Vinyl pressings

Only Lovers Left Alive

by The Wanderers · 1981

30 pressings2 countriesPunkRock

Only Lovers Left Alive was first pressed on vinyl in 1981. 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 Only Lovers Left Alive

1 pressing came out in 1981, the album's first year. 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

1981

Label and catalog number

Polydor POLS 1028

Format

LP, Album, Stereo

Runout / matrix

POLS 1028 A // 1▽ E 11 2 RAYSRunout A, variant 1

POLS 1028 B // 1▽ E T 11 2Runout B, variant 1

POLS 1028 A // 1▽ E T 11 1 RAYSRunout A, variant 2

POLS 1028 B // 1▽ E T 11 1Runout B, variant 2

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 30 vinyl pressings

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

1980s1 pressing

Year	Country	Label and catalog number	Format
1981	UK	Polydor POLS 1028First yearLP, Album, Stereo	LP, Album, Stereo

2020s29 pressings

All 29 pressings from the 2020s

Tracklist

A1Fanfare For 1984
A2No Dreams
A3Dr. Beter
A4A Little Bit Frightening
A5Take Them And Break Them
A6It's All The Same
A7The Times They Are A-Changin'
B1Ready To Snap
B2Can't Take You Anymore
B3Sold Your Soul For Fame
B4Circles Of Time
B5There'll Be No Tomorrow

Questions

How many vinyl pressings of Only Lovers Left Alive are there?

30 vinyl pressings of Only Lovers Left Alive are listed here, from 2 countries, released between 1981 and 2024.

When was Only Lovers Left Alive first released on vinyl?

The earliest pressings are from 1981, in UK. One of them is Polydor POLS 1028.

How do I tell if my copy of Only Lovers Left Alive is a first pressing?

Check the catalog number on the label (first-year pressings use POLS 1028) and the codes etched in the runout groove, then compare them with the pressings listed above; for example, POLS 1028 A // 1▽ E 11 2 RAYS and POLS 1028 B // 1▽ E T 11 2. Later reissues often keep the catalog number but change the label design or the runout codes.

How much is Only Lovers Left Alive 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.