The most valuable records in general are those that were made by artists who became famous, but which were released before they became famous and therefore sold poorly.”

“These are usually prototypes, acetates, test pressings, or some other item that was prepared for in-house use by the record companies, or perhaps a single example of something that was considered for release but ultimately not released for sale to the public,” Essmeier says.

Elvis Presley’s Moody Blue. Copies sold in stores were pressed on blue vinyl, but a few experimental copies were made in white, green, red, and other colors. Those experimental versions are worth around $2,000

A one-of-a-kind demo acetate containing a rough version of Velvet Underground’s 1966 debut album sold for $25,000

1966 debut album sold for $25,000 The Beatles album Hear the Beatles Tell All, featuring a series of interviews with the band, was released to stores in 1964 – but promotional copies for radio station use were withdrawn prior to release. Only five or six copies are known to exist, and have sold for as much as $30,000

A 10” picture disc of the song Xanadu by Olivia Newton-John with the Electric Light Orchestra recently sold for $8,655, though Essmeier has seen them go for $10,000. He says: “Fifty of these were made as prototypes in 1980, with a number of them being defective. The record company opted not to make use of them, and the 30+ remaining copies found their way into the hands of collectors. With fewer than 40 copies in existence, they are by no means common, but I did once find one in a used record store for $15.”

with the recently sold for $8,655, though Essmeier has seen them go for $10,000. He says: “Fifty of these were made as prototypes in 1980, with a number of them being defective. The record company opted not to make use of them, and the 30+ remaining copies found their way into the hands of collectors. With fewer than 40 copies in existence, they are by no means common, but I did once find one in a used record store for $15.” The 2006 Led Zeppelin Road Case issued by now-defunct Class Records was auctioned for $7,877 in 2022 – and even recently sold for as much as $15,000. Essmeier says: “This was a limited edition 48-disc set in a metal case that contained all of the band’s albums as single-sided, 45 RPM 12-inch records. Reportedly, as few as 150 copies were cold. It [originally] sold for $650 when new and sold out immediately.”

Vinyl records not worth much? Many phones are worth $100+. Find the value of your phone. iPhone Samsung Google OnePlus LG Motorola

Head-spinning Record Sales Occasionally, an ultra-rare and highly-desirable record becomes available and commands enormous sums. Examples include:

The very first pressing of The Beatles The White Album, numbered 0000001 and owned by band member Ringo Starr, holds the Guinness Book World Record for the most expensive vinyl record sold at auction. The price tag? A whopping $790,000

In 1953, Elvis Presley laid down his first two tracks at Sun Studios in Memphis, a direct-to-acetate recording. Rocker Jack White purchased the original acetate at a 2015 auction for $300,000 In both cases, the record was the rarest of the rare: single copies by the world’s most famous artists with supreme historical significance. That is to say, you’re not going to find one in your basement.

What about shellac 78 records?

Did You Know? Your LaserDiscs could be worth $250+.

Learn more

Vinyl records not worth much? Many phones are worth $100+. Find the value of your phone. iPhone Samsung Google OnePlus LG Motorola

What makes vinyl records valuable

Poor-selling albums recorded by famous artists before they became famous

Albums produced by obscure labels

Promotional copies made for radio stations

Limited editions and foreign editions

Unique picture sleeves

Rare label variations

Never-released copies (like acetates and test pressings)

Recalled and withdrawn releases

Colored vinyl and picture discs

Still-sealed copies in excellent condition

Autographed copies

Format (mono, stereo, or quadrophonic)

