Nowadays, your favorite song or even album can be heard with just one click. This wasn’t the case a few decades ago. The best way to listen in the past was to buy or rent a vinyl record. Luckily, today, younger people still appreciate these vintage objects. Thanks to the younger folk’s interest, their sales increased. Generally speaking, if it is rarer, you can get more money for your record. Having said that, it might be a good time to check your garage out! These are the ones you should keep an eye on because you might have a fortune hiding in your junk!
Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin (1969)
In 1969, Led Zeppelin had a great year. That was the year in which a mix of blues covers and original material debuted. It is nowhere near so exciting to describe the record as ‘iconic.’ However, in the past, it was called ‘as foppish as Rod Stewart, but nowhere near so exciting.’ Rolling Stone may have hated this record, but immediately it was a commercial hit. Rolling Stone dubbed it the 29th greatest album in history in 2013. For this record, you could get $1000!
Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin (1969)
Miles Davis, Kind of Blue (1959)
Jazz fans will know that Miles Davis has revolutionized jazz many times throughout his career. But his 1959 album, ‘Kind of Blue,’ is his most valuable record. The greatest trumpeter of all time worked with Cannonball Adderley, John Coltrane, Wynton Kelly, Bill Evans, Paul Chambers, and Jimmy Cobb to make it. There’s a good chance that if you ask the critics, they’ll tell you it’s his most important record. You can get as much as $1000 for it if you have an original pressing of the record.
Miles Davis, Kind of Blue (1959)
The Who, The Who Sell Out (1967)
This must be one of history’s rarest albums. After all, The Who only had 1,000 copies of it made. Do you want to know how much you’re going to get from this album with the psychedelic butterfly poster? If you are lucky enough to have the album, for as much as $1,100, it can be sold on eBay!
The Who, The Who Sell Out (1967)
Nirvana, Bleach (1989)
‘Nevermind’ might have had all the hit songs, but if you own the ‘Bleach’ record instead, your bank account will be more grateful. A thousand copies of this record were made, selling each one for $2,500. It is interesting to note that it was in white for the first thousand copies. There were only 500 copies of the third pressing, with a blue 7″ vinyl and a red and white 12″. You could sell each one of these records for $1,100.
Nirvana, Bleach (1989)
XTC — Science Friction (1977)
XTC was part of the subgenre of the British new wave that became big back in the ’70s. There was a 12-inch copy of this record that they transformed into a 7-inch copy. You might have $2,000 waiting for you if you ever find a copy of the smaller ones. You’d need a lot of luck, though, as they only made 50 copies of it.
XTC — Science Friction (1977)
David Bowie — The Prettiest Star (1973)
One of the most famous images in all of the history of rock and roll must be this record. It had The Prettiest Star on top of that, one of his most famous songs. Were you aware that the song is dedicated to Angela Barnett, who at one point became his wife? He even had it done over the phone for her. On this record, Mark Bolan, his future rival, played guitar. You can get $2,000 for a copy of it!
David Bowie — The Prettiest Star (1973)
ABBA — Hovas Vittne (1981)
The band allocated the red vinyl to the record company alone. Only 200 copies were pressed. On side-A, the rare record has “Hovas Vittne” and “Tivedshambo” on side-B. One of the most important musical groups in history was the Swedish band. Were you aware that the band consisted of two couples? Unfortunately, their marriages didn’t stand up to fame and success. You can get $3,500 if this record survives over time.
ABBA — Hova’s Vittne (1981)
The Quarrymen — That’ll Be the Day (1981)
Real music fans would know that the Quarrymen and the Beatles have an interesting history. “That’ll Be The Day” was pressed out in 1958. Its cover of a Buddy Holly song was a huge hit. One of the Beatles decided, however, to revive it again. The single was reprinted by Paul McCartney and had only 50 copies made. For a copy of that polished edition, you can make $3,500.
The Quarrymen — That’ll Be the Day (1981)
Cherry Five — Cherry Five (1975)
Horror movie fans will know that this band was behind some great songs in movies like Deep Red, Suspiria, and Dawn of the Dead. You should be more interested in the first release, however. This one is scarce, after all. You can sell a copy of the self-titled record for $3,500 should luck be on your side.
