Last year was a big one year for R&B and hip-hop, as well as for vinyl, which is continuing to experience a renaissance. Despite overall album sales falling by 18 percent, vinyl sales grew for the 12th year in a row in 2017. Though the days of the Beatles have come and gone, the rich sound that vinyl provides is still something many an audiophile prefer over CDs.
In honor of vinyl lovers everywhere, as well as the upcoming Grammy Awards, which are flooded with R&B/hip-hop nominees, among other genres, here are some of 2017’s must-have vinyl records for sale. Take a peek, see if you can add to your growing collection, and avoid going to your local record store.
If you’re looking for a record player to get started, we’ve got options right here. You can also check out our list of 2017’s 50 best albums for more inspiration.
Kendrick Lamar — ‘Damn’ ($30-$33)
Available on 180-gram vinyl is Kendrick Lamar’s fourth studio album, Damn, which features the singles Humble, DNA. and Loyalty featuring Rihanna. The critically acclaimed rapper is up for seven Grammy nominations this year, including the Album of the Year.
Childish Gambino — ‘Awaken, My Love!’ ($15-$20)
“Awaken, My Love!” is Donald Glover’s third studio album under the stage name Childish Gambino. Self-produced alongside longtime collaborator Ludwig Goransson, the album is nominated for five Grammy awards. Packed with soul, funk, and R&B songs, it is available on 180-gram vinyl.
Khalid — ‘American Teen’ ($20-$21)
Khalid describes his debut album, “American Teen” as a compilation of his youth. It’s nominated for five Grammys, including Best R&B song for his breakout single “Location.”
Lorde — ‘Melodrama’ ($30)
Lorde snagged herself one Grammy nomination for Album of the Year, making her the only female nominee for this award. Melodrama is now available for pre-order on vinyl.
SZA — ‘Ctrl’ ($22)
Certified gold, SZA’s debut album “Ctrl” features the singles Drew Barrymore, Love Galore, and, of course, The Weekend. The neo-soul singer’s album was created over a four-year span and has earned her five Grammy nominations, including Best New Artist.
Ed Sheeran — ‘Divide’ ($27-$29)
After taking a year off of social media and traveling the world, the singer-songwriter came back with a 16-track album filled with audio reflections on his travels. Sheeran’s much-anticipated third album launched with the inescapable single Shape of You which is up for the Best Pop Solo Performance award.
Portugal. The Man — ‘Woodstock’ ($30)
Like Digital Trends, Portugal. The Man is based in Portland, Oregon — holla! The rock band’s hit single Feel It Still, off of their eight studio album Woodstock, has been used for an Apple iPad Pro commercial and nominated for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.
Lana Del Rey — ‘Lust for Life’ ($40)
Despite being embroiled in a copyright dispute with Radiohead over the song Get Free Lana Del Rey is enjoying success with her latest album, Lust for Life, which is nominated for a Best Pop Vocal Album Grammy. The Lust for Life vinyl is available exclusively at Urban Outfitters.
Mura Masa — ‘Mura Masa’ ($30)
The 21-year old producer made the charts with the single Love$ick featuring A$AP Rocky and 1 Night with Charli XCX. Both singles were included on his self-titled debut album. Mura Masa is nominated for Grammys for Best Dance/Electronic Album and Best Recording Package.
Gorillaz — ‘Humanz’ ($28-$40)
Gorillaz’ much-anticipated fifth album features appearances by Pusha T, Dram, Vince Staples, and others. The virtual band’s Humanz album is nominated for a Grammy for Best Alternative Music Album and is available as a 2-disc vinyl set.
6LACK — ‘Free 6lack’ ($19)
Hailing from Atlanta, Grammy Awards newcomer 6LACK (pronounced black) finds his debut album Free 6lack nominated for Best Urban Contemporary Album. Available on vinyl now, it features the single Prblms, which is also nominated for a Grammy.
The Weeknd — ‘Starboy’ ($29)
Like 6LACK, The Weeknd’s Starboy also earned a Grammy nomination for Best Urban Contemporary Album. Whiel it received some less-than-stellar reviews in comparison to his previous studio albums and mixtapes, you can judge the album for yourself with a true listening experience via vinyl.
Migos — ‘Culture’ ($26)
The trap music stars behind Bad and Boujee featuring Lil Uzi Vert, Migos are also newcomers to the Grammy Awards. Nominations for Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Album for Culture only increased the hype surrounding their upcoming second installment, Culture II. In the meantime, you can grab a vinyl edition of Culture.
Tyler, the Creator — ‘Flower Boy’ ($28)
Produced by Tyler the Creator himself, Flower Boy features guest appearances from Frank Ocean, A$AP Rocky, Lil Wayne, and more. He earned himself a nomination for Best Rap Album for what is considered to be his most sincere album yet.
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