Re-selling culture can also pressure music fans to empty their wallets, and the price of bootlegs are, at times, more affordable than official vinyl being sold to the highest bidder. In the case of an official Blonde vinyl, which ranges from $325 to $2,000 on Discogs, it’s understandable why a fan may be further inclined to purchase a bootleg. While the authentic Blonde vinyl is double-disc and entirely black and white, many pirated versions are in-color, with a glossy, smeared effect that differs from the matte cover of the original. Sold out within hours, this didn’t stop pirated copies from accompanying the official version. On Black Friday of 2016, Frank Ocean’s website was transformed into a merch shop that including Blonde CDs and vinyl that were only sold for a 24-hour period. It’s not gonna sound that good, it just gives someone the physicality of having that.”
#FRANK OCEAN BLONDE ALBUM FOR SALE OFFLINE#
“Someone took Channel Orange, but they don’t have a vinyl master, they have a digital master that was ripped offline or a CD. I don’t want to stock because artists are not seeing any money from it,” Sigerist said. “Obviously, this pirate situation is created because there’s a demand. Until then, fans can purchase bootleg copies of the album, which can be found online for over $300. Recently, Ocean declared that official Channel Orange vinyl is coming “ASAP” in an interview with Dazed. While the rumored nostalgia, LITE never came into fruition, CD copies of Channel Orange were produced and shortly sold out after being released in 2012. įrank Ocean’s discography is one that has been frequently violated and amassed into bootleg creations, presumably because of the lack of official releases available.
Both are available for $35 each, $125 less than a “rare” bootleg of Acid Rap that was recently sold on eBay. Chance the Rapper just announced official vinyl for his mixtapes 10 Day and Acid Rap, released in 20, respectively.
Frank Ocean announced official vinyl for Blonde in November 2016, three months after the album’s official release in August. These “delays” can range from a few months to several years. These records ranged from private studio sessions to illegal tapings of live performances. Before Rerun’s fumble while illegally recording a Doobie Brothers concert on What’s Happening!!, bootleg vinyls were a rampant trend during the 1960s.
A recurring precedence in hip-hop, bootleg vinyl generally arises from fandom and the inability to differentiate whether a record is real or false. So much so that Discogs, the world’s biggest online vinyl marketplace, recently clamped down on the sale of bootlegs. (That vinyl still hasn’t been released.)Įven in the age of streaming, vinyl purchases are at a steady incline - and bootleg vinyl continues to be a part of that. Made all the more apparent by the lackluster sound quality and omission of additional material Tyler himself said would be on official vinyl for the album back in 2016. As enticing as that “limited edition” marker is on its back cover - or the seller including the word “rare” in its description - might seem, it’s a bootleg vinyl. But this rare find isn’t as genuine as displayed.
It can also be found at an upwards of $99.99 on eBay. If you visit your local mom and pop record store, you may stumble upon vinyl of Tyler, the Creator’s third album, Cherry Bomb. And bootleg vinyl - which could be found all over eBay - are a big part of that equation. Photo by Eric Baradat ARADAT AFP/Getty Images Even in the age of streaming, vinyl purchases are at a steady incline.