Vinyl pressings
by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds · 1996
Murder Ballads was first pressed on vinyl in 1996. Every vinyl pressing is listed below with its label, catalog number and runout codes, so you can tell an original from a reissue.
4 pressings came out in 1996, the album's first year, in 2 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.
STUMM 138 - A1 PR-M RRunout side A, variant 1
STUMM 138 - B1 PR-M RRunout side B, variant 1
STUMM 138 - A1 PR-M DRunout side A, variant 2
STUMM 138 - B1 PR-M MRunout side B, variant 2
STUMM 138-A1 PR-M 2Side A runout, etched
STUMM 138 B-2 1 DAMONTSide B runout, etched
INT 146 927 - AA side runout etched
INT 146 927 - BB side runout 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | UK | Mute STUMM 138LP, Album, Repress | LP, Album, Repress |
| 1996 | UK | Mute STUMM 138LP, Album, Repress, Unofficial Release · Unofficial | LP, Album, Repress, Unofficial Release · Unofficial |
| 1996 | Germany | Intercord INT 146.927 / Mute STUMM 138First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1996 | UK | Mute STUMM 138 / Mute Stumm 138First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1996 | UK | Mute LPSEEDS59First yearLP, Album, Limited Edition, Stereo · Limited | LP, Album, Limited Edition, Stereo · Limited |
| 1996 | UK | Mute STUMM 138First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Unknown | Mute STUMM 138 / Mute INT 146.927LP, Album, Misprint, Unofficial Release · Unofficial | LP, Album, Misprint, Unofficial Release · Unofficial |
| 2014 | Unknown | Mute STUMM 138LP, Album, Unofficial Release · Unofficial, Colored vinyl | LP, Album, Unofficial Release · Unofficial, Colored vinyl |
| 2014 | Unknown | Mute STUMM 138LP, Album, Unofficial Release · Unofficial, Colored vinyl | LP, Album, Unofficial Release · Unofficial, Colored vinyl |
| 2014 | Unknown | Mute STUMM 138LP, Album, Unofficial Release · Unofficial, Colored vinyl | LP, Album, Unofficial Release · Unofficial, Colored vinyl |
| 2014 | Unknown | Mute STUMM 138LP, Album, Unofficial Release · Unofficial | LP, Album, Unofficial Release · Unofficial |
| 2014 | Unknown | Mute STUMM 138LP, Album, Unofficial Release · Unofficial, Colored vinyl | LP, Album, Unofficial Release · Unofficial, Colored vinyl |
| 2014 | Europe | BMG LPSEEDS9 / BMG Lpseeds 9LP, LP, Single Sided, All Media, Album, Reissue, Remastered, Stereo | LP, LP, Single Sided, All Media, Album, Reissue, Remastered, Stereo |
| 2015 | Europe | Mute LPSEEDS9 / BMG LPSEEDS9LP, LP, Single Sided, All Media, Album, Reissue, Remastered, Stereo | LP, LP, Single Sided, All Media, Album, Reissue, Remastered, Stereo |
| 2015 | US | Mute LPSEEDS9 / BMG BMG14012VLP, LP, Single Sided, All Media, Album, Reissue, Remastered | LP, LP, Single Sided, All Media, Album, Reissue, Remastered |
| 2016 | Unknown | Mute STUMM 138LP, Album, Repress, Unofficial Release · Unofficial, Colored vinyl | LP, Album, Repress, Unofficial Release · Unofficial, Colored vinyl |
| 2017 | US | Mute BMG14012V / BMG BMG14012VLP, LP, Single Sided, All Media, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue · Limited, Colored vinyl | LP, LP, Single Sided, All Media, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue · Limited, Colored vinyl |
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| ? | Unknown | Mute STUMM 138LP, Album, Unofficial Release · Unofficial | LP, Album, Unofficial Release · Unofficial |
| ? | Unknown | Mute STUMM 138LP, Album, Unofficial Release · Unofficial, Colored vinyl | LP, Album, Unofficial Release · Unofficial, Colored vinyl |
| ? | Europe | Mute LPSEEDS9 / BMG LPSEEDS9LP, LP, Single Sided, All Media, Album, Reissue, Repress | LP, LP, Single Sided, All Media, Album, Reissue, Repress |
| ? | Germany | Intercord INT 146.927 / Mute STUMM 138LP, Album, Unofficial Release · Unofficial, Colored vinyl | LP, Album, Unofficial Release · Unofficial, Colored vinyl |
| ? | Germany | Intercord INT 146.927 / Mute STUMM 138LP, Album | LP, Album |
| ? | UK | Mute STUMM 138LP, Album, Reissue, Unofficial Release · Unofficial | LP, Album, Reissue, Unofficial Release · Unofficial |
| ? | UK | Mute STUMM 138LP, Album, Unofficial Release · Unofficial | LP, Album, Unofficial Release · Unofficial |
| ? | US | Mute BMG14012V / BMG BMG14012VLP, Mispress, LP, Single Sided, All Media, Album, Mispress, Reissue, Remastered | LP, Mispress, LP, Single Sided, All Media, Album, Mispress, Reissue, Remastered |
25 vinyl pressings of Murder Ballads are listed here, from 4 countries, released between 1996 and 2017.
The earliest pressings are from 1996, in UK, Germany. One of them is Mute STUMM 138, released February 5, 1996.
Check the catalog number on the label (first-year pressings use STUMM 138, LPSEEDS59, INT 146.927) and the codes etched in the runout groove, then compare them with the pressings listed above; for example, STUMM 138 - A1 PR-M R and STUMM 138 - B1 PR-M R. 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.
