Vinyl pressings
by Harry Nilsson · 1968
Aerial Ballet was first pressed on vinyl in 1968. Every vinyl pressing is listed below with its label, catalog number and runout codes, so you can tell an original from a reissue.
12 pressings came out in 1968, the album's first year, in 5 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.
WPRS-0317--3S HA runout stamped
WPRS-0318--3S HB runout stamped
WPRS-0317A label matrix
WPRS-0318B label matrix
WPRS-0317-2S I A2Side A runout, stamped
WPRS-0318-2S A1 I A1Side B runout, stamped
WPRS-0317Side A label
WPRS-0318Side B label
(Side A, label): WPRM-0315
(Side B, label): WPRM-0316
(Side A, stamped): WPRM-0315 -- 1 S I A1
(Side B, stamped): WPRM-0316 -- 2 S I A1
WPRS-0317 -- 1 S RSide A, Stamped except R
WPRS-0318 -- 1 S RSide B, Stamped except R
WPRS-0317Side A Label
WPRS-0318Side A Label
WPRS-0317-- 1S RRunout A
WPRS-0318--1S RRunout B
WPRS-0317Label A
WPRS-0318Label B
WPRS - 317 - 145 RSide 1 [etched]
WPRS - 318 - 11S RSide 2 [etched]
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | New Zealand | RCA Victor LSP-3956First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1968 | UK | RCA Victor RD 7973First yearLP, Album, Mono · Mono | LP, Album, Mono · Mono |
| 1968 | UK | RCA Victor SF 7973First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1968 | US | RCA Victor LSP-3956LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo | LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo |
| 1968 | US | RCA Victor LSP-3956 / RCA Victor LSP 3956LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo | LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo |
| 1968 | US | RCA Victor LSP-3956First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1968 | US | RCA Victor LSP-3956First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1968 | US | RCA Victor LPM-3956First yearLP, Album, Mono · Mono | LP, Album, Mono · Mono |
| 1968 | US | RCA Victor LSP-3956First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1968 | Canada | RCA Victor LSP-3956First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1968 | Canada | RCA Victor LSP-3956First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1968 | Taiwan | Liming Record LM-2510LP, Album, Unofficial Release, Stereo · Unofficial | LP, Album, Unofficial Release, Stereo · Unofficial |
| 1968 | US | RCA Victor LSP-3956 / RCA Victor LSP-3956RELP, Album, Stereo, Reissue | LP, Album, Stereo, Reissue |
| 1968 | US | RCA Victor LSP-3956 / RCA Victor LSP 3956First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1968 | US | RCA Victor LSP-3956First yearLP, Album, Mispress, Stereo | LP, Album, Mispress, Stereo |
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | US | RCA Victor LSP-3956 / RCA Victor LSP-3956RELP, Album, Repress, Stereo | LP, Album, Repress, Stereo |
| 1970 | Australia | RCA Victor LSP-3956LP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1970 | Australia | RCA Victor LSP-3956LP, Album, Repress | LP, Album, Repress |
| 1973 | Japan | RCA RCA-6151LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo | LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo |
| 1976 | US | RCA Victor LSP-3956 / RCA Victor LSP-3956RELP, Album, Repress, Stereo | LP, Album, Repress, Stereo |
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Canada | Pickwick ACL-7075LP, Album, Remastered | LP, Album, Remastered |
| 1980 | US | Pickwick ACL-7075LP, Album, Reissue, Remastered, Stereo | LP, Album, Reissue, Remastered, Stereo |
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | US | Sundazed Music LP 5468 / Sundazed Music LP-5468LP, Album, Mono, Reissue · Mono | LP, Album, Mono, Reissue · Mono |
| 2017 | Germany | RCA Victor LSP-3956 / Speakers Corner Records LSP-3956LP, Album, Reissue, Remastered, Stereo | LP, Album, Reissue, Remastered, Stereo |
| 2017 | Germany | RCA Victor LSP-3956 / Speakers Corner Records RCA LSP-3956LP, Reissue, Test Pressing, Stereo · Test pressing | LP, Reissue, Test Pressing, Stereo · Test pressing |
| 2018 | US | Sundazed LP 5468 / RCA Victor LSP-3956LP, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue, Mono · Mono, Limited, Colored vinyl | LP, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue, Mono · Mono, Limited, Colored vinyl |
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | US | RCA Victor 19658818201 / Sony Music Commercial Music Group 19658818201LP, Album, Club Edition, Numbered, Reissue, Remastered, Mono · Mono, Numbered, Club edition, Colored vinyl | LP, Album, Club Edition, Numbered, Reissue, Remastered, Mono · Mono, Numbered, Club edition, Colored vinyl |
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| ? | Australia | RCA Victor VPL1 7387LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo | LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo |
| ? | Australia & New Zealand | RCA Victor VPLI 7387LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo | LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo |
| ? | Japan | RCA SHP-6172LP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| ? | UK | RCA Victor SF 7973LP, Album, Reissue, Repress, Stereo | LP, Album, Reissue, Repress, Stereo |
| ? | UK | RCA Victor RD 7973LP, Album, Repress, Mono · Mono | LP, Album, Repress, Mono · Mono |
| ? | UK | RCA Victor SF 7973LP, Album, Reissue, Repress, Stereo | LP, Album, Reissue, Repress, Stereo |
| ? | US | RCA Victor AFL 1-3956LP, Album, Repress, Stereo | LP, Album, Repress, Stereo |
| ? | US | RCA Victor LSP-3956RE / RCA Victor LSP 3956LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo | LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo |
46 vinyl pressings of Aerial Ballet are listed here, from 11 countries, released between 1968 and 2023.
The earliest pressings are from 1968, in US, UK, Canada, Venezuela and more. One of them is RCA Victor LSP-3956, released July 1968.
Check the catalog number on the label (first-year pressings use LSP-3956, LPM-3956, RD 7973, SF 7973) and the codes etched in the runout groove, then compare them with the pressings listed above; for example, WPRS-0317--3S H and WPRS-0318--3S H. 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.
