You know, I have seen these box sets at local thrift stores for years and never paid much attention to them. I decided to pick a couple up for fun since they were only $2, and I actually quite enjoy them! They aren't gonna be spinning regularly (I am a black metal guy at heart), but it is interesting to throw them on and hear what people may have been listening to in years past. The box sets are constructed fairly well too.
It's old people music, no doubt about that. But they look nice and sound decent, so why not try a few out. You can always re-donate them if they aren't to your liking.
Regarding their LPs, as somebody has said it seems it was marketed for Grannies, now that we are in the XXI century that happened to be their main advantage, many of their collections were never played, they were only packaged in antistatic sleeves that kept the LPs in better conditions than most albums of today, whatever was their factory in England had the latest 80's technology or black magic to cram several songs per side without affecting treble or bass (can anybody get their workers out of retirement or out of their grave please). All these in slim LP's that would laugh at your 180g remastered audiophile edition. The only problem for me, of course they edited mostly classic or old fashion music. But if there is anything of their catalog that it suits me, I just get it. Because they are one of the few niches not discovered by Vinyl junkies as they are not the "original", quality per little moneys like it was the early noughties. PD: Dear granny or granny heir if you do not want them, somebody else does. Please donate, list on eBay etc.
What to say about this label ? Well there's more negative than positive to talk about Reader's Digest music .
Let's start the negative points ;
1) That Label Fools poor old people by selling non needed compilations since many of these people from around 65-95 years old has prolly already all these singers, bands, balads, classics , etc... 2) Reader's Digest promise so many times to older people they will win some money like a lotery ( usualy around 50.000€ ) but you need to buy their shit usualy a CD compilations that contains more than 3 discs , a Book you never read or encyclopedies sold in pieces and what not ( but the so called fake money they promise you will win you will never get ) no in the place you get stupid free gifts that are junk and lands directly into the bin . 3) The ridiculous prices they dare to ask for their CD compilations around 60€ way overpriced since you can get all these for less than 5€ somewhere else from other cheap labels . 4) The many similar compilations they have for example the Classical genre Johannes Strauss Waltz , French singers like André Claveau, Bourvil , Edith Piaf , ... and the 50's , 60's , 70's dances . So that you get duplicates by two or more compilations you don't even know about it .
The only positive point ;
1) Having some rare singers, bands and titles .
Best to avoid this label by all cost since it's a SCAM by all means fooling innocent old people to take their money by offering sand thrown in eyes fairy tales they will so called win some amount of money , a car , a holiday in a 5-Star Hotel and other lies .
muzicpainter
September 20, 2022They aren't gonna be spinning regularly (I am a black metal guy at heart), but it is interesting to throw them on and hear what people may have been listening to in years past. The box sets are constructed fairly well too.
It's old people music, no doubt about that. But they look nice and sound decent, so why not try a few out. You can always re-donate them if they aren't to your liking.