Designer Collector: Vinyl records

What do you collect?

I collect vinyl records…sort of.

I actually don't have a record player, so I only collect the special editions that have really great packaging, thoughtful design or unique features—essentially, since I can't listen to them, I need them to bring me joy in other ways.

Since when? 

I started collecting LPs in early 2020. I was trying to find something to boost my mood during the long months of quarantine and also looking for ways to support the bands and artists I loved while they were unable to perform. Bastille (my favourite band at the time) released a gorgeous splatter vinyl of their third album, aptly titled Doom Days, and I had to buy it! 

The cover art for their first three albums were heavily inspired by movie posters, and so each release had some kind of cinematic aspect to it. The limited edition of their second album, Wild World, had a lenticular cover that would appear to move depending on the angle you viewed it at.

How many items? Where is it kept?

Collector’s boxsets and special edition records can get expensive, so I initially set out to only collect Bastille albums—but then I discovered beautiful albums from other artists I love, and it has been slowly spiralling ever since. Most of my standard size records live in a vintage powder blue Victrola case, but it’s definitely grown beyond that and is currently overflowing onto any empty spot on my shelves.

What is it about this collectible that you love so much? How does it inspire you as a designer?

With the growth of streaming, it’s a lot harder for an artist to get their fans to invest in physical media, so I appreciate the ones that put a lot of thought into their album packaging, especially if it’s beyond just pretty vinyl colourways. When bands/artists work with a team of designers to rethink what’s possible, create experiences or flesh out stories and can deliver something beautiful and unique, it makes a huge difference for the fans—it moves it beyond just being a good album and into being a cherished possession.

Your favourites? 

My favourite item is my deluxe boxset of Australian metalcore band Alpha Wolf's Half Living Things. I definitely spent way too much money on it, but I always say that if my house was on fire, it would be the first thing I'd grab (see above RE: cherished possession). When it arrived, I video-called all my friends and showed everyone that came over. 

Modo Design & Key Production documented the whole design and testing process and were nominated for Best Boxed or Limited Edition Package at the 2025 Grammys. They created packaging that opened up to become a life-size boombox (based on the boombox from the album cover) with the two CDs in place of the speakers, a cassette version of the album in the tape deck and a pocket in the back for the vinyl. It also had an NFC keytag based on a sticker from the album artwork that you could tap to your phone and unlock exclusive content.

My honourable mentions are two albums by the Rochester band Joywave. They always put a lot of thought into their vinyl releases and the last two have been my favourite. Cleanse features a pop-up car dashboard with a car wash-soap-themed splatter vinyl. Permanent Pleasure features a pop-up 70s living room with a burgundy rug vinyl and a little hand-painted cat figurine (modelled after the cat on the album artwork) that you could place in the living room scene or on the record as you played it.

An item you aspire to have in your collection?

I dream of having liquid-filled vinyl and zoetrope picture discs in my collection. Those always have very limited production quantities, so they tend to sell out before I can grab one. An honourable mention – because it’s a very recent purchase, that hasn’t arrived yet—are the RPG vinyl records from The Dead Robotz. They are a collective that make music for table-top role-playing games (like Dungeons & Dragons), but the vinyl case acts as both the Gamemaster shield and a map, and the booklet insert is the campaign story guide (also, the album artwork and vinyl colourways are stunning).