Vinyl pressings
by David Bowie · 1979
Lodger was first pressed on vinyl in 1979. Every vinyl pressing is listed below with its label, catalog number and runout codes, so you can tell an original from a reissue.
38 pressings came out in 1979, the album's first year, in 19 countries. Compare the label and catalog number on your copy, then the codes etched or stamped in the runout groove (the dead wax around the label): they are the surest sign of an early pressing.
STERLINGSide A & B runout on all variants, stamped
gc. BOW LP 1 (PL 13254)-A-1 NO SENSE IS BETTER…Side A runout, variant 1
gc. BOW LP 1 (PL 13254)-B-2 …THAN NONE AT ALLSide B runout, variant 1
gc. BOW LP-1 (PL13254)-A-2 NO SENSE IS BETTER… A4LSide A runout, variant 2
AQL1-3254-A STERLING gc NO SENSE IS BETTER...Side A etched exc. Sterling
AQL1-3254-B ...THAN NONE AT ALL. STERLING gcSide B etched exc. Sterling
AQL1-3254-ASide A label
AQL1-3254-BSide B label
AQL1-3254-A 1 NO sense is better... I A1 C STERLING gcSide A runout, variant 1
A ̶G̶QL1 3254B 10 I A2Side B runout, variant 1
AQL1-3254-A-2 no sense is better I STERLING gc ^2Side A runout, variant 2
AQL1 3254B 11 I ^ ̶M̶ 3Side B runout, variant 2
AQL1-3254-A No sense is better... HUB STERLING GCSide A runout, variant 1
AQL1-3254-B ...THAN NONE AT ALL. HUB STERLINGSide B runout, variant 1
AQL1-3254-A 1S No sense is better... HUB STERLING GCSide A runout, variant 2
AQL1-3254-B STERLING ...THAN NONE AT ALL. HUBSide B runout, variant 2
AQL1-3254-A NO SENSE IS BETTER... STERLINGVar. 1 - Side A runout, etched ["STERLING" stamped]
AQL1-3254- ̷A̷ -B ...THAN NONE AT ALL. STERLING gc.Var. 1 - Side B runout, etched ["STERLING" stamped]
AQL1-3254-A- STERLING gc. No Sense Is Better...Var. 2 - Side A runout, etched ["STERLING" stamped]
AQL1-3254-B ...THAN NONE AT ALL. STERLING gc.Var. 2 - Side B runout, etched ["STERLING" stamped]
Not sure how to read the runout? See matrix numbers, runout and dead wax and how to tell a first pressing.
By decade, oldest first. Open a pressing for its full label, barcode and runout details.
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | Australia | RCA Victor APL1 3254First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1979 | Australia | RCA Victor APL1 3254LP, Album, Test Pressing · Test pressing | LP, Album, Test Pressing · Test pressing |
| 1979 | Brazil | RCA Victor 104.4131First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1979 | Canada | RCA Victor AQL1-3254First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1979 | Canada | RCA Victor AQL1-3254First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1979 | Canada | RCA AQL1-3254 / RCA Victor AQL1-3254First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1979 | Canada | RCA AQL1-3254 / RCA Victor AQL1-3254First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1979 | Colombia | RCA Victor 05(0131)01693First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1979 | France | RCA PL 13254 / RCA Victor PL 13254First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1979 | France | RCA Victor PL 13254LP, Album, Repress | LP, Album, Repress |
| 1979 | Greece | RCA Victor RCLP 20132First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1979 | Israel | RCA Victor BOW LP 1 / RCA Victor PL 13254First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1979 | Italy | RCA PL 13254First yearLP, Album, Promo · Promo | LP, Album, Promo · Promo |
| 1979 | Japan | RCA RVP-6390 / RCA AQL1-3254First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1979 | Japan | RCA RVP-6390 / RCA AQL1-3254First yearLP, Album, Promo, Stereo · Promo | LP, Album, Promo, Stereo · Promo |
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Canada | RCA Victor AYL1-4234LP, Album, Reissue | LP, Album, Reissue |
| 1981 | Canada | RCA Victor AYL1-4234LP, Album, Reissue | LP, Album, Reissue |
| 1981 | US | RCA Victor AYL1-4234LP, Album, Reissue | LP, Album, Reissue |
| 1982 | Germany | RCA Victor PL 13254LP, Album, Reissue, Repress, Stereo | LP, Album, Reissue, Repress, Stereo |
| 1982 | Ireland | RCA INTS 5212 / RCA NL 14234LP, Album, Reissue | LP, Album, Reissue |
