Music Moments

How to Start, Build & Preserve a Vinyl Collection

Your record collection provides the soundtrack to your life, and if you take good care, it will last forever. If you have some vinyl already, maybe you want to expand on it to complete a discography for some of your favorite artists.

Vinyl record collection in front of Wrensilva record console

If you’re ready to get serious about building your vinyl collection, use these core tenets to guide you: your music taste and preferences, must-haves, and diversity. Of course your collection will speak to what you like. A well rounded collection will also weave in those classic records that stand the test of time. Albums like The Beach BoysPet Soundsand Fleetwood MacRumoursare record collection tent poles, alongside more contemporary, but just as influential, RadioheadKid Aand Public Enemy’sIt Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back.

Joan Jett Bad Reputation album cover

Identify Your Music PreferencesYour music preference doesn’t have to be just one lane. In fact, it’s more fun when it spans a music highway that has as many lanes as there are genres. If you’re drawn to riot grrrl bands like Bikini Kill, learn about their influences like Joan Jett, The Slits, and Kim Deal, and add those records into your vinyl collection mix.Music cues in a TV show or film might spark an interest in a genre you hadn’t considered. Eddie Munson shredding to Metallica’s “Master of Puppets” in the Upside Down on Stranger Things brought out the metalhead in unsuspecting viewers.If your desert island disc list starts and ends with Prince, think about his Mick Jagger swagger, James Brown dance moves, Sly Stone funk and Todd Rundgren pop versatility. It’s all in the music. Let your favorite records take you on a journey of discovery.

Tom waits rain dogs cover

Must-Have Albums for Every CollectionRolling Stone’s500 Greatest Albums of All Timeis a great list to reference for must-haves. It’s nearly impossible to narrow down to just a handful, but we tried, and included a couple that Rolling Stone forgot. Here are 10 that the team at Wrensilva always has in the deck pocket:Aretha FranklinLady SoulDavid BowieHunky DoryWillie NelsonRed Headed StrangerJohn ColtraneA Love SupremeBeastie BoysPaul’s BoutiqueJoni MitchellBlueDe La Soul Three Feet High and RisingRobert JohnsonKing of the Delta Blues SingersPixiesSurfer Rosa*Tom WaitsRain Dogs

Hunting for rare, first pressings with original artwork can be a thrill. If you are just starting out, the world is your vinyl oyster. Reflect on what songs make you dance, sing, scream and tear-up. Start there and your collection will tell your unique story.Although vinyl might seem delicate, it holds up. 60-year-old records are still playable on modern equipment, if they were properly stored and cared for. A few simple tips will help to preserve your collection for the ages.

Black Flag Damaged cover

Building a Diverse CollectionYour music sweet spot might be hip-hop, metal or electronic, but don’t short change your collection by leaving out some of the greats from other genres. Check out classic 50s crooners, outlaw country, jazz, and South Bay punk. The artists that you follow very likely have these in their own collections.Frank SintraThe Wee Small HoursWillie NelsonRed Headed StrangerJohn ColtraneGiant StepsBlack FlagDamaged

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