UK
1986- Label and catalog number
- Vertigo 830 526-1
- Format
- LP, Album
Vinyl pressings
Friends
by The Bolshoi · 1986
18 pressings10 countriesNew WaveRock
Friends was first pressed on vinyl in 1986. 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 Friends
11 pressings came out in 1986, the album's first year, in 8 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.
UK
1986- Label and catalog number
- Beggars Banquet BEGA 76
- Format
- LP, Album
- Runout / matrix
BEGA 76-A MT. F DAMONTVariant 1 Side A, etched
BEGA 76-B MT. F DAMONTVariant 1 Side B, etched
BEGA 76-A MT H DAMONTVariant 2 Side A, etched
BEGA 76-B MT K DAMONTVariant 2 Side B, etched
US
1986- Label and catalog number
- I.R.S. Records IRS-5814
- Format
- LP, Album
- Runout / matrix
IRS 5916 AM5 ◈-P-◈Side 1 etched
IRS 5917 AM5 ◈-P-◈Side 2 etched
US
1986- Label and catalog number
- I.R.S. Records IRS-5814
- Format
- LP, Album, Stereo
- Runout / matrix
IRS 5916 AM2 ⧈-G-⧈Side A, etched
IRS 5917 AM2 ⧈-G-⧈Side B, etched
Japan
November 21, 1986- Label and catalog number
- Beggars Banquet YX-7418-AX
- Format
- LP, Album
Australia
1986- Label and catalog number
- Liberation Records LIB 5080
- Format
- LP, Album
Not sure how to read the runout? See matrix numbers, runout and dead wax and how to tell a first pressing.
All 18 vinyl pressings
By decade, oldest first. Open a pressing for its full label, barcode and runout details.
1980s16 pressings
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Australia | Liberation Records LIB 5080First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1986 | Canada | Vertigo 830 526 1First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1986 | France | Comotion CMT 80008First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1986 | Greece | Beggars Banquet 58030First yearLP, Album, White Label | LP, Album, White Label |
| 1986 | Spain | Victoria VLP-206 / Victoria 30.1144First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1986 | UK | Vertigo 830 526-1First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1986 | UK | Beggars Banquet BEGA 76First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1986 | UK | Beggars Banquet BEGA 76LP, Album, Test Pressing, White Label · Test pressing | LP, Album, Test Pressing, White Label · Test pressing |
| 1986 | US | I.R.S. Records IRS-5814First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1986 | US | I.R.S. Records IRS-5814First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1986 | Japan | Beggars Banquet YX-7418-AXFirst yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1986 | Japan | Beggars Banquet YX-7418-AXFirst yearLP, Album, Promo · Promo | LP, Album, Promo · Promo |
| 1987 | Argentina | DG Discos DG-202 / DG Discos DG 202LP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1987 | Brazil | Beggars Banquet 670.0032 / Beggars Banquet 35.001LP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1987 | Greece | Beggars Banquet 58030LP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
2020s1 pressing
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Unknown | Beggars Arkive BBQ2546LPLP, Album, Reissue, Stereo · Colored vinyl | LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo · Colored vinyl |
Year unknown1 pressing
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| ? | Spain | Victoria VLP-206 / Victoria 30.1144LP, Album, Reissue | LP, Album, Reissue |
Tracklist
- A1A Way
- A2Modern Man
- A3Someones Daughter
- A4Sunday Morning
- A5Looking For A Life To Lose
- B1Romeo In Clover
- B2Books On The Bonfire
- B3Pardon Me
- B4Fat And Jealous
- B5Waspy
Questions
How many vinyl pressings of Friends are there?
18 vinyl pressings of Friends are listed here, from 10 countries, released between 1986 and 2024.
When was Friends first released on vinyl?
The earliest pressings are from 1986, in UK, US, Japan, Australia and more. One of them is Vertigo 830 526-1.
How do I tell if my copy of Friends is a first pressing?
Check the catalog number on the label (first-year pressings use 830 526-1, BEGA 76, IRS-5814, YX-7418-AX) and the codes etched in the runout groove, then compare them with the pressings listed above. Later reissues often keep the catalog number but change the label design or the runout codes.
How much is Friends 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.