I told a teenager today I used to get 10 CDs for a penny in the mail, and I'm not sure if she thinks I'm lying about what a CD was, what a penny is, or what the mail is or all three.
Columbia House 1 cent CD's
- Thread starter SC Maintenance
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Heck I did that with records too and 8 tracks...
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My dad did Coumbia House to build his CD collection. I remember around like 1993 him going "What the hell" when the selection of the month was like "Hootie and the Blowfish" which confused me as a kid.
Then as an adult, I saw this documentary...
Then as an adult, I saw this documentary...
I remember the deal with 8 tracks...yeah I'm old
ha ha, it will sound like an old hat story. It use to cost x less "back in the day". I got 10 CD's for 1 penny. Really the teen is thinking you're old when prices were "cheaper".
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My mother did this with 8 track. She was very religious and one of the ones that showed up was KISS - Alive Vol 1 and 2.......
She freaked out.
She freaked out.
I did this with BMG as the deal was better, 8 for the price of 1, with shipping the price of eight, of course. As I got different addresses-- summer jobs, college, I re-subscribed.
Eventually got Columbia House so I could get Columbia records artists like Bob Dylan. I don't think either of them had Pink Floyd or The Beatles.
My dad interfered with teenaged me joining under my own name. "You don't have a credit rating." So I used his name, gave him cash to write checks to them. Extreme: Pornograffiti came, and I had to pay for it. "I don't want you getting this record, it's pornographic" he declared. "How can music be like that, it doesn't have pictures" I replied. "Besides, it's already here, and now you have to pay for it, here's the money" I interjected. Bet he wished his name wasn't on the account then!
When I got to college, "the CD guy" would set up shop occasionally with a few card tables. He bought and sold. Stuff from BMG was "worse" and he'd pay less for it.
The secret behind the scam behind the music was that artists weren't paid for "promotional" CDs. So they gave away seven promotional ones for every disc they sold. Once you cleared that hurdle they pretty much always had a buy 1 get 2 free thing going.
Eventually got Columbia House so I could get Columbia records artists like Bob Dylan. I don't think either of them had Pink Floyd or The Beatles.
My dad interfered with teenaged me joining under my own name. "You don't have a credit rating." So I used his name, gave him cash to write checks to them. Extreme: Pornograffiti came, and I had to pay for it. "I don't want you getting this record, it's pornographic" he declared. "How can music be like that, it doesn't have pictures" I replied. "Besides, it's already here, and now you have to pay for it, here's the money" I interjected. Bet he wished his name wasn't on the account then!
When I got to college, "the CD guy" would set up shop occasionally with a few card tables. He bought and sold. Stuff from BMG was "worse" and he'd pay less for it.
The secret behind the scam behind the music was that artists weren't paid for "promotional" CDs. So they gave away seven promotional ones for every disc they sold. Once you cleared that hurdle they pretty much always had a buy 1 get 2 free thing going.
Back in the day, I used to be able to go to the grocery with $1 and get two loaves of bread, a gallon of milk, two pounds of lunch meat, a box of cereal, a dozen donuts, and two pounds of steak. Can't do that these days as they have too many security cameras!
I was caught up on those CD specials too. The only problem I found was the really good ones cost a lot more. The less sought after CD's were cheap. I was glad when the contract ended so I could go back to pawn shops and CD shops and get the good used ones.
JTK
$100 Site Donor 2025
Oh yeah. I remember the 1 cent cassettes as well. I still have some Columbia House CDs around somewhere.
I was in on both and then added Discount Music Club. Their schtick was no freebies, no commitment. You'd order a Schwann Catalog from them every now and then and pick what you want out of there, at a discount. I also remember "Stereo Review" or "Audiophile" magazines would offer sampler CD's for a couple of dollars that had decent music.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go yell at some kids playing on my lawn.
You were supposed to buy something? Whoops.
I belonged to both Columbia House and BMG. Eventually I had fulfilled my commitment, and told them (IIRC it was BMG) to cancel my membership. They sent a few more I didn't order, and I'd just write 'Return to sender' on the packages. Eventually the letters appealing to me to do the right thing started showing up. I replied to the first letter that I had left in good standing, but they had attempted in bad faith to keep it going. From then on I ignored the letters. Eventually they stopped or I moved, I don't recall which.
The place was like those extended car warranty spam calls, before spam calls were a thing.
The place was like those extended car warranty spam calls, before spam calls were a thing.
If you wanted good music, you didn't have to look further than The Longines Symphonette.
Instrumentals your bag? The Singing Strings were for you.
SERIOUSLY...Were it not for the above orchestras, you never would've heard the claim, "These are the original songs by the original artists", in hits album ads.
Instrumentals your bag? The Singing Strings were for you.
SERIOUSLY...Were it not for the above orchestras, you never would've heard the claim, "These are the original songs by the original artists", in hits album ads.
