Vinyl Box: The perfect way to kickstart your record collection
The British Phonographic Industry recorded over five million vinyl record sales in 2021, making it the biggest year for the market in 30 years. A burgeoning return to vinyl has been underway for the last 14 years, where sales have increased year on year. Last year saw vinyl making up 23% of all album sales for 2021. The return to vinyl came at a time when streaming platforms had taken their full stride; it appears that music lovers are enjoying the collectors’ value that only physical copies can bring as they look to build a collection of their favourite albums. Record collectors also regularly note the superior sound quality of records and the more satisfactory experience and ritualistic process of putting on a record to listen to all the way through, just as the artists intended. This is something that lacks when shuffled playlists on streaming platforms are put on for background listening.
For those looking to begin their collections in this new analogue frenzy, it can be tricky to know where to begin. Records can often be very expensive to buy in one-off purchases, which leaves many sitting at home with a record player and a collection of only one or two of their favourite albums to choose from. The obvious end goal for most vinyl lovers is to accumulate a vast collection with real depth that they can have on rotation without having to hear the same records over and over again. For most of us who are on a budget, this might come as a pipe dream, something we’ll have to save our pocket money for over a few years to achieve. But what if I told you there was a cheaper alternative?
Over the past few months, I’ve begun to see more and more people talking about vinyl subscription services online. The adverts explain that they will surprise you each month with a selection of records that come at a fraction of the standard price per record. Last month, I decided to give it a go and subscribed to Vinyl Box. The website explains: “In the UK, the average price of a vinyl album is £20.31. However, here at Vinyl Box, we are excited to bring you amazing new albums, direct to your door, for up to 40% off the retail price, including postage and packaging.”
That sounded like a deal I could buy into, provided that the process was as easy as it promised to be. I decided to stick with the monthly pay-as-you-go option for now while I dip my toes in. However, an annual subscription allows significant additional savings, with the average cost per record being £12.50, as opposed to the £15 per album price for the monthly subscription, which still saves £5 for each record.
The process works by allowing the subscriber a degree of choice while maintaining the element of surprise for when the box arrives. Firstly, Vinyl Box set out a selection of themes for the month; this month, there were 14 categories to choose from, including: ‘Sunday Mornings’, ‘Pop Powerhouse’, ‘Rap Royalty’, ‘Journey into Blues’ and ‘Jazz Progressions’. I decided to go with ‘Back to the 80s’ for my first month.
They announce what albums the subscribers can expect each month within the new theme. Subscribers are given three to four days to make their selections at this stage. After that, they give you the option to veto up to two albums from your chosen theme; then, you receive a blind selection from the remaining albums in the theme. Of course, if nothing takes your fancy, you can choose to opt out of the month or choose from some of the collections from previous months. Within my ’80s theme, I decided not to veto any of the albums and leave it for fate to decide which albums I received.
After signing up and setting my preferences for the month, I was excited and apprehensive about seeing what I would get for my first box. It arrived just three days later, and upon opening it, I was greeted with three classic ’80s albums from Eurythmics, Lionel Richie, and Hall & Oates. I was impressed with the diverse selection I received; it has thickened my collection and added more depth, which I value as it means I can offer a good browse to guests.
Overall the process was really simple, and it has been satisfying to thicken my collection while saving £15 on the standard price. The process seems most suited to people starting out on their collection odyssey and looking to create a nice diverse selection early on for an affordable price. Once a collector has a nice foundation, they can enjoy their wide variety of music while collecting at a more leisurely pace.
Follow this link to find out more information about Vinyl Box.
