Thrift Store Records that NOBODY wants

This thread has been fascinating; some of the LPs listed I see lots of here, others not so much.

Common ones include:
Barbara Streisand (esp. the one with Kris Kristofferson (sp?))
Herb Alpert
Montovani
BoneyM -lots!
Michael Jackson's Thriller (Previously everywhere, but markedly less so since he died: I think people grabbed them and are hoarding them as somehow suddenly 'valuable').
In addition, I see a lot of "compilation" LPs, especially Disco ones.
The "Grease" soundtrack is pretty commonplace.
Many others (many already mentioned).

Perhaps the most common thing of all isn't vinyl LPs, but Karaoke Laserdiscs. There are enough around to fill landfills with, or to build skyscrapers from!

I suspect some things are "regional"; the Grand Canyon Suite mentioned as being common in Arizona is NOT common here. I wonder if the "Oklahoma" soundtrack is particularly common in Oklahoma?

Of course, there are Chinese (Canto-pop) LPs that are particularly common here, too.

Some records SHOULD be common. For many years, Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" was the number-one top-selling album in history. Later, it was superseded by Carole King's "Tapestry", which was later supplanted by Michael Jackson's "Thriller". All of these are fairly commonplace, but not as ubiquitous as, say, Herb Alpert. But they sold more than he did. Crosby's is the oldest, therefore fewer still survive. MJ's was common, but seems to have become scarce lately, I'm guessing due to hoarding after his death. But where are all the Carole King "Tapestry" LPs? Maybe people hold on to the things that still sound good/better? Or maybe those LPs all got trashed by people to stoned to handle them safely? :smoke: :D


I've noticed that even a few of the best vintage record stores here --ones with rare, expensive and collectible LPs worth hundreds or more-- still have a few of these. I asked a dealer about it, and he said there are still people who want one example of any given title. He picks only the BEST examples, in mint or near-mint shape ("hot stampers", perhaps? :D) and prices them reasonably, but much more than the thrift shops. He says they are commonplace because they sold so many to begin with, which means they sound good. Since MOST people used to listen to vinyl and now only SOME do, there is "over-supply" on these big-selling titles, but it doesn't mean they aren't good or are totally unwanted. He says most collectors already have their "one, good" example, since it is easy to find one, so he doesn't sell too many, but they do still sell.

I have to admit to owning a good many of the artists/LPs mentioned, but that is because I bulk-buy lots of dozens up to a few hundred LPs at a time, and inevitably a few of these get mixed in. I've sometimes kept the best copy, just to have one for occasional (VERY occasional) listening. My best bird-dogger has helpfully started removing the really common "junk" for me, though, when he culls out scratched and damaged LPs, as he knows I don't want them, and won't pay for them. Like the other enthusiasts the dealer had spoken about, at most I want only one copy of any of these (if I want one at all), and in most cases, I already have my "token copy".

Interestingly enough, a few non-junk LPs also show up all the time. I have multiple "Persuasive Percussion" LPs (the one with black polka dots all over a white background), all bought for peanuts. That same LP is in some audiophile shops for reasonable sums!
 
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Michael Jackson's Thriller (Previously everywhere, but markedly less so since he died: I think people grabbed them and are hoarding them as somehow suddenly 'valuable').

2 weeks ago I passed on a MJ Thriller LP in mint condition for .99 . . . and proud of it!!! :yes:
 
But where are all the Carole King "Tapestry" LPs?

Didn't realize it was such a big seller, I seem to see them frequently around here.

Interestingly enough, a few non-junk LPs also show up all the time. I have multiple "Persuasive Percussion" LPs (the one with black polka dots all over a white background), all bought for peanuts. That same LP is in some audiophile shops for reasonable sums!

That whole Enoch Light/Edmundo Ros/Ted Heath genre of music on Command Records or Phase 4 is practically the only reason I do the thrift thing these days. The only other thing would be truly great classical recordings that have barely been played. The odds of finding a rock era record in a thrift that I want (or need) is vanishingly small.
 
Ray Coniff Singers plus all the others mentioned.

We discuss this every so often. I always say its the result of the WWII generation dying off. These LPs do not sell at the estate sale, so their kids bring them to GW.

Its sad in a way. We are witnessing a common cultural aspect of the Greatest Generation reduced to unwanted clutter.
 
Jim Nabors always makes me laugh/cry when I see his face in the stack.

I go to estate sales from time to time as we all do...I think it is VERY strange that some of these people who have passed, who clearly lived through many decades of good music, who often have sophisticated art, furniture, books, photography collections, etc., also have terrible taste in music.

For example, one house I went to recently had really cool, I mean REALLY cool stuff, but the records were your typical Mitch, Mantovani, Reader's Digest stuff. Looked like the guy was in his prime in the late 50's early 60's. I mean, come on! Why even listen to music? Might as well listen to static, at least you might hear an alien or ghost in there.
 
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yeah, I see that Persuasive Percussion LP a lot too. I *think* I have a copy somewhere.

