The Discogs platform has summed up the results of the last month and published the TOP 25 most expensive sales in January. The ranking was topped by the second part of Westside Gunn’s successful mixtape series “Hitler Wears Hermes”, which was released in 2015 on the British label “Daupe!” The buyer paid $6,000 for the record.
In the weeks following the record-breaking sale of Westside Gunn’s “Hitler Wears Hermes 2” on Discogs, collectors around the world began scouring their collections for rare vinyl gems to sell on the platform. The hype around the $6000 sale caused a frenzy among vinyl enthusiasts, with many hoping to cash in on the current craze.
Several limited-edition releases from the past decade, including exclusive pressings from artists like Kendrick Lamar, Frank Ocean, and Tyler, The Creator, saw a surge in demand and subsequently, prices. Some of the most sought-after pieces were those that had been signed by the artists themselves, with collectors willing to pay a premium for the chance to own a piece of history.
But it wasn’t just contemporary releases that were in high demand. Older records, including classic jazz and blues albums, also saw a rise in interest. A rare first pressing of John Coltrane’s “Giant Steps” sold for over $5,000, while a copy of Robert Johnson’s “King of the Delta Blues Singers” fetched nearly $4,000.
As the vinyl market continued to heat up, some critics began to voice concerns about the impact on the industry. Some are worried that the focus on rare and expensive records would lead to a homogenization of musical taste, with collectors prioritizing the monetary value of a record over its artistic merit. Others were concerned that the high prices would price out younger and less affluent collectors, further reducing the diversity of the vinyl community.
Despite these concerns, the vinyl market continued to grow, with selling new releases from emerging artists out quickly and demand for classic records showing no signs of slowing down. As the market continued to evolve, it remained to be seen what the future would hold for the world of vinyl. Would it remain a niche hobby for dedicated collectors, or would it continue to gain mainstream popularity, bringing new listeners and collectors into the fold? Only time would tell.
