Exclusive: Non-Members Can Now Buy Records from Popular Subscription Service Vinyl Me, Please
Image via Vinyl Me, PleaseIn a huge move, the popular record-of-the-month club Vinyl Me, Please is announcing that it will make select vinyl titles available to non-members via its online store. Previously, only those who paid for a monthly subscription had access to VMP records, which are special-edition pressings of both new releases & reissues that the staff decides are worthy of the esteemed vinyl format (or else a reissue).
Maybe you’d like to dabble in vinyl but not invest in a collection. Maybe you’re already a vinyl owner and just want the VMP pressing of your favorite album without committing to a membership. VMP’s move makes their substantial catalog accessible to a wider range of music fans. “Our goal, as always, is to help people explore, experience & enjoy music on a deeper level,” VMP partner and head of music Cameron Schaefer told us.
The VMP subscription service began in January of 2013 and calls itself “the best damn record club.” It curates a catalog of must-have albums—the new, the old reissues and the overlooked recent greats—that they believe are “complete works of art from start to finish.” Staff work closely with artists and labels to create the pressings, taking source audio from either the original masters (when available) and in some cases remastering the audio for releases.
If you want to get in on this, now’s a great time. Here’s what non-members now have:
1. Access to VMP’s monthly release after the members-only purchase window has ended.
2. Access to some of the most popular VMP releases from the past, including Wilco’s A.M., Rogue Wave’s Descended Like Vultures, The Chills’ Kaleidoscope World, A$AP Ferg’s Always Strive and Prosper and Destroyer’s Kaputt.
Meanwhile, here are the privileges that members maintain:
1. First access to all new VMP releases.
2. Free shipping (for U.S. domestic members) and discounted shipping (for international members).
3. Access to certain exclusives.
Here are VMP’s updated purchase windows:
VMP Archive (past monthly-feature albums): 12 months
VMP Store exclusives: 30 days
VMP Non-exclusive vinyl: 7 days
According to the VMP philosophy, “Albums are meant to be connected with and enjoyed as a complete work of art. Vinyl, as a medium, creates an environment for this connection through deep, active listening … the music as the focus, rather than just background noise.” With the service’s expanded offerings, they’re creating new and easier ways for fans to engage with the vinyl revival. Check out the full list of VMP’s newly available records here.