Discussion: Deluxe Album Boxsets

[dreamover]

With the Minus The Bear preorder up for their new record, many are surprised to see no individual LP option. There is however an $85 Deluxe hardcover book that includes a 180 gram black LP, CD, slipmat, autographed lithograph, and maybe a hand written lyric. It may be a lot to ask of your fans to pay $100 for a record they haven't heard yet. As vinyl collectors, I think most of us agree there is a lot to be said about tangible records and packaging. But what does it take for you to blindly order a $100 deluxe version of an album? For a record I love, I love to have everything in one package. LP, CD, Deluxe book, 7", B-Sides, whatever...

So what deluxe album boxsets do you have and what do they consist of?

What do you want to see included when a preorder launches?

Does it make more sense for really stand-out albums to be reissued with a deluxe treatment?

NOTE: This thread is just about single album boxsets with extras, not collection or discography boxes for example.

[GradedOnACurve]

I only would be interested in a deluxe booklets and such if it was an anniversary reissue. Say like Pearl Jam's "Ten" deluxe anniversary package. Even then it should only be an add-on option. A booklet in a pre-order for a new record is just stupid.

[dreamover]

The only preorder boxsets i've ordered have been Phoenix (Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix) and Silversun Pickups (Neck of the Woods), and it was only because I knew I'd love the records, and the contents were exclusive enough. There have been times I've bought packages after they've been out, either cause I like the record enough and/or because I got them at a really good price.

[icecream]

obviously if i haven't heard the record then i'm going on the bands previous track record is and how much i like them.

and of course if the package deal is worth it. I think the baroness 2xlp w/ book is a good example of a package deal that is reasonably priced without me saying fuck this and reluctantly ordering it anyway.

I'm a huge mtb fan but the package deal isn't worth it to me I don't need a cd just a dl code, i already have a slipmat and frankly i'd assume most people who have a record player own one. I think a lot of these "package deal,box sets,ect. would be much more desirable if you could choose the contents.

Some members on here really let it get to them and it's something that you don't have to buy lets be honest how often are you really going to cherish those extras. I'm getting much better at avoiding these deals and thus far i've avoided two favorites circa survive and minus the bear . In the end it's a tad extra pocket money for bands that are just trying to get by while other talentless hack "musicians" sell/make millions in the mainstream.

another good example the glass jaw set,ticket, shitty hat deal or w/e it is

i swear some of you fuckers are delusional and take it personal "the band hates their fans" you don't have to own every fucking record ever pressed.

[oojavaguru]

I won't lie, I am a deluxe box set whore. I think Artist in Residence started it for me with the Sigur Ros box and then went on from there. Some of my favorites include:

Album Related Boxes:

* Beck The Information Deluxe 4LP

* NIN Ghosts Deluxe

* Ryan Adams Live after Deaf

* Animal Collective Animal Crack Box

* Placebo Battle for the Sun Deluxe

* Trent Reznor Girl With Dragon Tattoo

* Pearl Jam Ten Deluxe

* Pearl Jam Vs Deluxe

* Magnetic Fields 69 Love Songs

* Thrice the Alchemy Index

* Killers Hot Fuss 7" Box

* Deer Hunter Color Spectrum 10" Box

* White Stripes Under Great White Northern Lights Box

Artist Related Collections:

* Sigur Ros In A Frozen Sea

* Stone Roses 20th Anniversary Deluxe Box

* Deftones Vinyl Collection

* Nada Surf 98-04 Box set

* Oasis 14LP Box Set

* Warp 20 Box

* Type O Negative Box

* Lagwagon Box

* Neutral Milk Hotel Box

* Slayer Vinyl Conflict Box

* Flaming Lips Heady Nuggs

* Editors Box

* Ween 96-2000 box

* Bad Religion 30 Years Box

[timbrh2001]

Speaking of Boxsets, If anyone has a copy of Ryan Adams - Live After Deaf they're willing to trade and/or sell, PM me.

[jhulud]

I won't lie, I am a deluxe box set whore. I think Artist in Residence started it for me with the Sigur Ros box and then went on from there. Some of my favorites include:

Album Related Boxes:

* NIN Ghosts Deluxe

* Trent Reznor Girl With Dragon Tattoo

* Pearl Jam Ten Deluxe

* Pearl Jam Vs Deluxe

* Thrice the Alchemy Index

* Deftones Vinyl Collection

* Type O Negative Box

I have these as well and couldn't agree more. Top-notch product. I think Artist In Residence is probably the best company doing deluxe editions of release. The NIN - Ghosts I-IV is by far my favorite of the bunch.

[dreamover]

i really wanted that Editors box. still kicking myself for sleeping on it.

[kforkevin777]

I think delux box sets are cool if they are reasonably priced and come with stuff people actually might want. I own the Dear Hunter Color Spectrum box set, and I love it because it's unique, nine 10" records, 36 songs, not a single album with 10 or 11 songs and then a bunch of shit no one wants. I also have the Underoath Lost in the Sound box set, which is two 10"s that are shaped like saw blades, a signed card, and a really cool book. The packaging is also pretty cool. I'm not sure you'd consider it a box set, but I have the Right Away, Great Captain vinyl trilogy. I also bought the Circa Survive Violent Waves $250 package, which comes with the LP, CD, a hand-painted LP cover by the band, a signed litho, a really badass looking box, a shirt, and a digital DL at 320. I know that one is a lot of money, but Circa being my favorite band, and knowing the money's going straight to them, it's worth it to me. They're self-releasing the music and all the formats, so they're by no means "making millions" off of their fans. There are plenty of smaller options for it, including just the LP.

