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...
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...
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...
Collecting Picture Discs: Shapes, Colors, and RarityIn a world where music is often reduced to digital files and streaming playlists, there’s something delightfully tactile, nostalgic, and visually captivating about collecting picture discs. These unique records—pressed with colorful images, artist/band photos, logos, or conceptual artwork—represent more than just sound. They’re miniature canvases, time capsules, and love letters to music fans who value both the aesthetic and the emotional connection to the music they adore. Collecting picture...
The Resurgence Of CassettesIn an era dominated by streaming platforms and digital convenience, one might assume that physical music formats have faded into obscurity. While an obvious exception is vinyl, which is certainly enjoying renewed popularity, another unexpected revival has taken root: the resurgence of cassette tapes. Once relegated to thrift shops and dusty basements, cassettes are now experiencing a renaissance, fueled by nostalgia, collectability, and a desire for tangible connections to music. This resurge...
April 12 Is Record Store Day For 2025While every day is kind of a record store day, in our opinion, this year's "official" Record Store Day takes place on April 12, 2025. The day always presents a great opportunity to get some limited edition vinyl, box sets, and other special releases. You can also just relive the your past memories of flipping through some vinyl, cassettes, and maybe even CDs (which are just now almost getting vintage as well) in the shelves and racks of your local record store. You can check out t...
For Promotional Use Only: How Consumers Won The Right To Own Promo-Only RecordsEver picked up a record, cassette or CD labeled “For Promotional Use Only -- Not For Resale” and wondered if it’s okay to buy or sell it? The answer, as was declared in the San Francisco-area Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in 2011, is “yes” to both. But the road to that answer was full of twists and turns, and at many times in the past the issue was mired in a tussle between consumers and record companies. Not that some in the music industry didn’t happily reside in that grey area by selling...
New Beatles Track Comes To LightExciting news for Beatles fans today as a new track entitled "Now And Then" has come to light. New software developed during the production of Peter Jackson's 2022 documentary series Get Back unlocked a vocal and piano demo recorded by John Lennon in the 70s, allowing it to be developed into the new work. The recording was first heard by the surviving Beatles in 1995, but it remained unusable until the new technology enabled an uncoupling of Lennon's vocal from the piano on t...
The Lost Art of Album ArtIn the digital age, music has become more accessible than ever before. With the click of a button or a voice command, we can summon our favorite tunes from a vast ocean of songs. While the convenience of streaming services and digital downloads has undoubtedly revolutionized the way we consume music, it has also ushered in the decline of a once-beloved art form: album art.For many music enthusiasts, the album cover was an integral part of the listening experience. It was a tangible representa...
April 20, '24 is Record Store DayDon't miss this year's Record Store Day, upcoming on April 20. It's always a great chance to get some cool, limited edition vinyl, check out some new releases, or just relive the glory days of flipping through some vinyl racks in your local record emporium. You can check out the pretty exhaustive list of special released planned in participating U.S. record stores for this year's day here: https://recordstoreday.com/SpecialReleases (Note: We have no affiliation with this websi...
Vintage Vinyl Is HotIs it about the occasional crackle and pop that lends a nostalgic note to your day? Maybe the liner notes and photos you can actually see? How you can hold it in your hand? Whether it's nostalgia for the records they used to listen to in their youth or the sound and feel, vinyl is big with music buyers and continues to get bigger. The burgeoning return of vinyl record sales has been well-documented in recent years. The RIAA reported in their 2021 year end recap that vinyl record sales g...
Collectible Vinyl, Tapes, CDs Section LaunchedOur newest section here at MusicGoldmine.com features collectible vinyl records, tapes, CDs, box sets and more. There you'll find rare "for promotional use only" (promo only) copies, limited issues, unusual format items and other collectible music media. You'll find releases from across many genres and multiple decades. Whether you're into original vinyl in great shape, promo only records, tapes or CDs or rare box sets, we've got something for you. Take a look at our ...
The MTV Era And The Birth of Music Videos
When 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...
Prettier Than RIAA Awards? DiscAward Ltd '60s-'70s Awards
In 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...