Cherry Five — Cherry Five (1975)
David Bowie, Diamond Dogs (1974)
David Bowie had a penchant for shocking everyone at all times. In 1974, with his famous album cover called Diamond Dogs, he did the same thing. That version was not meant to get out of there. The backside of this album came with a problem, which was showing the intimate parts of dogs. It did, at any rate, get a release. For it, you can expect to get around $3,550!
David Bowie, Diamond Dogs (1974)
The Beatles — Abbey Road (1969)
You can get as much as $4,000 from this sporadic Classic Album record. There is a specific way of knowing if it’s a rare copy exported from the UK. First, there is a Parlophone Records label in yellow and black. Next, PPCS 7088 should be the catalog number. If it has a gold sticker on the back, you will also get more for the copy. The Beatles’ famous 11th studio album got mixed reviews in the beginning. It is now celebrated, however, as one of the most important rock records made.
The Beatles — Abbey Road (1969)
Elvis Presley — That’s All Right (1954)
“That’s All Right” was recorded by The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll as they took a break from a day of recording. He simply started jamming to Arthur Crudup’s “That’s All Right, Mama.” When Sam Phillips heard it, he was interested. He pressed record and put “Blue Moon of Kentucky” on the B-side. The rest, as they say, is history. Many people even claim it is the first true record of rock ‘n’ roll. Have you got this one in mint condition? You can fetch about $4,000 for it if this is the case.
Elvis Presley, That’s All Right (1954)
The Thirteenth Floor Elevators — Reverberation (Doubt) (1966)
Back in the 60s, The Thirteenth Floor Elevators was a very influential band. They helped develop the psychedelic rock genre on top of that. Although they had a significant impact on music, the band did not stick together for a long time. Their guitarist had to deal with paranoid schizophrenia, among other things. A copy of this album will bring you as much as $4,000.
The Thirteenth Floor Elevators — Reverberation (Doubt) (1966)
The Beatles — Please Please Me (1963)
The Beatles were hard workers, and it is no secret. Did you know that the Fab Four had to record 7 songs in a single day to release Please Please Me? They finished it in a span of 9 hours and 45 minutes. You can make about $4,200 with a mono version of this album. However, you can pick up an even higher price if you are lucky enough to have the stereo version.
The Beatles, Please Please Me (1963)
Depeche Mode — Music for the Masses
Music for the Masses makes the cover worth $4,600. If it comes with a white speaker graph with sound waves emanating from it, you will know that you have the original UK version of this album. It should have a bright orange background as well. The label decided to rerelease it during the ’90s and shipped out many old records as a mistake. Those copies are scarce!
Depeche Mode, Music for the Masses
Misfits — Legacy of Brutality (1985)
One of the rarest records in existence must be the Legacy of Brutality. This is because they released only 16 copies of this album. This is the last album to feature the work of Glen Danzig, the band’s singer. The album was created after he left the band. It led, of course, to a huge legal battle that went on for months. If you have this copy and plan to sell it, you may be $5,000 richer!
Misfits, Legacy of Brutality (1985)
Elvis Presley — Speedway (1968)
In Elvis Presley’s career, there was a time when he began dipping his toes into acting. Even though critics didn’t receive the film well, everybody agreed that Speedway music was great. They made only 300 copies of the album, if the rumors are correct. For $5,000, you can sell a copy!
Elvis Presley — Speedway (1968)
Brute Force — King of Fuh (1969)
Thanks to the obscenity in its lyrics, this single barely saw the light of day. They chose to soften the songs instead after major supporters didn’t like it. After that, the record came out. It is interesting to hear that in 2010, nearly half a century after it was recorded, they released the record. Only one thousand copies of the album have been released. You can get $5,000 for a copy of this one!
Brute Force — King of Fuh (1969)
Elton John — I’ve Loved You (1968)
Elton John collaborated with Bernie Taupin. His friend even got credit for multiple times pushing the singer forward. Years after this album was released, John confessed that he had written the songs on his own. The single ‘I’ve Loved You’ is rare, but you can get more copies for the even rarer copy released in Portugal. You may be in for a cool $5,000 with the right collector.
