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Stop Making Sense by Talking Heads, album cover

Vinyl pressings

Stop Making Sense

by Talking Heads · 1984

59 pressings24 countriesFunkNew WaveSoundtrackPost-Punk

Stop Making Sense was first pressed on vinyl in 1984. Every vinyl pressing is listed below with its label, catalog number and runout codes, so you can tell an original from a reissue.

How to spot a first pressing of Stop Making Sense

38 pressings came out in 1984, the album's first year, in 22 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.

US

September 12, 1984
Label and catalog number
Sire 1-25186Sire 9 25186-1
Format
LP, Album · Specialty Pressing, Cardstock Inner Sleeve
Runout / matrix

TJ 0-25M1-1 SH-SP 1 25186 A SH1 [Allied "ɑ" logo] B-19701-SH1 SLM△7401 1-4 STERLINGSide A runout, variant 1

TJ 0-15M1-1 SH-SP 1 25186 B SH1 [Allied "ɑ" logo] B-19702-SH1 SLM△7401-X 1-2 STERLINGSide B runout, variant 1

TJ 1-25186-A-SH1 1 25186 A SH1 [Allied "ɑ" logo] B-19701-SH1 SLM△7401 1-1 STERLINGSide A runout, variant 2

TJ 1-25186-B / 2̶5̶1̶2̶1̶ B SH1 [Allied "ɑ" logo] B-19702-SH1 SLM△7401-X 1-1 STERLINGSide B runout, variant 2

Full details of this pressing

US

September 12, 1984
Label and catalog number
Sire 1-25186Sire 9 25186-1
Format
LP, Album · Specialty Pressing, Paper Inner Sleeve
Runout / matrix

SH SP 1 25186 A SH 5 SLM △7401□-1SM1-1STERLING TJSide A runout, variant 1

SH-SP 1 25186 B SH1 [Allied 'ɑ' logo] B-19702-SH1 SLM △ 7401-X +-- SP STERLING TJ 0-1Side B runout, variant 1

SH-SP 1 25186 A SH 1 [Allied 'ɑ' logo] B-19701-SH1 SP SLM △ 7401 1-2 STERLING TJ 0-1Side A runout, variant 2

SH-SP 1 25186 B SH1 [Allied 'ɑ' logo] B-19702-SH1 SLM △ 7401-X 1̶-̶2̶ SP STERLING TJ 0-1Side B runout, variant 2

Full details of this pressing

US

1984
Label and catalog number
Sire 9 25121-1ESire 1-25121
Format
LP, Album, Limited Edition, Special Edition
Runout / matrix

0-25MI-I SH-SP 1-25121 A SH1 [Allied 'ɑ' logo] B-19701-SH1 SLM ∆7401 STERLINGSide A, variant 1

I-IO-I ∆7401-X SH-SP 125121 B SH3 [Allied 'ɑ' logo] B-19702-SH3 SLM STERLINGSide B, variant 1

SH-SP 1 25121 A SH1 [Allied 'ɑ' logo] B-19701-SH1 SLM ∆7401 1-4 STERLING TJ 0-2Side A, variant 2

SH-SP 1 25121 B SH1 [Allied 'ɑ' logo] B-19702-SH1 SLM ∆7401-X + SP. STERLING TJ 0-1Side B, variant 2

Full details of this pressing

US

1984
Label and catalog number
Sire 1-25186Sire 9 25186-1
Format
LP, Album · Allied Pressing
Runout / matrix

1-25186-A 1 2̶5̶1̶2̶1̶ A SH1 [Allied 'ɑ' logo] B-19701-SH1 SLM△7401 1-1 STERLING TJSide A, runout, variant 1

1 25186-B SH1 [Allied 'ɑ' logo] B-19702-SH1 SLM△7401-X 1-1 STERLING TJSide B, runout, variant 1

1-25186-A 1 251862̶1̶ A SH1 [Allied 'ɑ' logo] B-19701-SH1 SLM△7401 1-1 STERLING TJSide A, runout, variant 2

1 25186-B SH1 [Allied 'ɑ' logo] B-19702-SH1 SLM△7401-X 1-1 STERLING TJSide B, runout, variant 2

Full details of this pressing

UK

October 15, 1984
Label and catalog number
EMI TAH 1EMI EJ 2402431
Format
LP, Album, Stereo
Runout / matrix

EJ 2402431T A-1-1-1-2-Variant 1 A-Side run-out, stamped

EJ 2402431T B-1-1-1-2-Variant 1 B-Side run-out, stamped

EJ 2402431T A-1-1-5- DVariant 2 A-Side runout, stamped

EJ 2402431T B-1-1-1-2- DVariant 2 B-Side runout, stamped

Full details of this pressing

Not sure how to read the runout? See matrix numbers, runout and dead wax and how to tell a first pressing.

All 59 vinyl pressings

By decade, oldest first. Open a pressing for its full label, barcode and runout details.

