Why Is Reputation Vinyl So Expensive?

Since the early 2000s, vinyl records have been making a slow but steady comeback. People started to increasingly appreciate this good old album listening approach, so much so that by 2020, vinyl records sales witnessed a whopping 30% increase!

Reputation is Taylor Swift’s 6th studio album, released in 2017. Although the album was a bit darker than Taylor Swift’s usual vibe, it was a great commercial success.

Why is Reputation vinyl so expensive, though?

There are a few reasons why Reputation vinyl is expensive. The album itself is different, personal, and creative. Taylor Swift has done a great job writing each song in a way that reflects her feelings. Besides, a limited edition of the album’s vinyl record was released, and it’s to die for!

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5 Reasons Why Reputation Vinyl Is Expensive

Taylor Swift’s personal life has always been under the spotlight, especially after the release of her 5th album, 1989. Not to mention the publicization of her conflicts with other celebrities.

Because of this, Swift kept to herself and stayed away from all social media and the press for quite some time. During that time, she started working on Reputation in an attempt to uplift her emotional state.

Let’s take a look at why the Reputation vinyl is so expensive:

1. Reputation Vinyl Has a Limited Edition

Reputation has sold an incredible number of copies. It wasn’t that expensive when it was first released, after all. However, the release of the limited edition version of the record had people going crazy over it.

Reputation’s limited edition version is a rare find. It has a translucent orange color that’s quite vibrant. People’s asking price for this specific version of Reputation vinyl is insane!

2. Reputation Vinyl Is a Collectible Item

For collectors, the ordinary Reputation vinyl is a must-have because it’s so visually appealing. However, the orange translucent version of the Reputation vinyl is levels ahead of the regular vinyl in terms of aesthetic appeal. It’s simply a piece of art.

The ordinary Reputation disc has Taylor Swift’s photo printed on it. Appearance-wise, it looks really great. However, Taylor Swift fans claim that the picture printing process slightly reduces the disc’s audio quality.

On top of that, the picture printed on the standard vinyl disc wears off with constant use. The Reputation orange translucent vinyl, on the other hand, is a lot more durable.

3. Reputation Is a Huge Success

Reputation is the 4th consecutive Taylor Swift album to debut first on the US Billboard 200. In addition, the album stayed on top for 4 weeks straight!

Not only did Reputation top the US charts, but it also topped the charts in the UK, Canada, and Australia.

Additionally, Slant Magazine listed Reputation as one of the best albums in the 2010s. The New York Times also listed Reputation as the 5th best album of 2017.

Reputation won many awards, and it was nominated for Best Pop Vocal Album at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards.

4. Reputation Is Different

Taylor Swift went in a different direction as she was making this album. Her approach was a bit unusual compared to what her fans were used to at the time.

The theme Taylor Swift followed was drawn from the circumstances surrounding her at the time, as well as finding love through all that.

Before the release of Reputation, Taylor Swift refused to do any interviews. She only chose to share what appeared to be a teaser slogan that states, “There’s no further explanation, there’s only reputation.”

Long after the release, Taylor Swift stated that Reputation was a “real process of catharsis.” She thinks that she’d never done that before.

During an interview with Rolling Stone magazine in 2019, Taylor Swift said:

“When my life took a very dramatic shift, all of a sudden I knew what to make next, which is a strange dichotomy to feel like, ‘whoa, this is all really weird, twisted, dark and dramatic, but I can’t stop writing.’”

5. The Overall High Demand for Vinyl Records

Vinyl records are getting more popular than they’ve ever been simply because they provide users with a tangible and active listening experience.

People enjoy sitting back, relaxing, going through the album art, and reading the lyrics. It’s an experience that avid music fans have an appreciation for.

Additionally, the value of vinyl records increases over time. They’re something that you can leave to your children, give to dear ones as a gift, or even trade with other vinyl records lovers.

Note that the process of pressing vinyl records is pretty expensive, especially since the global pandemic. There’s been a shortage in materials and labor in pressing plants. As a result, the production and shipping of vinyl records take a whole lot more time than they used to.

How Many Copies Did The Album Reputation Sell?

Reputation has sold over 5,000,000 copies worldwide. The album sold 3,000,000 copies in the US alone, followed by China and the United Kingdom.

During the first week of its release, Reputation’s sales surpassed the 1 million album units mark!

Reputation Stadium Tour

Taylor Swift supported the album release with the Stadium Tour in 2018.

The tour began on May 8th in Glendale and ended on November 21st in Tokyo. It consisted of 53 shows and received 2.88 million guests.

The Reputation Stadium Tour is Taylor Swift’s most successful tour and highest-grossing tour ever in North America. The tour’s gross revenue exceeded $300 million!

Fun Fact About Reputation

The cute pronunciation of the word “gorgeous” at the beginning of the song Gorgeous belonged to James; Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively’s 2-year-old daughter. She’s even credited as “baby intro voice.”

Taylor Swift said that she played the song to Ryan and Blake at the beach when their daughter started repeating the word “gorgeous.” That’s when Taylor asked them to get it recorded.

I mean, how cute is that!