Elton John — I’ve Loved You (1968)
Bruce Springsteen — Spirit in the Night (1973)
This single is a scarce one. For hundreds of bucks, promotional copies are sold, but the original record can be worth as much as $5,000. When you believe that you own this record, you should start digging around. The single was not very successful, and it was only his third album, ‘Born to Ride,’ that became a commercial hit. Crowds still adore ‘Spirit in the Night’ these days.
Bruce Springsteen, Spirit in the Night (1973)
Century Symphony Orchestra — Waltzes by Johann Strauss, Jr. (1956)
Classical music is likely to live forever. Recording companies usually hire unknown artists to cover their records with the album. The album is special because the artist became a true superstar. The person who designed the cover of this album was Andy Warhol! You’ll find only 7 copies of the record. One is at the Andy Warhol Museum, while the other went in 2012 for $5,500.
Century Symphony Orchestra, Waltzes by Johann Strauss, Jr. (1956)
Max Steiner — The Caine Mutiny
This was a record, half dialogue, and half soundtrack. When the novel’s writer, Herman Wouk, threatened to stop letting the studio use his work again if they released the album, it was initially scrapped. When he saw they were lifting them from the novel verbatim, he was furious. This was why the agreement between him and Columbia was to stop the release and destroy all the copies they made. Several staff did, however, save a couple of copies. One copy even went for $6,700 in 2007.
Max Steiner, The Caine Mutiny
Sex Pistols — God Save the Queen (1977)
Only when they pressed this record did they make 25,000 copies. However, when A&M had them destroyed, it is believed that only ten of them survived. The Sex Pistols did not like the label and terrorized them practically. The rumors say that the execs were threatened and cursed by John Rotten. Meanwhile, at the HQ label, Sid Vicious allegedly ruined the toilet. A&M, of course, did not like it and ordered the albums to be destroyed. There were a bunch of them saved anyway. Some sold for more than $8,600.
Sex Pistols, God Save the Queen (1977)
U2 — Pride (In The Name Of Love) (1984)
There’s a rumor that the single was released with 50 records only, so you can imagine how rare it is. The song was a big hit, and Rolling Stone even listed it as the 388th greatest song ever made. However, Bono disagrees. Bono is not satisfied even to this day with the way this song turned out. It mentions the civil rights movement and the assassination of Martin Luther King. The particular single has a value of as much as $9,000.
U2, Pride (In The Name Of Love) (1984)
Olivia Newton-John and Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), Xanadu (1980)
If you say that Xanadu is one of the worst movies in film history, many people will agree. The album is, despite this, a different story. Rumors claim that Olivia Newton-John didn’t like the way she looked on the cover, causing the company to stop pressing. This was supposedly the reason that there were only 20 to 30 copies left. If your copy has one with the face of Olivia, the record would be worth $9,100.
Olivia Newton-John and Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), Xanadu (1980)
Hank Mobley — Blue Note 1568 (1957)
Jazz fans need to know just how much of Hank Mobley’s impact in the ’50s on jazz. He was such a big star that urban legend states that the record label ran out of labels when they printed the record. The standard label on the album is Blue Note, but its address says “47 West 63rd NYC.” There are, however, other versions that, instead of saying “47 West 63rd New York 23,”. Both of them are worth $11,162!
Hank Mobley, Blue Note 1568 (1957)
Robert Johnson — Me and the Devil Blues (1938)
You’ll find ‘Me and The Devil Blues’ on side A of the record. On the side, B would be ‘Little Queen of Spades.’ This record can give you a huge amount of money. ‘Me and The Devil Blues’ is about a singer who sold his soul to Satan to master the guitar. A lot of people think that this was Johnson talking to the devil about his own personal experience.
Robert Johnson, Me and the Devil Blues (1938)
The White Stripes — Lafayette Blues (1998)
Did you know that they pressed only 15 copies of Lafayette Blues? What makes it so special is that Dave Buick, the founder of Italian records, hand-painted all the covers. The copies were produced in 1998 for the band’s Detroit album release show. You can now sell it for around $12,700 if you went to the show and paid $6 for it.
The White Stripes, Lafayette Blues (1998)
Stonewall — Stonewall (1976)
There is no doubt that one of the most important psychedelic rock bands out there is Stonewall. However, they did not sign to a record label, which could be why you did not hear about them. Nevertheless, they’re a critical band. They have only one release, but with their permission, this was not done. You might be in for $14,000 if you happen to own one of them.