That being said, there are box sets I wouldn't pay the price for. Like the Say Anything Anarchy, My Dear box set (which can now be bought at HT for $25 if you use Hot Cash) and I still won't even bring myself to pay that. I wouldn't pay $100 for an MTB box set because I'm honestly not that huge of a fan (I do own all their other releases on vinyl), and the stuff it comes with is definitely not worth it to me.

I agree that anniversary re-issues are a good time to release box sets, as well as albums that haven't been pressed, but are very well-loved albums. An album I would potentially throw all my money at would be an In Defense of the Genre 4xLP box set or something.

[stranaspank]

Granted, I'm partial to the band, but the Pearl Jam delux sets have been fucking awesome. Bonuses like live sets, demo tapes, DVDs, lithos, books, posters, and other band paraphernalia really make the higher price tags worth it. I can do without shirts and clothing, though. Usually the designs aren't super great and I won't end up wearing it.

[jordan999]

I love the deluxe album presentation, hate the bundles. If you're going to do a hardcover book, include the CD someway incorporated into the packaging. If not, a plain cd or digital download should not effect the price point. Making a bundle the only way to get an edition of music (packaging, not vinyl color) is kinda shitty. Don't "make" people buy shit they don't want. I bought Touché Amore and Baroness with hesitation, probably Murder by Death too. I will defiently not buy the Minus the Bear deluxe.

[dreamover]

oh and i own

coldplay - mylo xyloto (includes exclusive picture disc, cd, book) - got this one for $25 (same price as the regular LP) so i pulled the trigger. not a huge fan of the record, but the boxset is really pretty. although the picture disc looks cool, i would've preferred color vinyl as the picture discs tend to have a lot of surface noise. this one was no different.

phoenix - wolfgang amadeus phoenix (includes exclusive white LP with hand screened cover, exclusive zine, exclusive LP with demo snippets from the recording, cd, dvd with making of, photo set). - this is another good example of a record boxset. the vinyl is exclusive (plus an exclusive bonus vinyl), the dvd has a retrospective on the making of the album, and it has enough exclusive goodies to make it worth it. limited to 150.

radiohead - in rainbows (includes exclusive double LP at 45 RPM, cd and b-sides cd, with book) - beautiful set. i missed out on this when it first came out, but loved the record so much, i tracked it down. One of the best made sets I own, the exclusive double LP sounds absolutely amazing (the boxes should have the best quality vinyl since they're for diehard fans), and the exclusive b-sides cd is a great touch, though it would've been cool to have an extra LP with those songs on it. the book is really great since the art is so amazing.

radiohead - king of limbs (includes exclusive clear double 10", newspaper and little prints and cd) - this one isn't exactly a boxset since it practically comes in a plastic bag. they said the idea was to be the exact opposite of the in rainbows set. wish that wasn't their thinking. the set does have a cool environmental feel to it. the clear vinyl looks and sounds great, but it doesn't package together as well as a nice box. still a very cool collection though.

silversun pickups - swoon (includes standard 2LP, stickers, tshirt, buttons, litho, and book) - got this one for about $30 as a special deal, couldn't pass it up, but pretty much just paid for the really nice box. i hate when boxes have things that don't really stay in the box to be kept like stickers and t-shirts). their other boxset is a great standard of how it should be done...

silversun pickups - neck of the woods (includes limited yellow 2LP, limited 7", cd, singed one of a kind photo, one of a kind lyric snippit, hard cover book, limited to 500). This one is great cause it has a different color LP, a limited 7" and one of a kind special items. All things that can be kept forever in the box and really give you a whole picture of the record.

underoath - lost in the sound of separation (includes exclusive blue and red sawblade shaped 10" records, cd, dvd, signed hard cover photo book.) - this one is cool cause once again, you get every format, vinyl, cd, and dvd. The problem with this release was it was nearly $100 when it came out, yet they had pressed 5000 of them, more than the run of their standard LP. These ended up in online bargain bins everywhere. i want to say I picked it up for $30. Very cool looking set though.

wilco - the whole love (includes 2LP, red 10" with b-sides, clear 7", slipmat, sticker, and cd) - got a good deal on this, and i hadn't yet bought any of the vinyl associated with this record. it was a good price to get all three at once and a cool box. i like releases like this, because it collected all of the vinyl associated with this record. i'd be happy to buy box sets like this coming out later to keep the singles with the LP. they also offered the box + slipmat in case people already bought all the vinyl.

white stripes - under great white northern lights - absolutely the coolest box i own. more than an album boxset, this boxset was for an entire tour, movie, and record. includes double LP with exclusive red cover, exclusive red 7", dvd of the documentary, exclusive dvd of an entire show, beautiful hard cover photo book, in the biggest most beautiful box you've ever seen.

[oasisish]

Who wants to sell me their Oasis box set?