Stickers … again?
For those of you who’ve been exploring any of my previous posts here in Collector’s Land, better known as my Records, CDs and Music blog, today I’m going to take another look at the elusive hype sticker.
Hype stickers, as I’ve said previously, come on either a sealed album or CD and usually promote the hit single from that particular album or, in the case of many of the items I’m showcasing today, the exclusive freebie that’s contained inside the package.
Previously I showed a few of my favorite vinyl hype stickers but today I’m sticking (no pun intended) to some of my favorite hype stickers from CDs – many of which came on chain store exclusive versions of those CDs.
(Note: I’m also throwing in some non-exclusive hype stickers and fun CD packaging just for grins lol.)
Best Buy, when it used to actually STOCK CDs, was particularly good at enticing the greedy collector with exclusive content if you bought the CD from their stores.
Items from ranging from 45’s, tote bags and photo cards to bonus CDs with exclusive tracks and DVDs with bonus footage where dangled in front of collector’s wallets and, as I am somewhat embarrassed to say, I usually took the bait!
Below are quite a few Paul McCartney exclusives from Best Buy and Target stores but there are also a few interesting banner cards or Japanese OBI type strips that I found on certain CDs and never saw again.
Btw, an OBI is thin strip of paper wrapped around a vinyl album or CD and is common on Japanese music products. Some US record companies use that OBI style on their music CDs and vinyl from time to time as well.
The lone Ringo Starr exclusive Best Buy CD in the photos below reminds me how glad I am that we live in the age of buying from the Internet.
The Ringo Starr CD entitled “Vertical Man” came out in 1998 and in those days I remember having to get to the Best Buy store just at the right time to hunt the shelves for the two or three copies of the exclusive CD they had buried in back somewhere.
You usually had to be there right near opening in the morning and then you had to chase down a doe-eyed young store employee who usually just stared at you in a foggy haze as you frantically spelled the artists name until they said they didn’t stock that item.
I remember that happened with this Ringo Starr CD when from the corner of my eye I happened to look over at a cart waiting to be shelved and pulled the CD out and said, “You mean this one?”
One thing my older age has taught me is if I can’t get it online or mail order, it ain’t happening!
To quote Ringo Starr:
“Oh, you can bet I never let the things I get,
Get the best of me.
When I get blue, here’s what I do and so can you,
It is no mystery when you sing.
La de da, like que sera, whatever la de da”
– from “La De Da”, Vertical Man album 1998
More hype sticker, fun CD packaging love below:
(The last two photos include a special slipcase packaging for Paul McCartney’s “Driving Rain” CD as well as his withdrawn CD single for “From a Lover to A Friend” from that same album.)
Enjoy!
Records, CDs and Music: 