| 1982 | Italy | RCA YL 14234LP, Album, Reissue, Remastered, Stereo | LP, Album, Reissue, Remastered, Stereo |
| 1982 | Italy | RCA YL 14234LP, Album, Promo, Reissue, Remastered · Promo | LP, Album, Promo, Reissue, Remastered · Promo |
| 1982 | Japan | RCA RPL-2107 / RCA AYL1-4234LP, Album, Reissue | LP, Album, Reissue |
| 1982 | Japan | RCA RPL-2107 / RCA AYL1-4234LP, Album, Reissue, Test Pressing · Test pressing | LP, Album, Reissue, Test Pressing · Test pressing |
| 1982 | Spain | RCA Victor PL-13254LP, Album, Reissue | LP, Album, Reissue |
| 1982 | UK | RCA International INTS 5212 / RCA International NL 14234LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo | LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo |
| 1982 | UK | RCA International INTS 5212 / RCA International NL 14234LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo | LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo |
| 1983 | France | RCA Victor PL 13254LP, Album, Repress, Stereo | LP, Album, Repress, Stereo |
| 1983 | Netherlands | RCA International INTS-5212LP, Album, Reissue | LP, Album, Reissue |
| 1983 | South Africa | RCA Victor MMTL 1224 / RCA Victor AQL1-3254LP, Album, Reissue | LP, Album, Reissue |
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Europe | EMI 064 7 97724 1LP, Album, Reissue | LP, Album, Reissue |
| 1991 | Italy | EMI 64 7977241LP, Album, Remastered | LP, Album, Remastered |
| 1991 | UK & Europe | EMI EMD 1026LP, Album, Reissue | LP, Album, Reissue |
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | UK | RCA Victor BOW LP1 / RCA Victor PL 13254LP, Album, Unofficial Release · Unofficial, Colored vinyl | LP, Album, Unofficial Release · Unofficial, Colored vinyl |
| 2017 | Europe | Parlophone Records Ltd. 0190295842673LP, Album, Reissue | LP, Album, Reissue |
| 2018 | Worldwide | Parlophone 0190295842673 / Parlophone DB 77826LP, Album, Reissue, Remastered, Stereo | LP, Album, Reissue, Remastered, Stereo |
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Europe | Parlophone 0190295842673LP, Album, Reissue, Remastered, Repress, Stereo | LP, Album, Reissue, Remastered, Repress, Stereo |
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| ? | Australia | RCA Victor APL1 3254LP, Album, Reissue | LP, Album, Reissue |
| ? | Canada | RCA Victor AQL1-3254LP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| ? | Greece | RCA Victor RCLP 20132LP, Album, Repress, Stereo | LP, Album, Repress, Stereo |
| ? | Spain | RCA NL-14234LP, Album, Reissue | LP, Album, Reissue |
| ? | Spain | RCA NL-14234LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo | LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo |
| ? | UK | RCA International INTS 5212 / RCA Victor BOW LP 1LP, Album, Reissue | LP, Album, Reissue |
| ? | UK | RCA International INTS 5212 / RCA BOWLP 1LP, Album, Reissue | LP, Album, Reissue |
| ? | UK | RCA BOW LP 1 / RCA PL 13254LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo | LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo |
| ? | UK | RCA Victor BOW LP 1 / RCA Victor PL 13254LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo | LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo |
76 vinyl pressings of Lodger are listed here, from 24 countries, released between 1979 and 2025.
The earliest pressings are from 1979, in UK, US, Germany, Italy and more. One of them is RCA BOW LP 1, released May 1979.
Check the catalog number on the label (first-year pressings use BOW LP 1, AQL1-3254, APL1-3254, AQL1-3245) and the codes etched in the runout groove, then compare them with the pressings listed above; for example, STERLING and gc. BOW LP 1 (PL 13254)-A-1 NO SENSE IS BETTER…. Later reissues often keep the catalog number but change the label design or the runout codes.
It depends on which pressing you have and on the condition of the record and its sleeve. Early pressings from the album's home country in near mint condition are usually worth the most; common later reissues are worth far less. Scan your copy with VinylLens to see its value for every grade.
