Compilations

Vinyl compilations: The art of musical curation

From K-tel to independent gems: A brief history

Compilations first entered their golden age in the 1960s and 70s with labels like K-tel, Ronco, and Arcade, offering budget-friendly best-of collections and chart hits. The CD boom of the 1980s further accelerated the trend, the iconic Now That's What I Call Music! series being a prime example. But it was really from the 2000s onwards that the vinyl compilation earned its artistic credentials, driven by passionate independent labels determined to unearth forgotten treasures from across the globe. Today, a compilation is no longer just a commercial product: it is a genuine editorial and archaeological statement.

Essential labels and landmark compilations

You cannot discuss compilations without mentioning Numero Group, the American reissue goldsmith behind the Eccentric Soul series and definitive power pop anthologies (Yellow Pills). Soul Jazz Records has redrawn the map of Jamaican music and post-punk with its meticulously documented compilations. On the European side, Ace Records and its Golden Age of American Rock 'n' Roll series are benchmarks, alongside Lenny Kaye's trailblazing Nuggets (Elektra, 1972), the original garage rock compilation. Let us not forget France's Born Bad Records, with their anthologies of primitive rock'n'roll and French cold wave. For collectors, these often limited-edition releases, pressed on coloured vinyl with detailed booklets, are true objects of desire. Vinyles.com helps you compare prices for these treasures across top online record stores, so you can find the right edition at the right price.