2026 Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Inductees AnnouncedThe 2026 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees were announced earlier today, and this year's group includes Phil Collins, Billy Idol, Iron Maiden, Joy Division/New Order, Oasis, Sade, Luther Vandross, and Wu-Tang Clan. In addition, Celia Cruz, Fela Kuti, Queen Latifah, MC Lyte, and Gram Parsons are being recognized with the Early Influence Award, while Linda Creed, Arif Mardin, Jimmy Miller, and Rick Rubin will receive the Musical Excellence Award. Finally, Ed Sullivan will receive the A...
The Most Iconic Live Music Venues: Pt. 2This is Part 2 in our series on iconic music venues. Check out Part 1 here. Live music is as much about place as it is about sound. Certain venues transcend their physical structures, becoming cultural landmarks where history, artistry, and audience energy converge. Around the world, a handful of stages have earned near-mythic status—not just for the artists who’ve performed there, but for the atmosphere, acoustics, and stories embedded in their walls. Here’s a journey through some of the m...
Iconic Labels: Elektra RecordsThis is the seventh in our series of profiles of iconic record labels, exploring the label's history and some interesting stories about the artists they signed, and music they released. Look for more label profiles coming up soon and check them all out here. The history of Elektra Records is one of the most fascinating evolutions in the music industry, tracing a path from a tiny folk label founded in a college dorm room to a major force within the global recording business. Over more th...
How A Machine Got A RIAA Award: The Story Of Steely Dan's GauchoRecorded in 1978-79 and released on November 21, 1980, Gaucho stands as one of the most meticulously crafted albums in popular music history. Created by Steely Dan—the studio-focused partnership of Donald Fagen and Walter Becker—the record represents both the peak of their perfectionism and a turning point in music production technology. At the center of its story is an unlikely “musician”: A custom-built drum machine named Wendel, invented by late recording engineer Roger Nichols (1944-2011)...
The Most Iconic Live Music Venues: Pt. 1This is Part 1 in our series on iconic music venues. Check out Part 2 here. Certain places where people have enjoyed live music have become more than brick and mortar — they become mythology. The most iconic music venues are not just stages; they are proving grounds, cultural crossroads, and sacred spaces where movements are born. From psychedelic ballrooms to gritty punk clubs, these venues helped shape modern music history. Here are some of those places, in no particular order: Fillmore A...
The MTV Era And The Birth of Music VideosWhen MTV launched on August 1, 1981, it did more than introduce music videos to cable television—it permanently transformed how artists were marketed, perceived, and collected. The MTV era marked the moment when sound and image fused into a single commercial force. For memorabilia collectors, it represents the birth of modern music branding: a time when visuals, fashion, logos, and video iconography became as valuable as vinyl records. MTV launched its MTV Video Music Awards in 1984, with t...
February 1964: Beatlemania Hits America And Births A Cultural RevolutionLooking back 62 years ago this month, in February 1964 The Beatles arrived in the United States and ignited a cultural explosion that would permanently reshape popular music. John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr landed at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York on February 7, greeted by an estimated 3,000 screaming fans. Their arrival marked the true beginning of the “British Invasion,” a wave of UK acts who would dominate American charts throughout the deca...
Prettier Than RIAA Awards? DiscAward Ltd '60s-'70s AwardsIn the history of recorded music, the iconic gold and platinum records that adorn the walls of recording studios, artist's homes, and music professional's offices have become some of the most recognizable symbols of commercial success. Most people immediately associate these plaques with the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA)—the trade organization that, beginning in 1958, formalized sales recognition in the United States. Yet nestled within the annals of music memorabil...
Iconic Labels: Columbia RecordsThis is the sixth in our series of profiles of iconic record labels, exploring the label's history and some interesting stories about the artists they signed, and music they released. Look for more label profiles coming up soon and check them all out here. Columbia Records stands as one of the oldest and most influential record labels in the history of recorded music. With roots stretching back to the dawn of the phonograph era, Columbia has continually reinvented itself, shaping popula...
Music People We Lost In 2025While 2025 brought some great legacy moments, one example being the Black Sabbath reunion, it also brought some sad moments including the poignant loss of Sabbath front man Ozzy Osbourne in July, less than three weeks after the reunion concert. Ozzy Osbourne 1948-2025 Other major music figures lost this past year include Brian Wilson, the legendary co-founder and creative force behind The Beach Boys, R&B songstress Roberta Flack, Ace Frehley, original lead guitarist of KISS, known as “T...
Artist Of The Month Feature LaunchedEach month we'll be featuring our items from an iconic artist in a single collection you can view off our website home page. Just look for the Artist Of The Month collection. Each collection will contain all our regular and sale-priced items related to that artist or a group of artists--like "Artists From Live Aid", etc. In terms of items in each month's collection, you'll find something for every price range from records, cassettes, CDs and box sets to record awards, post...
A Lost Art: 1970s-90s Record Store StandeesBefore streaming playlists and social media promotion, record labels had a much more physical way of grabbing fans’ attention: giant cardboard standees, hanging mobiles, oversized album displays, and elaborate in-store cutouts that transformed record shops into miniature music museums. During the 1970s and 1980s in particular, these promotional displays became a defining part of music retail culture. Walk into a mall record store in 1974 and you might see a towering Queen standee near shelves...