New Compilations

New Compilation Vinyl Releases: Best-Ofs, Anthologies and DJ Selections

What is a vinyl compilation?

A vinyl compilation is a record that gathers tracks from different sources rather than an album recorded as one piece. It can collect an artist's best songs, tracks by several performers, a label's catalog, or a selection built around a theme, city or era. On the jacket, you will often spot it by the words "Various Artists".

This page gathers new compilation vinyl releases tracked on Vinyles.com: new compilations and recent reissues across all genres, from rock and soul to electronic and world music. For each record you can compare offers from several partner stores, see which editions are available, and spot double LP or color vinyl versions.

The main kinds of compilation LPs

A best-of collects an artist's best-known songs. A label anthology tells the story of a record company. Themed series explore a scene or country, often thanks to reissue labels that track down forgotten recordings, such as Numero Group, Soul Jazz Records, Light in the Attic and Analog Africa. DJ and artist selections, like the DJ-Kicks and Late Night Tales series, hand the track list to a guest musician.

• Best-of: an artist's hits
• Label anthology: a catalog in a few sides
• Themed series: a scene, country or era
• DJ or artist selection: DJ-Kicks, Late Night Tales

How to follow new compilation releases

New records generally come out on Fridays. For compilations, the most efficient approach is to follow reissue labels, which announce releases ahead of time and often put out several volumes a year in the same series. Record Store Day, each spring, also brings limited compilations. Artist and label anniversaries regularly lead to new best-ofs and box sets.

Many reissue compilations are pressed in limited runs and are not always repressed once they sell out, in part because track licenses are sometimes granted for a set period or quantity. If a new compilation catches your eye, it is better not to wait too long, and to compare offers right at release to get it at the regular price.

Choosing a new compilation

Check the track list and credits: a serious compilation states where the tracks come from and how they are licensed. Look at the number of discs too: a double LP leaves more room for sound than a crowded single disc, because a long side has to be cut at a lower level. Finally, compare prices for the same edition across partner stores, since gaps can be real, especially for limited or color vinyl editions.