Condition

Xanadu picture album valued at up to $10,000. Credit: Charlie Essmeier.“Aside from such oddities, the most valuable records in general are those that were made by artists who became famous, but which were released before they became famous and therefore sold poorly,” Essmeier explains. “Good examples are singles by Elvis Presley on the Sun label and records by the Beatles on the Vee Jay label.”“Historically, the Beatles and Elvis tend to dominate the market, along with other big-name acts such asand the,” he says. “Most of their albums sold in the millions, however, and have little value – especially in typical, worn condition.”Essmeier says other notable records are those pressed on colored vinyl as well as picture discs , which are records pressed on clear vinyl with a photo or other graphic embedded in the vinyl. Both colored vinyl and picture discs are usually limited editions and tend to sell for more money than their black vinyl counterparts.In addition, copies of records made for radio station use (“promo copies”) are much rarer than copies pressed for commercial sale (“stock copies”).“As a rule, a radio station copy of a particular album will be more valuable than a stock copy of the same album,” says Essmeier. “Keep in mind, however, that promo copies of records are not necessarily valuable themselves. A promo copy of a Led Zeppelin album may sell for $1,000, but a promo copy of an Andy Williams album likely has little value to anyone.”Prior to vinyl, which came in use during the 1940’s, records were pressed on shellac – a brittle material that cracks easily. Shellac records were primarily produced between 1896 and 1950. Most shellac records were pressed in the 78 RPM format.Joe Lauro owns Old78s.com , and is perhaps the world’s foremost expert on shellac 78 records. He says playback quality varies significantly between the shellac records produced by record companies.Credit: Joe Lauro“The usage of shellac became the norm circa 1900’s, and the better the shellac, the better the sound of the record in terms of less surface noise,” he says.“The smaller record companies that offered expensive records often mixed the shellac with other particles like sand or wood, and the result was a very noisy playing surface. Better companies like Columbia and Victor used superior quality shellac and the records sounded much better. The circa 1920’s to early 30’s Columbia and Okeh labels were the best, as their records were laminated with a cardboard core and much purer shellac playing surface.”Credit: Joe LauroLauro says most shellac 78’s are not rare as they were mass produced and billions of copies still exist. However, some notable record albums are rare and can be valuable.They include “race” records and country/folk records that were produced for specific ethnic and racial groups, and were manufactured in far fewer numbers than their pop counterparts; and 78’s produced by small labels during the Great Depression – specifically, between 1931 and 1933. For some, fewer than 500 copies were ever made.Some blues, pre-1935 jazz, 1920’s to early 30’s string and country bands, and post-war blues (circa 1946 to 1960) recordings can also be valuable.Credit: Joe Lauro“The most valuable are rarerecorded circa 1929 to 1932, which can run upwards of $500,” Lauro says. “The most ever paid for a one-of-a-kind Delta Blues record was $50,000, but there are few people that would pay anywhere near that price.”Many valuable shellac 78 records were produced by labels like Paramount, Gennett, QRS, Herwin, Vocalion, and Black Patti.Lauro says he will pay thousands of dollars for certain records on Paramount and other labels, but cautions: “Not all records on these labels are of value. It’s just that the rarest ones often turn up on these labels. Value is driven by rarity and desirability. Just because it’s 100 years old does not make it valuable. It’s a matter of what the record is.”Age has little to do with the value of a given vinyl record. As Essmeier puts it: “Old records may have some value, but as a rule, it’s not because they’re old. It’s because of something else.” A combination of factors can make a given record valuable, including:

Marshall says most record values haven’t changed significantly over the past five years, but he has noticed more interest in record collecting – and in some cases, higher prices.

“Though it’s not a scientific survey, I have noticed more sellers at yard sales attaching higher prices to the records they are selling,” he says.

Essmeier says the COVID-19 pandemic caused prices to increase for collectibles of all kinds, including records. He cited factors such as stimulus money and the fact that many people had little to do during quarantine.

“Rare cars, coins, watches, sports cards and records all shot up in price,” he says. “Lately, I’m starting to see a bit of a slowdown in the record market, but prices are still higher than they were two to three years ago.”

Over a broader period, the Internet has had an impact on record collecting, both in price and availability.

“The Internet has been a blessing and a curse to record collectors,” says Marshall. “On the plus side, it has certainly helped more collectors find records they had not come across before. On the downside, it can hurt the value of some records as many more become available and collectors have more copies of a particular record to choose from.”

For example, prior to the Internet, Elvis Presley’s first five singles on the Sun label were worth up to $5,000 each. Today, with so many copies coming forth, the value for each is up to $1,200.

Here’s a closer look at factors that affect vinyl record values.

Original sales volume

Have old DVDs? Some are worth $500 or more

Labels

Promotional and never-released copies

Limited and foreign editions

Unique picture sleeves

Recalled and withdrawn releases

Format

Did You Know? Electric guitars can be worth thousands.