Stonewall, Stonewall (1976)
Röyksopp — Melody A.M. (2001)
Critical and commercial success was this album. Röyksopp is an electronic duo from Norway which made it big in the United States. They’ve got a song used in a Geico commercial called ‘Remind Me.’ 2001 release, Melody A.M. It went on to be such a huge hit that over 1 million copies were sold. Banksy hand-painted the record with a hundred copies. They are worth $14,204 if you own one of them.
Röyksopp, Melody A.M. (2001)
The Beatles — Yesterday and Today (1966)
Did you know the members wearing butcher’s attire were featured on the album cover? They had raw meat on their laps and dolls in their hands. We don’t know why, and the image didn’t get a good reception. Capitol Records had to spend $250,000 to buy back the 750,000 records delivered to stores. Naturally, each of them was impossible to retrieve. You can expect $15,000 if you have a copy of this particular version.
The Beatles, Yesterday and Today (1966)
The Rolling Stones — Street Fighting Man (1968)
This album also came with a rather controversial cover, which censored the record label. The cover had a black-and-white image of policemen standing in the original version over an injured protester. An infamous riot occurred at the 1968 Democratic National Convention before releasing the album. That’s why the label didn’t believe the cover would be a good idea and ordered these records to be destroyed. Approximately 18 were saved. One auctioned in 2011 for $17,000.
The Rolling Stones, Street Fighting Man (1968)
The Five Sharps — Stormy Weather (1952)
Here’s another unbelievably rare record! There are only 3 known copies in existence thus far. You already need to understand those rare ones are valuable. The sales were so bad when this album was first released that the band members had to buy it independently. Unbelievably, a copy goes for $20,000 now.
The Five Sharps, Stormy Weather (1952)
The Velvet Underground — The Velvet Underground & Nico (1967)
This record influences punk rock quite a lot. There was a time when that record was almost banned! It managed, despite this, to sell 30,000 copies. A copy of the rare record was discovered at a flea market by a record collector from Canada. Although he paid only 75 cents for it, he is selling it for $25,200 now.
The Velvet Underground, The Velvet Underground & Nico (1967)
Frank Wilson — Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)
Frank Wilson made recordings of ‘Do I Love You’ and ‘Sweeter As the Days Go By.’ He agreed with Motown founder Berry Gordy not long after this; however, he was a better fit behind the scenes. Then, Gordy ordered the destruction of the press. It came out intact with only 2 copies. For years, one of them was stored in a Motown vault. The other one, meanwhile, was auctioned off in 2009 for nearly $34,000.
Frank Wilson, Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)
Bob Dylan — The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan (1963)
This record has a funny story with it. Before the release was released, the plan was to replace a couple of tracks, but nobody got the memo. This is why there are several copies of the initial list. You could be richer by $35,000 if a copy ends with -1A and includes “Rocks and Gravel,” “Gamblin’ Willie’s Dead Man’s Hand,” “Let Me Die In My Footsteps,” and “Talkin’ John Birch Blues.”
Bob Dylan, The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan (1963)
Tommy Johnson — Alcohol And Jake Blues (1930)
Talk about a true diamond in the world of music! This record was discovered in North Carolina by pure accident. Then the seller added it on eBay for sale and was shocked by the reaction. There are 2 known copies in existence, and both belong to John Tefteller, the winning bidder. For it, he paid $37,000!
Tommy Johnson, Alcohol And Jake Blues (1930)
Prince — The Black Album
He decided to stop it soon after Prince released ‘The Funk Bible’ and paid the record label for all the records. Apparently, he felt the record was ‘evil.’ But since every song was pirated and even aired on the radio, it didn’t work. Prince had another heart change and released it on CD in 1994. In 2018, an original, unopened American press collected $42,300. Meanwhile, an unsealed Canadian copy went for $27,500.
Prince, The Black Album
Aphex Twin AKA Caustic Window — Caustic Window
To record the eponymous album, Aphex Twin used the name Caustic Window. However, after making only 5 copies, he opted to abandon it. The fact that one of them got out anyway was a good thing. In 2017, the record was viewed on Discogs. $13,500 was the starting price! In the end, for $46,300, the record was purchased by none other than Markus Persson, the creator of Minecraft.
