Musicians are often passionate about music collectibles, and many have amassed impressive collections over the years. From vintage guitars and recording equipment to rare vinyl records and concert posters, these musicians have a deep appreciation for the history and artistry of music, and their collections reflect their love and dedication to the craft. Here are some more examples of musicians who are passionate collectors of music memorabilia:
Paul McCartney: The Beatles legend is a collector of vintage guitars and other musical instruments, including the Höfner bass guitars that he made famous. He's also a collector of vinyl records, and has spoken about his love for listening to music on a turntable. In addition to music collectibles, McCartney is also a collector of art, and has been known to incorporate pieces from his collection into his music videos and album artwork.
Jimmy Page: The Led Zeppelin guitarist is a collector of vintage guitars and amplifiers, and has been known to use rare and obscure instruments in the studio and on stage. He's also a collector of rare vinyl records and concert posters, and has curated his own museum exhibit on the history of rock and roll.
Dave Grohl: The Foo Fighters frontman is a collector of vintage guitars, including rare Gibson and Fender models. He's also a collector of concert posters and other music memorabilia, and has even curated his own traveling museum exhibit called "Dave Grohl's Play."
Bob Dylan: The legendary singer-songwriter is a collector of rare vinyl records and other music memorabilia, and has even released his own line of limited edition vinyl releases. He's also a collector of art, and has incorporated pieces from his collection into his album artwork and stage design.
Quincy Jones: The legendary producer and composer is a collector of vintage recording equipment, including rare microphones and mixing consoles. He's also a collector of vinyl records and other music memorabilia and has even curated his own museum exhibit on the history of music technology.
Prince: The late pop icon was a collector of vintage guitars and other musical instruments, including his famous custom Cloud and Love Symbol guitars. He was also a collector of rare vinyl records and concert posters, and even released his own line of limited-edition vinyl releases through his Paisley Park label.
Brian May: The legendary Queen guitarist is a collector of vintage guitars, including his signature model Red Special. He's also a collector of antique stereoscopic photographs and has published a book on the subject, curiously called Diableries: Stereoscopic Adventures in Hell.
Mick Jagger: The Rolling Stones frontman is a collector of vintage guitars and other musical instruments, and has been known to use rare and obscure instruments in the studio and on stage. He's also a collector of rare vinyl records and concert posters, and has even curated his own museum exhibit on the history of rock and roll.
Bill Wyman: While Mick may do some collecting, the former Stones bassist is a true legend of the hobby. He has amassed mostly Stones memorabilia, which he dutifully gathered over his decades with the group. His 2002 book Rolling With The Stones contains photos of some of his hundreds of items – everything from early handbills, record awards of all sorts, and bass guitars and other instruments of course, to tour jackets, buttons, t-shirts, and all other manner of memorabilia.
Gene Simmons: Co-founder/bassist/singer/songwriter and marketing guru of KISS, Simmons has admitted he is a hoarder, at least of KISS memorabilia. He recently turned over some of his collection to KISS World at The Rio in Las Vegas. As a group, KISS became a collectibles juggernaut with the largest line of collectibles of any artist ever, with the likely exception being the Beatles.
Part of the wall of KISS awards at KISS World in Las Vegas
B.B. King: The blues legend was a collector of vintage guitars, including his famous Lucille model. He was also a collector of rare vinyl records and concert posters, and even released his own line of limited-edition vinyl.
Rick Nielsen: Cheap Trick founder, guitarist and songwriter Nielsen is a renowned guitar collector who has bought over 2,000 guitars in his life. He started collecting stamps, coins and baseball cards as a youngster and graduated to amassing an incredible guitar collection that today includes his own custom creations such as his five-neck and "Uncle Dick" Hamers, but also dozens of other Hamers, along with ultra rare Gibsons, Fenders and more.
Tom Petty: The late rock icon was a collector of vintage guitars and other musical instruments, and has been known to use rare and obscure instruments in the studio and on stage. He was also a collector of rare vinyl records and concert posters.
Roger Waters: The Pink Floyd bassist is a collector of vintage guitars and other musical instruments, and has been known to use rare and obscure instruments in the studio and on stage. He's also a collector of rare vinyl records and concert posters and has curated his own museum exhibit on the history of rock and roll.
John Mayer: The versatile guitarist and solo artist is a collector of vintage guitars, including rare Fender models. He's also a collector of vinyl records and other music memorabilia and has even curated his own museum exhibit on the history of guitar playing.
These musicians and many others have demonstrated a deep love and appreciation for music collectibles, whether it's vintage instruments, rare vinyl records, record awards, or concert posters. Perhaps their collections help serve as a source of inspiration and creative fuel for the artists themselves? Either way, it’s certain that they help to preserve and celebrate the history of music for generations to come, just as every collector does.
Check out MusicGoldmine's latest selection of music memorabilia here.