See the Most Valuable Electric Guitars

Autographed copies

Condition

Goldmine grading system

Mint (M) : Perfect condition, looks brand new

: Perfect condition, looks brand new Very Good (VG) : The record has been well cared for, but may have some small marks or slight scratches that do not significantly affect play

: The record has been well cared for, but may have some small marks or slight scratches that do not significantly affect play Good (G) : The record is fairly worn but will play all the way through without skipping

: The record is fairly worn but will play all the way through without skipping Poor (P): A “filler” copy that most collectors try to avoid

Numbered grading system

How much are your records worth?

1. Check record prices online

eBay: Search recently sold listings for your record

Popsike.com: This site tracks eBay sales and lets you find the most valuable records (in its system) of all time, the past year, and the past month

Music Stack: Music Stack lets you search for a record by artist and/or title, and features robust historical pricing data

Value Your Music: View current prices for vinyl records based on completed auction sales

Music Price Guide: Not just a price guide, this resource lists vinyl record auction results so you can get real-world market values for vinyl records

Discogs: Search for your vinyl records and see sales price statistics, including last sold date and low, median and high prices

Declutter & cash in! Here are

25 things you have stored away that could be worth a small fortune

2. Get a record price guide

Goldmine Record Album Price Guide: This is the official price guide created by Goldmine Magazine, a popular online resource for record collectors

Mighty John’s Record Appraisal Guide: A price list compiled by John Marshall on CD, featuring values for more than one million records. The site also offers a picture sleeve price guide and a guide to valuable “records you should know about”

Osborne Price Guides: The Rockin’ Records Reference Book and Price Guide can be purchased in hardcover edition or in a digital edition that can be accessed on mobile devices. Price guides specific to Elvis, the Beatles, and others are also sold

Record Collector Magazine: Articles about record prices plus its own rare record price guide are U.K.-based

Poor-selling albums recorded by famous artists before they became famous can be valuable due to their modern-day scarcity and the fact that the artist is highly-collectible.Albums produced by obscure labels or printed on rare label variations can be valuable. A prime example of this can be found in the label variations section on Rare Records, which discusses how finding a copy of the Beatles Yesterday and Today with a red Capitol label can be the difference between a $10 record and a $10,000 record.Credit: Charlie EssmeierPromo copies were released exclusively to radio stations and were not intended for public issue. They typically bear some variation of the text “Promotional copy, not for resale.” Other copies weren’t released to anyone: they were acetates and test pressings, and if you manage to have one it could be valuable.Limited editions and foreign editions with low distribution can make a given record valuable. Colored vinyl and picture discs are often limited editions.As Marshall explains, in most cases the picture sleeve (or cover) represents half an album’s value – or more. “For a 45, the picture sleeve is usually far more valuable than the 45 itself,” he says. “The most valuable picture sleeve is for Street Fighting Man by the Rolling Stones. It’s worth up to $18,000.”Credit: John MarshallRecords that were recalled or withdrawn after a limited release can have value, perhaps the most famous example being the Beatle’s “butcher album.”Vinyl records can be released in one of three formats: mono, stereo, or quadrophonic. Depending on when it was released, the mono version might be worth more or less than the stereo version; and the quadrophonic version is almost always worth more than the stereo version.Check out this in-depth article on vinyl record formats and how they affect value . You should also know whether you have 33 RPM LP (Long Play), 78 RPM, or 45 RPM records.If you have a record autographed by the artist – and can prove it – it can significantly increase the value of the record. In fact, the autograph might be more valuable than the record itself.Condition plays a major role in the value of any record, even the most rare and desirable copies. The most valuable are sealed copies in mint condition.“There are records that may sell for $1,000 in mint condition but are only worth $20 if the condition is poor,” Essmeier says.This is the system used in the U.S. (the U.K. uses the Record Collector system). Although they use different terms, they represent the same grades, says Essmeier.Condition grades are given as follows:The + and – symbols are used to indicate slight distinctions between the condition grades, and in-between grades such as M-, VG++, and VG- are common; however, Essmeier says records are never graded as G- or P+.Marshall grades record conditions on a 1 to 10 scale, with 10 being near mint and 1 being worthless. He says if you are selling a record, the best way to accurately judge the condition is to approach it as if you were the buyer and not the seller.“I always try to grade the record slightly below what I feel the true value is,” he says. “If you do that, you will have a happy customer who then, more than likely, will become a repeat customer and you’ll make more money in the long run.”Here are four ways to determine the value of a vinyl record or record collection:Use these online resources to check vinyl records values:“Both Popsike and Collectors Frenzy track sales on eBay,” says Essmeier. “While eBay tends to be a buyer’s market, the sites offer a good barometer of what people are paying right now. Both sites have a search feature that will show prices for sales from the last ten years or so.”You can purchase vinyl record price guides such as the following:Though these price guides won’t give you up-to-the-minute values, they will help you determine whether your vinyl records are worth money.

