Country & Folk Pre-orders

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At The Mint : Vegas 1968

Country & Folk Vinyl Pre-orders: New Albums and Upcoming Reissues

Why pre-order country and folk records?

Country and folk vinyl pre-orders cover two kinds of records: new albums from current artists and reissues of classics. In both cases, first pressings often come as color variants or limited editions, and they are not always repressed. Ordering before release lets you choose the edition you want and compare offers from partner stores while they are still available.

The current pre-order lineup shows how wide the genre runs: the outlaw country of Waylon Jennings, the western swing of Asleep At The Wheel, the Tex-Mex of the Texas Tornados, Wynonna's voice and Cat Stevens' folk rock, next to lesser-known songwriters such as Chris Gantry and JP Harris. Classic Nashville and today's Americana sit side by side.

Country and folk reissue labels worth following

A good share of country and folk pre-orders are reissues. A few labels set the standard: Bear Family Records for deeply documented country and rockabilly box sets, Light in the Attic and Omnivore Recordings for overlooked albums brought back into print, and Smithsonian Folkways for American folk heritage. For new music, New West Records, Rounder Records and Third Man Records regularly put out Americana artists on vinyl.

Source: analog or digital remaster, stated or not
Contents: original album only, or bonus tracks
Edition: standard black vinyl or limited color variant
Artwork and liner notes faithful to the original or redesigned

Reissue or original pressing?

For an album from the '60s or '70s, a clean original pressing is still sought after, but it is expensive and hard to grade from a listing. A serious reissue, remastered from the tapes and pressed well, is often the better choice for listening. Cat Stevens' "Tea for the Tillerman," released in 1970, is a good example of an album that gets reissued regularly: a recent pressing costs far less than a period copy.

For a new album, the question does not come up: pre-ordering gets you the first pressing, sometimes in a color variant exclusive to one store. Read the product page carefully so you know which version you are actually reserving, since the album title alone does not tell the different editions apart.

Comparing offers and dealing with delays

On Vinyles.com, each product page lists the pre-order offers available from partner stores, so you can see who carries the edition you want and at what price. Keep in mind that release dates are estimates. Pressing plants are busy, and delays of a few weeks are common. Check with the store when your card is charged and whether you can cancel before the record ships.

Frequently asked questions

When should I pre-order a country or folk record?

As soon as it is announced if you want a color variant or a limited edition, since those sell out first. For a standard black vinyl edition there is usually no rush: you can keep comparing offers up to release day, and often after it.

Do country and folk pre-orders come with bonus content?

It depends on the edition. Deluxe reissues sometimes add unreleased tracks, demos or a booklet, while the standard edition is the original album only. Some stores also offer an exclusive color variant. The details are on the store's product page, so check them before ordering.

Is a country vinyl reissue as good as an original pressing?

For listening, often yes, as long as the reissue is remastered from the original tapes and pressed by a reputable label. A clean original keeps its collector value, but it costs more and its condition is harder to judge. A recent reissue is usually a sound compromise.

Why do vinyl pre-order release dates change?

Making a record takes several steps: cutting, test pressing, pressing and jacket printing. With pressing plants running at full capacity, delays of a few weeks are common. A new date does not mean cancellation, and payment and cancellation terms depend on the store you ordered from.