The 45 of Labelle, “Lady Marmalade” was the first I bought for myself. I had records my whole life. I remember listening to some when I was 2 1/2. I certainly had this one:
Karma in action!
Carma.
I had totally forgotten about 45s.
My first record ever that I bought with my hard-earned wages was Don McLean’s American Pie.
And it was a treat because my crappy radio tape recording was the radio edit, missing the unknown-to-me fifth verse (“…Jack be nimble, Jack be quick…”). I remember playing my precious 45 for the first time on my brother’s record player and hearing a new verse and being super excited.
I can not say for sure, but I think:
First Tape: All For Love (Adams, Sting, Stewart)
First CD: Petrafied - The Best of Petra
Oh, I could probably list first CD as well: Frank, by Squeeze.
First 8-track: Rush, Permanent Waves. Oh, the satisfying ker-chunk of the 8-track!
I probably didn’t buy, but the first records I remember playing were Meet the Beatles and Snoopy vs. the Red Baron (1966) by the Royal Guardsmen.
The first record I remember buying (at a 7-Elevin) was a live Beach Boys album.
My first stereo was an 8-track with AM/FM I got for Christmas. Book-shelf speakers.
I think my first purchase was a CCR tape? I also bought Janis Joplins Hits around the same time.
I quickly got ripped off. I found some greatest hits tapes at Walmart. Great selection of songs! They were on sale!
I blew my entire allowance on three 8-tracks. I got home and discovered they were covers by fake bands.
What a early life lesson for a 12 year-old.
I didn’t have a nice cassette player until the 1980’s.
Oh, great thread. I can easily remember buying my first cassette tape: Biz Markie - The Biz Never Sleeps with his hit Just a Friend. I got it just in time to take on our 8th grade trip to a Cubs game. I could still recite large sections of even some of the less popular songs and Friend bangs today as well as 35 years ago.
Was it the one with “Monster Mash” and “Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow”? That was one of my very first albums, received as gift, I think.
First record of any kind: The Sesame Street Book and Record, which I got for Christmas at age 5, in 1970.
First 45 that I bought myself: “Convoy,” by C.W. McCall, which I bought in 1975.
First album that I bought myself: the soundtrack to Star Wars, in 1977.
First pre-recorded cassette that I bought: 90125, by Yes, in 1983.
First CD that I bought: Brothers in Arms, by Dire Straits, in 1989.
I bought my own turntable in 1979 and bought two albums that day:
- Get the Knack, The Knack
- The Kids are Alright, The Who
I don’t think so. The quality sucked (too much audience noise). Bootleg maybe?
LP: probably Meco’s Star Wars and Other Galactic Funk from a huge flea market held inside the University of New Orleans.
Cassette: Billy Joel’s Greatest Hits Volumes I & II.
CD: likely Billy Joel again.
I had a pretty large album collection when I was a kid but those were likely all handed down from my older siblings. I know this was in there.
That was my first vinyl LP, given to me as a gift before I had a turntable to play it on.
My first CD was U2’s Rattle and Hum, also given to me as a gift before I owned a CD player.
Funny, as I was just listening to you via YouTube (remastered). Chicago Transit Authority. Unreal album!
3 excellent choices I have to say!
My first cassette (I think) was Echo & the Bunnymen’s Songs to Learn and Sing
Not entirely certain of first CD, but it may have been The Connells Fun and Games
My first album, on any medium, was Pearl Jam’s Vitalogy. It probably would have been 1995, and I would have been either a freshman or sophomore in high school.
1st 45: I Want To Hold Your Hand b/w I Saw Her Standing There.
However my first LP purchase was The Dave Clark Five Return. In the Beatles vs. Dave Clark Five showdown I was clearly in the camp of the latter. Probably because they had a saxophone.
First CD was Ben Webster meets Gerry Mulligan.
KISS - Alive