40 Vinyl Records That Are Now Worth a Fortune

Despite the popularity of music streaming services like Spotify, YouTube Music, and Apple Music, vinyl records have seen a remarkable resurgence in recent years. Vinyl record sales in the US even outpaced those of CDs in 2020, a feat that has not been seen since the 1980s.

Abbey Road is The Beatles’ eleventh studio album. Though it initially received mixed reviews from critics, the album was an instant commercial success, and its cover – which features all four band members on a pedestrian crossing – has become one of the most iconic and imitated in music history.

Queen Rocks, released in November of 1997, is a compilation album by the British rock band Queen. The album is rather unique as it does not follow the standard “greatest hits” format due to the inclusion of tracks that had never been released before, such as Put Out the Fire and Tear It Up.

In 1954, a then-unknown Elvis Presley was taking a break from recording at Sun Studio in Memphis, Tennessee when he started singing That’s All Right, originally written and recorded by blues singer Arthur Crudup. This caught the attention of producer Sam Phillips, who immediately decided to record it.

Marvin Gaye’s eleventh studio album, What’s Going On, was released in May of 1971. The album, which featured tracks that explore themes of drug abuse, poverty, and violence, was a commercial and critical success. It is also widely regarded as one of the greatest albums of all time.

In 2013, English musician David Bowie surprised fans and the media when he announced the release of The Next Day, his 24th studio album. Bowie had been secretly working on this album for two years at The Magic Shop and Human recording studios in New York City.

As one of the most influential bands of all time, it shouldn’t be that surprising to see The Beatles more than once on this list. Please Please Me, their debut studio album, was released in 1963. The band, who had to rush to meet their deadline, managed to record seven songs in less than ten hours.

In January of 1981, ABBA recorded Hovas Vittne as a tribute to their manager Stig Anderson, who was celebrating his 50th birthday. Only 200 copies of the red vinyl were ever made, most of which were distributed to guests at Anderson’s party.

Shortly before The Black Album was set to be released in 1987, American singer-songwriter Prince decided to abandon the entire project, saying that he had a spiritual epiphany and was convinced that the record was “evil.” 

God Save the Queen by the Sex Pistols was released in 1977 during Queen Elizabeth II’s Silver Jubilee. The song’s lyrics, as well as its cover, became so controversial that the Independent Broadcasting Authority refused to play it, and the BBC called it an example of “gross bad taste.”

Legendary English rock band Led Zeppelin released their debut album, Led Zeppelin, in 1969. The album, which contained a mix of original songs and covers of contemporary blues and folk songs, received mixed reviews from critics but was an immediate commercial success, reaching the top ten of album charts in both the US and the UK.

American singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen, nicknamed “The Boss,” released his third album, Born to Run, in 1975. The album was a critical and commercial success, and its title track became Springsteen’s first top 40 hit, peaking at number 23 on the Billboard Hot 100.

I’ve Been Loving You, Elton John’s 1968 debut single, has a rather interesting backstory. Bernie Taupin, an English-American lyricist, was originally credited for writing the lyrics. However, it would later be revealed that John had written it himself, but credited Taupin to help him earn his first publishing royalties.

Love Me Do, written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, was The Beatles’ debut single, released in 1962 in the UK, and in 1964 in the US. The single, which had P.S. I Love on You on the B-side, was a hit in both markets, peaking at number 17 and number one, respectively. 

In 1963, American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan released his second studio album, The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan. Four songs were supposed to be taken out of the album shortly before its release, but a production error at the pressing plant led to those songs being included in some copies anyway.

Elvis Presley’s debut album was released in 1956 as Rock ‘n’ Roll in the UK, and as Elvis Presley in the US. This came at a time when rock and roll was still considered unchartered territory for most record labels. However, the album was a huge success, becoming the first million-dollar pop album for RCA Victor.

Their Satanic Majesties Request, released in 1967, was The Rolling Stones’ sixth studio album in the UK, and eighth in the US. The album’s name is a play on the text “Her Britannic Majesty requests and requires…” that appears on British passports.

Miles Davis is regarded as one of the most influential and critically acclaimed jazz musicians of the 20th century. Davis would revolutionize jazz multiple times throughout his career and would release multiple albums and perform sold-out concerts around the world.

If you haven’t been keeping track, this is The Beatles’ fourth appearance on this list, and it certainly won’t be the last! Their 1968 self-titled album, which later became known as The White Album, received rave reviews from critics and topped record charts in both the UK and the US.

The American hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan spent six years working on their seventh studio album, Once Upon a Time in Shaolin. Only one copy was ever pressed, which was later stored in a vault at the Royal Mansour Hotel in Marrakech, Morocco from 2014 to 2015.

Two years before they gained widespread recognition for their highly successful 1991 album Nevermind, American rock band Nirvana released Bleach, their debut studio album. The album, which had the singles Love Buzz and Blew, failed to chart upon initial release, but was widely praised by critics.