“I think all of us who put forth record price guides try to come as close as we can to actual values, but the values are not set in stone,” explains Marshall. “In the final analysis, something is only worth what someone else is willing to pay.”

He says if a collector really wants a particular record, it can sell for higher than it’s quoted. In many cases, people sell records below true value because they are in a situation where they need money.

“I have done over 5,000 radio interviews in the last 25 years and it amazes me as to what people have,” Marshall says. “They don’t always agree with me, saying I am pricing something too high, but there are times they complain that a price I quote is way too low. I remember doing an interview on the Jim Bohannon Show and someone called and said they heard me say a mono copy of ‘Axis: Bold as Love’ by Hendrix was up to $1,800. I said, ‘yes, that’s right.’ They said, ‘You’re nuts. I just sold a copy for $3,300.’”

3. Get your records appraised

4. Ask record stores, online and off

Where to sell vinyl records

Where to sell vinyl records online

Record size/RPM

Photo sleeves

Band/artists

Acetate/vinyl/shellac

Era

Are your Blu-Ray discs worth money? They might be… See Blu-Ray values

Where to sell records locally

Craigslist and other local classifieds ads

Facebook Marketplace

OfferUp

Vinyl record selling tips

1. Know what you have

2. Properly care for your records

3. Consider insuring your valuable records

4. Compare multiple options

5. Beware of scams

6. Know where to find valuable old vinyl records

If the seller asks you about price, be honest. More than likely you’ll get a great deal anyway

If you’re just starting to collect records, do not buy anything the first week. Instead, write down what you find, then go home and look up their values to see how you would have done. That way you’ll have a better feel for it next time

If you buy and sell records, that’s a business and there are tax breaks – so you should consult an accountant to see what tax advantages you have

