Vinyl pressings
by The Who · 1981
Face Dances 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.
45 pressings came out in 1981, the album's first year, in 27 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.
WHOD 5037 A//2▽EST STERLING GUARANTEED BRAND SPANKIN' WHOSide A runout, variant 1
WHOD 5037 B//1▽EST WHO IS JOE SUIT?Side B runout, variant 1
WHOD 5037 A//2▽EST STERLING TJ 14 AS 2302106 1 GUARANTEED BRAND SPANKIN' WHOSide A runout, variant 2
WHOD 5037 B//1▽EST STERLING TJ 11 3 BS 2302106 WHO IS JOE SUIT ?Side B runout, variant 2
HS1 3516 LW3 STERLING Guaranteed Brand Spankin' WhoRunout side A, variant 1
HS2 3516 LW3 STERLING Who Is Joe Suit?Runout side B, variant 1
HS1 3516 LW3 STERLING Guaranteed Brand Spankin' WhoRunout side A, variant 2
HS2 3516 LW3 STERLING TJ Who Is Joe Suit?Runout side B, variant 2
HS1 3516 JW4 STERLING 0 GUARANTEED BRAND SPANKIN' WHOSide A runout, variant 1
HS2 3516 JW3 STERLING TJ 0 WHO IS JOE SUIT?Side B runout, variant 1
HS-1-3516-JW4 #1 STERLING 0 GUARANTEED BRAND SPANKIN' WHOSide A runout, variant 2
HS 2 3516 JW1 #4 STERLING TJ 0 WHO IS JOE SUIT?Side B runout, variant 2
HS1 3516 WW1 #3 STERLING TJ . —◁ 0 GUARANTEED BRAND SPANKIN' WHORunout side A, variant 1
HS2 3516 WW1 #3 STERLING TJ . —◁ WHO IS JOE SUIT?Runout side B, variant 1
HS1 3516 WW3 STERLING TJ —◁ 0 GUARANTEED BRAND SPANKIN' WHORunout side A, variant 2
HS2 3516 WW2 #11 STERLING TJ —◁ WHO IS JOE SUIT?Runout side B, variant 2
HS1 3516 E1 STERLING SP [EDP logo] M2 SF1 M4 O-2 SM 1-1Guaranteed Brand Spankin' WhoSide A runout
HS 2 3516 E1 0-1 SM2-2 STERLING TJ SP [EDP logo] M1 SF1 SM2 O-2 SM 1-1 Who Is Joe Suit?Side B runout
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Australasia | Polydor 2302 106First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1981 | Australasia | Polydor 2302 106First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1981 | Austria | Polydor 2311 065First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1981 | Brazil | Polydor 2311 065First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1981 | Canada | Warner Bros. Records XHS 3516First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1981 | Canada | Warner Bros. Records XHS 3516First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1981 | Colombia | Polydor 2302 106First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1981 | Ecuador | Polydor LP-75178First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1981 | Europe | Polydor WHOD 5037 / Polydor 2302 106First yearLP, Album, Limited Edition, Special Edition · Limited | LP, Album, Limited Edition, Special Edition · Limited |
| 1981 | France | Polydor 2302 106First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1981 | Germany | Polydor 2311 065First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1981 | Greece | Polydor 2302 106First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1981 | Greece | Polydor 2302 106First yearLP, Album, White Label | LP, Album, White Label |
| 1981 | Guatemala | Polydor 2311065LP, Album, Reissue | LP, Album, Reissue |
| 1981 | Israel | Polydor 2311 065First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Europe | Polydor 3715712 / Universal Music Catalogue 3715712LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo | LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo |
| 2015 | US | Polydor B0022556-01 / Geffen Records B0022556-01LP, Album, Reissue, Remastered, Stereo | LP, Album, Reissue, Remastered, Stereo |
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Worldwide | Polydor / UMCAll Media, Album, Reissue, Remastered, Stereo, LP, Test Pressing, LP, Test Pressing · Test pressing | All Media, Album, Reissue, Remastered, Stereo, LP, Test Pressing, LP, Test Pressing · Test pressing |
| 2021 | Worldwide | Polydor 3543227 / UMC 3543227LP, LP, All Media, Album, Record Store Day, Reissue, Remastered, Stereo · Colored vinyl | LP, LP, All Media, Album, Record Store Day, Reissue, Remastered, Stereo · Colored vinyl |
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| ? | Europe | Polydor 3715712 / Universal Music Catalogue 3715712LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo | LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo |
61 vinyl pressings of Face Dances are listed here, from 30 countries, released between 1981 and 2021.
The earliest pressings are from 1981, in UK, US, Australasia, Ireland and more. One of them is Polydor WHOD 5037, released March 6, 1981.
Check the catalog number on the label (first-year pressings use WHOD 5037, HS 3516, 2302 106, 2311 065) and the codes etched in the runout groove, then compare them with the pressings listed above; for example, WHOD 5037 A//2▽EST STERLING GUARANTEED BRAND SPANKIN' WHO and WHOD 5037 B//1▽EST WHO IS JOE SUIT?. 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.