Double Fantasy, released in November of 1980, was a collaboration between John Lennon and his wife, Yoko Ono. On December 8th, 1980, a man named Mark David Chapman asked Lennon to sign his copy of the album just as Lennon was entering his apartment building in Manhattan. Chapman then fired four shots at Lennon, who died minutes later.

David Bowie released several albums throughout his career. Among his most beloved works is the 1974 album Diamond Dogs. Its lead single, Rebel, Rebel, is considered by many publications to be one of Bowie’s greatest works.

In 2016, a 10-inch acetate of a 1962 recording of Till There Was You and Hello Little Girl by The Beatles was sold for £77,500. The vinyl record commanded such a high price as it was the band’s first-ever pressing. It also had the handwriting of Brian Epstein, the so-called “Fifth Beatle.”

Pride (In the Name of Love) was the second track in Irish rock band U2’s 1984 album The Unforgettable Fire. The song, which made references to the assassination of American civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr., received mixed reviews but was a major commercial success.

Spirit in the Night is Bruce Springsteen’s second single from his 1973 debut album Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. Though met with critical acclaim, neither the single nor the album sold well initially. It wasn’t until the release of Springsteen’s third album Born to Run that sales began to pick up.

Billie Eilish, the youngest performer on this list, is an American singer-songwriter best known for her 2019 hit single Bad Guy. She first gained public attention in 2015 following the release of her debut single Ocean Eyes. She has since received numerous awards, including seven Grammys and three MTV VMAs.

Before John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison teamed up with Ringo Starr to form The Beatles, they were part of another band called The Quarrymen. One of the band’s earliest works was a cover of Buddy Holly’s That’ll Be the Day, which they recorded in 1958.

The 1980 musical fantasy film Xanadu starring Olivia Newton-John may have been a box office failure, but its title song, sung by Newton-John, was a huge success. It reached the top of the charts in several countries and was certified Silver by the British Phonographic Industry.

Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band is The Beatles’ eighth studio album, released in May of 1967 in the UK, and in June of that same year in the US. The album was a commercial and critical success, and its release is seen as a defining moment in 60s pop culture.

Speedway, released in 1968, is the 17th studio album made by Elvis Presley. It served as the soundtrack to the movie of the same name in which Elvis played a racecar driver. Nancy Sinatra, daughter of legendary crooner Frank Sinatra, was his co-star.

In 1966, The Beatles released Yesterday and Today, their twelfth US album. The album is best remembered for its original cover, which showed the band’s members holding headless baby dolls and covered in raw meat. This album would become known as the “butcher cover.”

Street Fighting Man by The Rolling Stones was released in August of 1968, just as anti-war protesters were clashing with police at the 35th Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Radio stations refused to play the highly political song, worried that it would incite further violence.

Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols, released in 1977, is the Sex Pistols’ only studio album. At the time of its release, the Sex Pistols had already been involved in numerous controversies and were even banned from performing in parts of Britain. The use of the word “bollocks” on the album title was also considered scandalous at the time.

Johann Strauss, Jr. was an Austrian composer who is credited for popularizing the waltz in Vienna in the 19th century. In 1958, the Century Symphony Orchestra covered a few of his compositions and released a vinyl album called Waltzes by Johann Strauss, Jr.

Can I Sit Next to You, Girl, released in July of 1974, is the debut single of the Australian hard rock band AC/DC. The single had lead vocals performed by Dave Evans, who briefly sang for the band from 1973 to 1974 before being replaced by Bon Scott. 

The Five Sharps was a short-lived doo-wop group best known for their 1952 recording of the song Stormy Weather. The group was first spotted in 1952 by a producer, who then invited them to his studio to record songs. Recording took the entire day, but the group was only paid in soda and hot dogs. When their version of Stormy Weather was released, sales were so poor that the group felt compelled to buy their own copies.

Tommy Johnson was a Delta blues musician known for his falsetto voice and distinct guitar playing style. He recorded multiple songs throughout the 1920s and 1930s and remained a popular performer until his death in 1956. Johnson’s style would later influence other blues singers, including Howlin’ Wolf and Robert Nighthawk.

The One was a 2002 song by the American rock band Foo Fighters. It was used in the soundtrack of the 2002 comedy movie Orange County, which starred Jack Black and Colin Hanks. The retail single was released only in Australia and New Zealand and was only made available in the US and the UK via import.

If you’ve never heard of this musical act before, you’re not alone. Stonewall was an obscure rock band whose only album had been pressed without their consent by Tiger Lily Records as part of an elaborate tax scam by Morris Levy, the company’s owner. Levy would later be convicted of extortion in 1990.

In 2015, a copy of jazz musician Hank Mobley’s 1957 self-titled album was sold on eBay for $11,191.63, making it one of the most expensive jazz records ever sold. This was one of about 300 to 1,000 copies of the first pressing that had two different addresses of the record company, Blue Note Records, printed on each side of the label.