1980s47 pressings
YearCountryLabel and catalog numberFormat
1984ArgentinaEMI 2402431First yearLP, AlbumLP, Album
1984AustraliaEMI EMC.240243 / EMI EMC-240243First yearLP, AlbumLP, Album
1984Australia & New ZealandEMI EMC.240243 / EMI EMC-240243First yearLP, AlbumLP, Album
1984CanadaSire 92 51861First yearLP, AlbumLP, Album
1984CanadaSire 92 51211First yearLP, Album, Limited Edition · LimitedLP, Album, Limited Edition · Limited
1984CanadaSire W1 25186 / Sire 539825LP, Album, Club Edition · Club editionLP, Album, Club Edition · Club edition
1984CanadaSire 92 51861First yearLP, AlbumLP, Album
1984CanadaSire 92 51861First yearLP, AlbumLP, Album
1984EuropeEMI 1C 064-24 0243 1 / EMI 064 24 0243 1First yearLP, Album, StereoLP, Album, Stereo
1984EuropeEMI 064 24 0243 1 / EMI 1C 064-24 0243 1First yearLP, Album, StereoLP, Album, Stereo
1984EuropeEMI 064 24 0243 1 / EMI 1C 064-24 0243 1First yearLP, AlbumLP, Album
1984EuropeEMI 1C 064-24 0243 1 / EMI 064 24 0243 1First yearLP, AlbumLP, Album
1984FranceEMI 2402431First yearLP, Album, StereoLP, Album, Stereo
1984FranceEMI 2402431LP, Album, Test Pressing · Test pressingLP, Album, Test Pressing · Test pressing
1984FranceEMI 2402431First yearLP, Album, StereoLP, Album, Stereo
All 47 pressings from the 1980s
1990s1 pressing
YearCountryLabel and catalog numberFormat
1999UKEMI 7243 4 99471 1 5LP, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue, Remastered, Stereo · LimitedLP, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue, Remastered, Stereo · Limited
2020s8 pressings
YearCountryLabel and catalog numberFormat
2023UnknownSire R1 724897 / Sire 603497832835LP, Album, Reissue, Remastered, Test Pressing, Stereo · Test pressingLP, Album, Reissue, Remastered, Test Pressing, Stereo · Test pressing
2023UnknownSire R1 724897 / Sire 603497832835LP, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue, Remastered, Special Edition, Stereo · LimitedLP, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue, Remastered, Special Edition, Stereo · Limited
2023USSire R1 724897 / Sire 603497832835LP, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue, Remastered, Special Edition, Stereo · LimitedLP, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue, Remastered, Special Edition, Stereo · Limited
2024WorldwideSire 603497824007 / Sire R5 724897LP, Album, Deluxe Edition, Reissue, Remastered, StereoLP, Album, Deluxe Edition, Reissue, Remastered, Stereo
2024USA24 Music R5 724897 / A24 Music A24M025LP, Album, Reissue, StereoLP, Album, Reissue, Stereo
2024USSire R5 724897 / Sire RCV5 724897LP, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue, Remastered, Stereo · Limited, Colored vinylLP, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue, Remastered, Stereo · Limited, Colored vinyl
2024USSire R5 724897 / Sire 603497824007LP, Album, Reissue, Remastered, StereoLP, Album, Reissue, Remastered, Stereo
2024WorldwideSire 603497824007 / Sire R5 724897LP, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue, Remastered, Stereo · Limited, Colored vinylLP, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue, Remastered, Stereo · Limited, Colored vinyl
Year unknown3 pressings
YearCountryLabel and catalog numberFormat
?UnknownSire 9 25121 1 ELP, Promo · PromoLP, Promo · Promo
?EuropeEMI 038-7 46064 1 / EMI Electrola 038 7 46064 1LP, Album, Reissue, StereoLP, Album, Reissue, Stereo
?EuropeEMI 1C 064 24 0243 1 / EMI 064 24 0243 1LP, Album, Reissue, StereoLP, Album, Reissue, Stereo

Tracklist

  1. A1Psycho Killer4:20
  2. A2Swamp3:50
  3. A3Slippery People3:35
  4. A4Burning Down The House4:10
  5. A5Girlfriend Is Better3:32
  6. B1Once In A Lifetime4:34
  7. B2What A Day That Was5:08
  8. B3Life During Wartime4:52
  9. B4Take Me To The River5:36

Questions

How many vinyl pressings of Stop Making Sense are there?

59 vinyl pressings of Stop Making Sense are listed here, from 24 countries, released between 1984 and 2024.

When was Stop Making Sense first released on vinyl?

The earliest pressings are from 1984, in US, UK, Italy, Japan and more. One of them is Sire 1-25186, released September 12, 1984.

How do I tell if my copy of Stop Making Sense is a first pressing?

Check the catalog number on the label (first-year pressings use 1-25186, 9 25121-1E, TAH 1, EJ 2402431) and the codes etched in the runout groove, then compare them with the pressings listed above; for example, TJ 0-25M1-1 SH-SP 1 25186 A SH1 [Allied "ɑ" logo] B-19701-SH1 SLM△7401 1-4 STERLING and TJ 0-15M1-1 SH-SP 1 25186 B SH1 [Allied "ɑ" logo] B-19702-SH1 SLM△7401-X 1-2 STERLING. Later reissues often keep the catalog number but change the label design or the runout codes.

How much is Stop Making Sense on vinyl worth?

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.

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