Related Help

You can have your records appraised by experts like Marshall and Lauro. Appraisal fees vary; Marshall charges one dollar per record (though if the record isn’t worth at least $10 he refunds the fee), for example, while Lauro will only appraise large record collections and says some appraisals can cost more than one thousand dollars to complete.Auction houses might be another source for appraisals, especially if you have a particularly valuable record or collection. Either way, if you’re looking to sell your records, an appraisal can help you get top dollar by verifying what you have and what it’s worth.Finally, you can consult local and online record stores to see if they offer appraisal services or will make you an offer for your collection. Keep in mind Marshall’s cautionary tale – if you do not at least have a general idea of vinyl records value, you could get ripped off by unscrupulous buyers.Once you know how much your records are worth, you’re ready to sell. You can sell vinyl records directly to collectors or to a store. Selling directly to collectors will typically net the most money, though it can take longer to sell. Selling to retailers and other stores is faster, but you’ll get less money since they need to resell at a profit.Selling records online can help you connect with niche collectors who are willing to pay top dollar, but it also means you’ll have the hassle – and potential expense, unless the buyer covers it – of shipping.Some online options are platforms that facilitate your sale (typically for a commission); while others leave the details to the sellers and buyers with no fees or moderation.You can sell your records directly to collectors via eBay. Set a buy it now price; or, for more valuable records, try the auction format. eBay charges a 10% fee, but that could be offset by competitive auctions that drive prices up. You can have the buyer pay for shipping. Payment is submitted via PayPal before you ship your records.Discogs is one of the most popular sites for buying and selling records online. Users contribute to a detailed record database, and you can add and track your personal collection. To sell your vinyl records, create a listing and add photos and videos. You can have the buyer pay for shipping. Discogs charges an 8% fee on sales.Payments are issued via your choice of PayPal, Skrill, credit card, bank transfer, cash, check, money order, or cashier’s check. You only ship sold records after you’ve received payment. The site has been called a “ mini-eBay ” that’s frequented by records enthusiasts and often recommended in online circles.Although similar in concept to Discogs, Music Stack is quick to point out that it is “not Amazon, eBay, or Discogs” in that you should not expect fast or high-volume sales (sellers on the site average 1 sale in every 1,000 listings per month ). Music Stack charges an 8% fee on completed sales, paid via PayPal Business.Though originally intended for handmade items, Etsy has a decent number of vinyl record sellers – and it can help you get your collection in front of a large audience. Pass shipping fees on to buyers and pay a 20-cent listing fee, plus 6.75% in transaction and payment processing fees when your records sell.You can sell your records or complete record collections directly to online record stores. You won’t get the full value, since they need to resell for profit; however, you could get fast cash. Most online record stores are extensions of locally-owned and operated record stores, and many will travel to take a look at the right record or collection. Others offer instant quotes and allow you to mail your records in.You can contact collectors directly to see if they’re interested in purchasing your vinyl records. Search online for collectors by specialty:Don’t limit your search to those who exclusively collect records. You might find willing buyers who consider records to be secondary pieces to their main collections. For example, a collector of Elvis memorabilia would certainly have interest in Elvis records, but not Beatles records.Perform an online search for “SUBJECT collectors” and “SUBJECT collector forums” to help you find potential buyers (for example, a Google search for “Elvis collector forums” yields several results you can scour).In addition, you can purchase Mighty John’s Directory of Collectors and Dealers on CD for $15.95. The directory lists collectors and dealers by state, as well as websites where you can find buyers. Selling directly to collectors can be more tedious than selling on established marketplaces and to record stores, but it can also prove more financially fruitful.You can use both online and offline resources to sell your records locally.These options let you sell directly to local buyers. There is little (if any) moderation and all are free. Of course, there is no guarantee of sale and you’ll need to work out details directly with the buyer, meet in person (in most cases), and risk the potential of time-wasting no-shows and scams.That said, selling directly to local buyers can help you net the greatest payout: there are no middlemen or shipping fees to get in the way.Local record stores and pawn shops can evaluate your collection and make an instant cash offer. In both cases, the buyer must pay below value so they can later mark it up to resell for a profit.These tips will help you enjoy the best record selling experience.Spend time researching your records, and get an appraisal if you think you have a valuable record. Knowing exactly what you have and being able to properly articulate it to collectors will help you get the highest payout. In addition, be sure you know whether you have original editions or reissues, which are worth significantly less than originals.“Heat and moisture are the big enemies,” says Marshall. “Records should be stored at room temperature and vertically, like books on a shelf.”He adds that serious collectors usually buy protective covers for the vinyl and picture sleeves – and they never leave the original vinyl inside the original picture sleeve.“They don’t want to risk the vinyl pressing against the cover and leaving an impression. This is known as ‘ring wear’ and can severely hurt the value of the cover, which in most cases is half the value for an album.”If it’s determined your records are valuable, consider purchasing insurance. If you have a large collection, you should have it appraised for insurance purposes whether you are in the market to sell it or not. The expense to add the insurance to your existing homeowner’s or renter’s policy is minimal, and you could lose a lot of money if you do not insure your records.“If your records are lost or stolen it can be tough to get full value from the insurance company if you can’t prove what they’re worth,” says Marshall. “I’ve done several appraisals for insurance companies, and usually, without knowing condition and whether the records are originals or reissues, I have to take an average replacement value and that may mean the claimant is not getting full value.”Unless you’re desperate for quick cash, take the time to consider all your record selling options. Get offers from multiple buyers to see which will pay the most money; at the minimum, set a price based on the true market value of your record and accept offers that meet or exceed it (or at least come close).“When you sell, there are two things to remember: what’s the current value, and what did you pay for the record? Considering those two factors, you can make an informed decision on what to accept,” says Marshall.Essmeier warns: “Many valuable records, like anything else of value, have been counterfeited, and the practice of making counterfeit records continues today. Methods have improved over the years and many counterfeit records are very close in appearance to the original pressings.”He said the “granddaddy” of counterfeit records is the Beatles first American album, Introducing the Beatles. The album sold well in 1964 but was deleted nine months after its initial release due to a court order. Many different variations of the album exist, but some versions have sold for as much as $15,000.Credit: Charlie Essmeier“Unfortunately, there are nearly as many counterfeit copies of Introducing the Beatles out there as there are genuine ones, and unlike the genuine ones, the counterfeits all seem to be in something close to mint condition,” Essmeier says. “People find these records, think they have something valuable, then become disappointed when they discover what they have is a fake that’s only worth $3 to $5.”If you want to find valuable records to resell, you need to know the best places to look – and what to ask.“Most valuable records are still found at yard sales and thrift stores,” Marshall says. “The biggest tip I give people when they go to a yard sale looking for records is not to just drive by if they don’t see any. Always stop and ask if they have any records. In all the years I’ve been going to garage sales, asking that one question has netted me the most valuable records at a great price.”Old vinyl records are more than mere music delivery systems; tracking down the value of your records so you can sell them can be a cultural and historical journey. Follow the guidelines here, and that adventure could put cash in your pocket!