Aphex Twin AKA Caustic Window, Caustic Window
The Beatles — The Beatles (AKA “The White Album”) (1968)
The album in question here is the first press release of the Beatles’ 9th album. This specific copy has “A0000001” as its serial number. For years, there were rumors that John Lennon had a copy of it. The truth was, however, that Ringo Starr had it! The copy was hidden for 35 years in a bank vault and sold off at a charity auction for a stunning $790,000. If you are fortunate enough to own a low serial number copy, you might be in for $13,750.
The Beatles, The Beatles (AKA “The White Album”) (1968)
Steel City Connection — Dansation/Steel City Disco (1978)
This vinyl can sell for around $885 nowadays. That’s a massive paycheck compared to the amount someone would be willing to pay for it when it was released in 1978! This album’s songs have become huge hits, making sense to see how much the album is currently worth.
Steel City Connection, Dansation/Steel City Disco (1978)
Thrillers/Delta Cats, Last Dance/Unworthy Baby (1968)
Back in 1968, Blue Cat Records released this album. Now? They sell for over $1,000 apiece! Both UK groups with huge fan bases are Delta Cats and Thrillers. Actually, their fans aren’t just from the UK, but they also have many international fans.
Thrillers/Delta Cats, Last Dance/Unworthy Baby (1968)
Terea — Terea (1977)
There are 8 songs on this 1977 album, and it used to sell for the same amount as the average vinyl. Nowadays, though, you’d have to fight for one of these albums to get your hands on it. Each one costs approximately $1,700! This album was the second of the band’s two albums, and it’s a huge hit, even to this day!
Terea, Terea (1977)
Nirvana — Love Buzz/Big Cheese (1988)
Finding someone who hasn’t even heard of Nirvana is pretty hard. This explains why their music is still popular today and how thousands of dollars are worth their albums. This album can sell for well over $3,000 these days! However, the real challenge is to find it in the first place so that you can buy it. It’s sporadic on this album.
Nirvana, Love Buzz/Big Cheese (1988)
World’s Experience Orchestra — The Beginning Of A New Birth (1975)
While this popular soul-jazz album only has two songs, one is 22 minutes long, and the other is 14 minutes long. You will experience the greatness of the World’s Experience Orchestra’s music when listening to this album. This vinyl can be purchased today for more than $3,500.
World’s Experience Orchestra, The Beginning Of A New Birth (1975)
Tudor Lodge — Tudor Lodge (1971)
This vinyl is nowadays worth nothing short of a fortune. On each side, it has six tracks. If you’re lucky, for around $3,540, you’d be able to buy this album from someone. We know this is a high price tag, but you’d be getting some amazing and classic songs on this album.
Tudor Lodge, Tudor Lodge (1971)
The Smiths — Hand In Glove/Handsome Devil (1984)
This album was not released until 1984, but it was recorded at Strawberry Studios in Stockport, England, in February 1983. Typically, this vinyl is considered part of the genre of Jangle and British Pop. Be prepared to spend as much as $3,500 or more if you want to buy this album today.
The Smiths, Hand In Glove (1984)
Pink Floyd — The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn (1967)
Even though many of the younger generations were not around to listen to their music when it came out, Pink Floyd is one of those bands that just about everyone has heard of. It took three months to record this album at London’s EMI Studios, and it was released in May 1967.
Pink Floyd, The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn (1967)
Nicholas Greenwood — Cold Cuts (1972)
There are ten songs on this album. Every single one of these songs received positive feedback, “unpredictable” being the album. The album was an instant hit and earned its place as a vinyl classic. One of these today would cost more than $3,500.
Nicholas Greenwood, Cold Cuts (1972)
Charlie Parker — Bird Blows The Blues (1949)
There are six songs on Track A on this album and another seven on Track B. Well, all 13 of these songs have made their way into the hearts of people. This album is seen as a boppy-feeling jazz album. This is something that a wide variety of individuals can enjoy. Now, for about $3,540, you can purchase this album.
Charlie Parker, The Bird Blows The Blues (1949)