I don't have a massive collection as I just started seriously collecting again about 1.5 years ago. That being said, I haven't had anything and passed on it because of that.
The things I kept since the july Tical release I signed up with were : Run DMC (was dish warped with no replacement available), Blackalicious, El P. The only classics I have passed on during this period was the Latin one (name is escaping me). I've gotten more "old" R&HH (De La, Lil Wayne, Clipse, Camp Lo, BIG, Doom, Outkast) in swaps than I have new releases. There are others that I want that I missed out on from the past as well. I signed up for this service for R&HH and absolutely stayed solely because of classics.
I just don't think this sub matches what it used to be. There are so many amazing Rap and Hip Hop albums that need re-issuing instead we get future and salt n peppa and one of the least desired roots albums (luckily they gave us phrenology with essentials).
This also seems to be the general consensus
I've found the RHH to perhaps be the most polarizing of the tracks, and maybe that's just due to the wide variety and styles that fall under the RHH banner and I might be a bit more picky in my tastes. I started off as a RHH subscriber two years ago (thanks Mm.. Food) but had a similar problem where I found myself swapping more often than I'd keep a record.
I've since gone on to make Classics my primary track and rarely find myself swapping from it.
The curation isn't good for me as well, but I don't care what they do with the sub, I just won't get it.
I wish they'd focus more on less pop chart stuff and not prioritize first time on vinyl so much, unless it's some underground thing that the artist never did themselves. I'd also be excited if they did more obvious classics but focused on getting the mastering and pressing quality right, since that is missing from many 90s hip hop reissues.
Again, I'm glad for the people who have been happy with the picks, but I'm at a point where I only get one VMP album a month and the RHH doesn't usually cut it lately.
Sorry for long essay but anyone willing to read thanks
I joined VMP sometime around 2014. I was monthly and dipped in and out depending on what the ROTM was before it was renamed Essentials.
When they announced an R&HH sub I was pumped as R&HH is my main genre of focus and at least 90% of my personal overall listening I reckon.
I was initially underwhelmed with some of the choices, that's when I took a step back and realised well it is curation and I'm not the only customer they have so it is either going to be hit or miss.
I expected from it being the specific genre I love to be more hit but I don't know if it has tbh. Underwhelmed happens quite frequently
I also thought well I either get on board and hopefully pick up stuff that
1. Hasn't been pressed and want
2. Is a superior version of an album I already own
3. Is something I wouldn't have ever picked up myself but end up enjoying or some cases loving
4. Worst comes to worst there is usually something else available to my taste I can swap for
5. Clues & Guessing from members on here lead me to listen to other albums I wouldn't have perhaps tried or come across by myself also
With that in mind I haven't cancelled my sub in almost 2 years so I suppose it's somewhat worked for me to an extent.
The shipping included for everything I buy from them is a big staying point for me, importing from anywhere to Ireland generally adds at least 10 to 20 euros on top of the vinyl cost so being able to get store exclusives etc is great too
Conversely & Admittedly I do often feel massive surges of elation when guesses come through like as recent as this month the thoughts of possibly getting MNIMN on vinyl followed by major deflation when it starts to point to Nicki Minaj but levels back out again when it comes to Future Honest
If I look at the vinyl I've received through the sub majority of it I've probably "just got on board with", a minor handful of it has been gems I wouldn't have bought off my own back followed by a minor handful of it being something I really wanted personally
Most months in here if I'm being honest feels like folk just accepting whatever they are being given without being especially happy about it
So do we stick with the curation of some random vmp employees in hope of adding the odd gem now and then? Or do we quit and curate our own collections via discogs and other outlets?
I think the FOMO of what's coming next month keeps majority of us here sadly....
It is impossible to please everybody all of the time though
www.metacritic.com
www.albumoftheyear.org
