In uncharacteristic fashion, Amazon quietly announced the launch of its own vinyl of the month club. The e-commerce site already has a music and television streaming service, but this new move sees them take a leap into physical media. And it kind of makes sense. Vinyl and record collecting have seen a significant resurgence over the last few years. Amazon itself is a huge destination for vinyl purchasing. Serious crate diggers know they should peruse Discogs but Amazon is a decent destination for kicking off your record collection (or your local record store of course).
And that’s exactly what Amazon wants to do. Their Vinyl of the Month subscription service has been dubbed the “Golden Era of Vinyl” featuring repressed classics of the 1960s and ’70s — “must-haves for anyone building the ultimate vinyl collection,” as Amazon says. Each album is selected by Amazon’s team and subscribers have the option to skip a month if they already have a copy or know they aren’t a fan. The first month featured Pink Floyd and The Clash and future selections will likely include Miles Davis, Fleetwood Mac, Aretha Franklin, and others. Amazon will also offer full refunds for subscribers if they don’t like a certain album once they receive it.
If you’re already a seasoned vinyl collector, the Golden Era of Vinyl subscription from Amazon might be a little basic. These aren’t exactly rare or hard-to-find records. But, for new or interested collectors, this can be a solid gateway into the world of vinyl. There are a handful of other vinyl subscription services that offer deeper and more interesting picks, namely Vinyl Me, Please, VNYL, and Magnolia Record Club, but Amazon’s subscription service is a solid entry point.