Why is Slipknot Iowa vinyl so expensive? You can find some vinyl records at good prices. However, others are being sold at crazy prices, which frustrates so many vinyl lovers.

Slipknot’s Iowa is one of those vinyl records that are being sold on the internet at unreasonable prices. But what makes it so expensive?

In this article, we’ll discuss the reason Iowa vinyl is so expensive. We’ll also talk about the reissued record. Let’s begin!

Why Is Slipknot Iowa Vinyl So Expensive?

The reason Slipknot’s Iowa vinyl record is so expensive is its rarity. There are only a few of them available to this day.

With the increasing demand for them, the prices consequently go up high. However, Slipknot released a repressed vinyl version of Iowa, which you can get at reasonable prices.

What Makes a Vinyl Record Expensive?

Vinyl records nowadays have high prices in general. It’s not just about Slipknot’s Iowa record. It’s because of the current vinyl market conditions.

The growing demand for vinyl records since 2006 has been outrageous. Between 2020 and 2021, LP sales jumped by over 50%, with 41.7 million LPs sold.

In only the first half of 2022, 19.4 million vinyl LP records were sold.

Economically speaking, the supply and demand imbalance in the vinyl record market is causing the higher price tags in recent years.

Usually, when the supply side doesn’t meet the demand, prices strike up high. However, other factors make a specific vinyl record more valuable than others.

All these factors contribute to the rarity of the record. A rule of thumb is that when something is rare, it’s more valuable.

Here are some factors that make a vinyl record expensive:

First Pressing

First pressing vinyl records are the most valuable. They’re more highly requested than repressed records.

People tend to favor first pressing because their sound quality is much better than repressed versions.

They’re also most likely to be rare, therefore, hold more value.

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Handwritten Notes

Imagine having a record of your favorite artist with a handwritten note by them on it. How valuable it would be for you!

Some records have handwritten notes on them, whether from the artists or producers. These notes definitely add value to the record.

Of course, records with handwritten notes are also rare, which adds more and more to their value.

Unusual Covers

Sometimes artists release records with unusual covers. An example of this is The Beatles’ album “Yesterday and Today”.

The band had to change the initial cover of that record as they received backlash for it being too violent.

Somehow, some records with the original cover made it to sale. These copies are among the rarest vinyl records that exist and are worth a fortune.

Limited Edition

Some artists like to release limited editions of their vinyl records. These editions might contain bonus tracks or unique art, which all of this adds to the record’s value.

Since they’re limited editions, only a few copies of them make it to the store shelves, and not all fans get their hands on them. Therefore, their prices are usually higher than standard editions.

Is Slipknot’s Iowa Vinyl Record Valuable?

Yes, Slipknot’s Iowa vinyl record is valuable. You can find a first-pressed Iowa vinyl record being sold for hundreds of dollars.

This price might be shocking but just think about it for a moment. The album was first released in 2001, and that is when we got the first pressed vinyl records of it.

Slipknot didn’t release any other editions of the album until 2022. That was a long wait for their fans. So, during the waiting time, their records got more expensive by the day as the demand for them increased.

Besides that, the album was listed as number 1 on the 100 greatest metal albums of the 21st-century list created by Metal Hammers in 2018. So it adds value to the record being the top metal album.

Does the Iowa Repressed Vinyl Affect the Value of the Original?

The release of their Iowa vinyl record doesn’t affect the value of the first pressed edition. There is always something special about the originals.

Originals usually sound a lot better. The reason for that is that newer pressings have to be copied from the original master tapes.

The more the original master tapes are used, the more they get warped. This reduces the sound quality of the repressings.

In addition, the repressed Iowa vinyl is available in translucent green, which is different from the original. While the translucent green is absolutely gorgeous, sentimental people might not like the change.

The reissue edition is a total success, but it’ll never take the glam out of the original Iowa vinyl. If the vinyl market continues growing, expect the Iowa original vinyl record to get more expensive as time passes.

Review of the 2022 Iowa Repressed Vinyl Record

Slipknot just released a vinyl reissue of their Iowa album in May 2022. This limited edition was long-awaited.

However, some fans are hesitant to buy it because they’re afraid it won’t be of good quality. So, Here’s a review of the repressed version for you to decide if it’s worth your money:

Cover & Packaging

For the cover, Slipknot left everything the same. They used the same goat picture with the same shiny cover.

They even used the same picture of the band on the inside. You can also see that the original and reissue have the same mathematical equations on the inside of the cover and the back of the sleeve.

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We get from this that Slipknot’s strategy with the reissue is to leave everything the same but make it with better quality this time.

The cover and the packaging of the original are pretty thin. But, honestly, the packaging of the reissue looks and feels better as it’s a lot thicker than the original.

It looks like they put time and care into the reissue packaging, and we’re here for it. Plus, you can also find a hype sticker in the reissue edition.

Vinyl Record

Unlike the original, the reissue vinyl record comes in translucent green, aka coke bottle clear. As a result, the vinyl looks gorgeous and unique.

The vinyl sleeves are kept the same, but again they’re thicker and of better quality in the reissue.

Sound Quality

When listening to the new 2022 Iowa vinyl and comparing it to the original, you could notice a slight difference in the sound quality. For example, the bass might sound a bit low.

You have to turn up the volume to get the best sound experience. However, the overall sound quality is great and way better than many other reissue records.

So, we highly recommend buying the reissued vinyl if you can’t keep up with the over-the-top prices of the originals.