A Lost Art: 1970s-90s Record Store Standees
Before 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...
Collecting Picture Discs: Shapes, Colors, and Rarity
In a world where music is often reduced to digital files and streaming playlists, there’s something delightfully tactile, nostalgic, and visually captivating about collecting picture discs. These unique records—pressed with colorful images, artist/band photos, logos, or conceptual artwork—represent more than just sound. They’re miniature canvases, time capsules, and love letters to music fans who value both the aesthetic and the emotional connection to the music they adore. Collecting picture...
The Resurgence Of Cassettes
In an era dominated by streaming platforms and digital convenience, one might assume that physical music formats have faded into obscurity. While an obvious exception is vinyl, which is certainly enjoying renewed popularity, another unexpected revival has taken root: the resurgence of cassette tapes. Once relegated to thrift shops and dusty basements, cassettes are now experiencing a renaissance, fueled by nostalgia, collectability, and a desire for tangible connections to music. This resurge...
April 12 Is Record Store Day For 2025
While every day is kind of a record store day, in our opinion, this year's "official" Record Store Day takes place on April 12, 2025. The day always presents a great opportunity to get some limited edition vinyl, box sets, and other special releases. You can also just relive the your past memories of flipping through some vinyl, cassettes, and maybe even CDs (which are just now almost getting vintage as well) in the shelves and racks of your local record store. You can check out t...
For Promotional Use Only: How Consumers Won The Right To Own Promo-Only Records
Ever picked up a record, cassette or CD labeled “For Promotional Use Only -- Not For Resale” and wondered if it’s okay to buy or sell it? The answer, as was declared in the San Francisco-area Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in 2011, is “yes” to both. But the road to that answer was full of twists and turns, and at many times in the past the issue was mired in a tussle between consumers and record companies. Not that some in the music industry didn’t happily reside in that grey area by selling...
New Beatles Track Comes To Light
Exciting news for Beatles fans today as a new track entitled "Now And Then" has come to light. New software developed during the production of Peter Jackson's 2022 documentary series Get Back unlocked a vocal and piano demo recorded by John Lennon in the 70s, allowing it to be developed into the new work. The recording was first heard by the surviving Beatles in 1995, but it remained unusable until the new technology enabled an uncoupling of Lennon's vocal from the piano on t...
The Lost Art of Album Art
In the digital age, music has become more accessible than ever before. With the click of a button or a voice command, we can summon our favorite tunes from a vast ocean of songs. While the convenience of streaming services and digital downloads has undoubtedly revolutionized the way we consume music, it has also ushered in the decline of a once-beloved art form: album art.For many music enthusiasts, the album cover was an integral part of the listening experience. It was a tangible representa...
April 20, '24 is Record Store Day
Don't miss this year's Record Store Day, upcoming on April 20. It's always a great chance to get some cool, limited edition vinyl, check out some new releases, or just relive the glory days of flipping through some vinyl racks in your local record emporium. You can check out the pretty exhaustive list of special released planned in participating U.S. record stores for this year's day here: https://recordstoreday.com/SpecialReleases (Note: We have no affiliation with this websi...
Vintage Vinyl Is Hot
Is it about the occasional crackle and pop that lends a nostalgic note to your day? Maybe the liner notes and photos you can actually see? How you can hold it in your hand? Whether it's nostalgia for the records they used to listen to in their youth or the sound and feel, vinyl is big with music buyers and continues to get bigger. The burgeoning return of vinyl record sales has been well-documented in recent years. The RIAA reported in their 2021 year end recap that vinyl record sales g...
Collectible Vinyl, Tapes, CDs Section Launched
Our newest section here at MusicGoldmine.com features collectible vinyl records, tapes, CDs, box sets and more. There you'll find rare "for promotional use only" (promo only) copies, limited issues, unusual format items and other collectible music media. You'll find releases from across many genres and multiple decades. Whether you're into original vinyl in great shape, promo only records, tapes or CDs or rare box sets, we've got something for you. Take a look at our ...