Vinyl Record Price Guide: Discover the Value of Your Records

Do you have a record you want to appraise? Perhaps you’re curious about how much your vinyl collection is worth. Maybe you unearthed a gem at a local record shop (or in your storage). No matter your reasons, we’ll teach you how to price a vinyl record. Discogs is a crowdsourced database featuring more than 13 million music releases and 7 million records. It’s also a marketplace where users can buy, sell, and evaluate vinyl, cassettes, CDs, and more. We are committed to being an open-source site and a resource for collectors, which includes making our data public. Follow this guide to determine the current value of vinyl records based on recent sales in the largest vinyl marketplace in the world.

Step 1: Identify the Vinyl Release Most albums have been issued more than once, resulting in different release versions. For example, Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon has been pressed over 400 times on vinyl. To determine the value of your record, you must first identify it. Start by looking for a Catalog Number on your record, which is often found on the album sleeve or pressed on the inner ring of the vinyl itself. Next, search for a barcode number. Lacking either of these options, make note of other details: label, track titles, etc. For a more comprehensive guide, here’s where to find identifying information on vinyl records.

Step 2: Navigate To The Discogs Release Page Once you have your identifying info about the release version, you will need to find it on Discogs. You can do this by typing in the Catalog Number, barcode number, or other details into the search bar. If the record has a barcode, you can also scan it with the free Discogs app. All releases are lumped under a Master Release in the Database. When in doubt, simply search for the album title, navigate to the Master Release page, and use the “Find Your Version” function to locate your specific release. Once you do, double-check your info to make sure it’s a match. Search For Your Record

So you have finished reading the how much are motown vinyl records worth topic article, if you find this article useful, please share it. Thank you very much. See more: most valuable motown vinyl records, motown greatest hits vinyl, motown lps ebay, motown 45 records, discogs, ebay uk, 45 records that are worth money

Top 25 How Much Are Motown Vinyl Records Worth 4435 Votes This Answer

What are Motown records worth?

How do I know if my vinyl records are valuable?

How do I find out what a record is worth?

Are old vinyl records worth any money?

What is the rarest Motown record?

Which vinyl records are most valuable?

What’s the best way to sell vinyl records?

Who will buy my vinyl record collection?

What 45s are worth money?

Does anybody buy old records?

What is the rarest 45 record?

Are CDS worth anything?

What are the most valuable 45 records?

How can I sell my old vinyl records?

What is the rarest Northern Soul record?

Who owns Motown Records?

Motown – Wikipedia

Where to Sell Vinyl Records | See How Much Vinyl Records Are Worth on Flipsy

How Much Are Old Records Worth? Here’s What We Found Out

How Much Are Old Records Worth? Here’s What We Found Out

How Much Are Old Records Worth? Here’s What We Found Out

Motown 45 Rpm – Etsy

Access Denied

popsike.com – vinyl records prices

Tamla Motown Rare Vinyl Records, LPs, vinyl albums, 7″ & 12″ singles, CD, CD singles – Image Gallery Page 1 – eil.com buy & sell vinyl record collections

Wikipedia

See How Much Vinyl Records Are Worth on Flipsy

Vinyl Record Price Guide: Discover the Value of Your Records

Leave a Comment Cancel reply