If you have friends who are keen music aficionados, they may have often expressed their enjoyment of collecting and listening to vinyl records. This enthusiasm can be infectious, and you might be keen on starting to buy some records, too. While you can always buy inexpensive and older albums on the used market, many contemporary artists still put out their new releases on vinyl.

Buying new vinyl records today can be more exciting than in generations past, thanks in part to the many attractive features that new vinyl records offer today. Here are three things that you might not know about buying new records.

1. Some Are Extremely Limited

Many artists make different versions of their records, including versions that are extremely limited. While small-release LPs are nothing new, today's record companies will often release the same album in a variety of colors of vinyl. For example, the standard black vinyl version will likely be mass produced, but there may be a red vinyl version that is numbered to only 5,000 copies, or a multicolor version numbered to just 100. You can find the breakdown on various vinyl websites, and it can be fun to hunt for these limited versions. They're not only exciting to find, but they can also be a good investment because of their scarcity.

2. You Can Buy Them With Extras

In addition to selling standard vinyl records, lots of record companies offer certain products that are packed with extra goodies that you may find appealing. For example, if you spend a little more, you might be able to get the record and a T-shirt with the name of the band and album. Some vinyl records come with posters that are folded inside the album sleeve, but that you can unfold and hang on your wall, while others may have stickers for the artist inside the sleeve.

3. Buying Online Can Be Smart

You don't need to necessarily live close to a local record store to start buying new vinyl records. Check out what some online stores are offering, and you'll likely be surprised at how affordable the records are and how easily you can find what you're looking for. There are plenty of popular online-only record stores that have extensive selections of new vinyl and will ship albums to you inexpensively, which can make it easy for you to start building a collection even if you live in a remote area.

For more information, check out a website like recycledrecordslp.com.

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