Mantovani LPs are always in charity shops too.
 
Every once in a while I come across someone's complete collection of Jimmy Swaggart albums.
 
James Last. Or Acker Bilk what kind of name is that? It sounds nasty. I've never heard either one. They could be amazing musicians for all I know. :D
QUOTE]

FWIW: British clarinetist/composer Mr. Acker Bilk (born Bernard Stanley Bilk) scored a No. 1 instrumental hit in 1962 with Stranger On The Shore, his only Billboard chart single. German cabaret band director James Last also had one hit, The Seduction, from the film "American Gigolo."

A related trivia item: "Stranger on the Shore" was used in the film Mr. Holland's Opus. It was the song that the young clarinet player was learning early in the film, when Mr. Holland figures out how to move her past the mechanics of music-making to discover the joy of it.
 
I go to estate sales from time to time as we all do...I think it is VERY strange that some of these people who have passed, who clearly lived through many decades of good music, who often have sophisticated art, furniture, books, photography collections, etc., also have terrible taste in music.

Yep, very true. Yet there is always the chance in this kind of household, I've seen it, that among the chaff there will be one or two classic Jazz or even Rock titles. ...exhibit A: a pristine six-eyes Brubeck - Take Five for 50 cents. There's always hope that the owner went off the schmaltz tracks for a record or two, so I keep digging and hoping all the way to the end of the stack. :thmbsp:
 
Funny! When I was in school, about that time period, Jim McCrary, the head of photography for A&M, was one of my teachers. He's best known for the cover of Carole King's "Tapestry" album, which even though sold in the billions, doesn't show up often at the thrifts.
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Funny you should mention "Tapestry". I see that one all the time in the Thrift Store near my office. I'm sure I've bought it more than once, they're just in the "waiting to get cleaned" pile.

Steve
 
I see these almost as much as Whipped Cream and the First Family.

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Yep, very true. Yet there is always the chance in this kind of household, I've seen it, that among the chaff there will be one or two classic Jazz or even Rock titles. ...exhibit A: a pristine six-eyes Brubeck - Take Five for 50 cents. There's always hope that the owner went off the schmaltz tracks for a record or two, so I keep digging and hoping all the way to the end of the stack. :thmbsp:

I have encountered this countless times.Ill be slogging through my 8 millionth Enoch Light album,and boom,theres a Lionel Hampton,or a Bill Evans.The other night,amidst the endless Streisand and Alfred Apaka records,I hit a small group,right in the middle that all had the newest week on the tag,so Im betting they all came from the same person:Basie on Pablo,Charles Aznavour,Eddie Lockjaw Davis,Johnny Beecher,even The Fountainhead live promo.
Things like that keep my stiff upper lip after I see yet another Ed Ames album.
Jimmy
 
Those Firestone Christmas albums.
Jim Nabors
Roger Witticar
Barbara Streisand
Leif Garrett
That Herb Albert Whipped Cream and Other Delights album is in every thrift store I go to. That and Panasonic Thruster speakers.

HAHA! that darn firestone christmas record follows to every thrift! silly me... i thought it was just hitching rides on my back bumper!
 
A lot of condemnation here for recordings or artists that the poster knows nothing about! What's with that? Most of what I see here is music from our parent's generation. A lot of it was very popular in it's day. They aren't in the thrifts because they are lousy, although some may be.

Shouldn't one listen to an artist before they decide yea or nay?

And, yes, I agree with many of the posted duds but I reserve judgement on those artists I know nothing about or haven't heard.

I can't believe Jim Reeves is on the list!
 
Mantovani
Streisand
Kris Kristoferson
Herb Alpert
101 Strings
Lots of christmas music

Same piles of shhhh everywhere you go.
 
Don't just a book by it's cover they say. I agree a lot of the arists mentioned aren't usually selling well in the thrifts but that doesn't necessarily mean it's "BAD sounding" that being a relative term. In fact, some of the BEST stuff I have in my collection have been from records I had no idea who the artist was but bought because it looked interesting and the vinyl itself was not scratched to hell. Case in point:

I went to the thrift a while back and saw some old records imported from Brazil. Had no idea who it was. Album text all Portuguese of course. Turned out to be some nice bossa nova stuff. Heck, I still don't know what he's saying but I still enjoy the music.
 
A lot of condemnation here for recordings or artists that the poster knows nothing about! What's with that? Most of what I see here is music from our parent's generation. A lot of it was very popular in it's day. They aren't in the thrifts because they are lousy, although some may be.

Shouldn't one listen to an artist before they decide yea or nay?

And, yes, I agree with many of the posted duds but I reserve judgement on those artists I know nothing about or haven't heard.

I can't believe Jim Reeves is on the list!

I agree with this. I learned the standards by listening to Ray Conniff. Using voices as instruments was not easy to pull off. A pretty big production as you can see. 24 in the chorus. Real pros and very listenable. Get with the program.
 

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