- Amazon launched a record-subscription service called Vinyl of the Month, which costs $25 per month.
- The subscription only includes records from the "golden era" of vinyl (the '60s and '70s).
- Subscribers do not need to be Amazon Prime members and Amazon covers all shipping costs.
- See more stories on Insider's business page.
Amazon launched its newest subscription service, the Vinyl of the Month Club, which delivers handpicked "golden era" records straight to your door.
The tech giant's venture costs $25 a month, cashing in on the growing popularity of vinyl records. The club joins Amazon's other subscription offerings, which include services like Amazon Prime, Audible, Book Box, and Kindle Unlimited. However, you don't have to be a Prime member to join, and Amazon covers the shipping costs.
The subscription will only include records from the 1960s and '70s, showcasing albums by Pink Floyd, Aretha Franklin, ABBA, and more.
Starting in 1998, physical music was one of the first products sold by Amazon. "We've always seen physical music and streaming to be complementary," an Amazon spokesperson told Insider.
According to Rolling Stone, Amazon has already featured Pink Floyd's double album, The Wall, and London Calling by The Clash. On eBay, similar records have price tags ranging from $25 to $40.
Several companies launched monthly vinyl subscription services in recent years. Vinyl Me Please (VMP) is one of the most popular offerings, with a monthly fee starting at $33. Subscribers can pick from four genres of music and see the selections beforehand, with access to exclusive reissued records.
Two less-expensive subscriptions are VNYL ($15 a month) and Secretly Society ($20 a month). Both include classic and newly released albums.
Reviews on Amazon's record club homepage range from one star to five stars, with the most common complaint being that users can't personally select the records. Other reviews highlight the affordability and flexibility of the subscription, as returns and cancellations are allowed each month.
Despite the wealth of music streaming services available, vinyl record sales have gone up every year for the past 15 years, with the biggest jump of 46% taking place between 2019 and 2020.
You can sign up for Amazon's Vinyl of the Month Club here.