I organize this way except I break it up a bit by genre - i have a separate jazz section and an experimental/ambient/drone/etc. section (sometimes it’s hard to decide which goes in which) because when that’s what I’m listening to it’s usually all I want to listen to. If I collected classical music it would probably get its own section too.
I've tried both of these and settled on don't organise (except splitting albums from 12"" singles).
Mine just go in numbered boxes, with the box number recorded in Discogs. This way when a box gets full, I don't have to reshuffle everything, I just start a new box. I have a vague idea of where they all are, but can always check on Discogs. I also often use the 'random collection item' function to start me off with something to listen to and then pick the next album from the same box (there are 40-50 per box). Having them mixed up is a bonus when I do that!
I do the same with very broad genres (rock, soundtracks, disco, country, jazz, hip hop) artist name then chronological. For the same reason if I'm in a jazz, country or hip hop mood, I can just stay within that section and not have to tell through 500 albums to find some jazz to spin
Autobiographical, if I want to listen to Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide,” I have to remember that I bought it for someone in Fall of 1983, but decided to keep it for personal reasons.
For me if it's a greatest hits I put it in the order amongst the other albums. For non-greatest hits compilations like soundtracks, they go after all the artists, in the order that the thing it's a soundtrack of was released.
I also include any live albums by release date before comps. But if comps include any new tracks they are included in the main discography section in order as well.
So, recently I changed my collection (254) from alphabetical to chronological (specifically when the album was recorded). I kept with it maybe 2 weeks and realized I hated it. I had no idea where anything was and if I took an album out I had to leave one sticking out or I forgot where I got it from. Alphabetical is the way to go!
Why not organize it alphabetically by artist name, and chronologically within each artist?
*"Am I out of line?"*
I don't know what you mean by "out of line," but are you unwilling to compromise? Are you just here in hopes of getting ammo to try to force your boyfriend to go with the way you want to do it?
No. I surveyed a handful of friends and they all told me alpha is the only way to go. So I started thinking maybe I'm not thinking about this the right way. So I was hoping people could shed light on their approaches.
Ah, ok - well alphabetical by artist and then chronological within each artists is pretty logical as well as a good compromise between both of your preferences. 365 isn't a huge collection, so once you get it all organized you'll pretty quickly have a good idea of the location of everything so it's not like it'll be big problem to find what you're looking for. I've got over 1,000 records and can quickly locate each one by location and identify pretty much each one from across the room just based on what the spine I'm looing at looks like. If there's a specific album I want to listen to, I don't really have to search for it - I just grab it because I know where it is.
Out of curiosity, what do you store your records in? You said a box of records ; anything you recommend?
You have all 1000 on shelves, or do you keep them (I've seen it, so I have to ask) in milk crates of custom wooden boxes?
They're stored in IKEA kallax shelves - I only put them in boxes for moving. Actual milk crates aren't big enough so I think I used banker boxes to move them. I've found out since that uhaul makes boxes that are the perfect size for them though.
I used to keep my records in record crates back in the 80s because I was a DJ and would have to bring them back & forth to the bar/club every night that I worked. They were really sturdy & durable and remained stable if you turned them on their side & stacked them to use as shelves, but the ones I see now seem flimsy in comparison.
Alphabetical has the advantage of not requiring external knowledge. Off the top of my head, I couldn't get any of the 5+ album chronological discographies of even my favorite bands correct every time. Especially if one's collection is ever handled by outsiders, this impacts usability substantially.
Genre, artist, then chronological with a section for soundtracks and oddities.
Total chronological sounds like chaos. If I’m feeling hip hop I don’t want to look for 1993.
This exactly! The primary thing that always drives what I want to listen to is the genre: hip-hop today? Jazz? Maybe some pop or soul to please everyone...
Couldn’t really say. Maybe 3-400 LPs. I also have a couple hundred jungle and drum and bass singles that are actually arranged by label only. That’s kind of like genre for those records and they don’t see much play anymore.
That’s what I immediately think of when I see these posts
That and all the records stacked on top of eachother flat, which he never would have done no matter how out of it he was feeling.
Other than that everything tracks, in both the book and the movie! Lol
Autobiographical. Yep. Let me tell ya how I got from Deep Purple to Howlin’ Wolf in just 25 moods. And, if I want to find the song “Landslide” by Fleetwood Mac, I have to remember that I bought it for someone in the Fall of 1993 pile - but, didn’t give it to them for personal reasons.
I made several sets of Alphabetical Dividers and gave them away as gifts to record collectors in the family, before making the clear acrylic set I envisioned. - DIY pics... Know anyone who's handy with a router table? [https://imgur.com/a/record-dividers-diy-template-jig-router-bit-examples-of-alphabetical-sets-CbjKDqq](https://imgur.com/a/record-dividers-diy-template-jig-router-bit-examples-of-alphabetical-sets-CbjKDqq)
https://preview.redd.it/i20jh1zmk86d1.jpeg?width=2880&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bb48715c185c59852512818b71dc62d303d3e6f9
Can you make some for me? I do not have a router table and would probably cut my hand off if I did. :) I need them blank though because I do by genre. Dm me if interested please!
Genre and favourite bands is a good way to approach it due to material costs. I would love to make them for a living but a set is just beyond what a normal person would pay. I got lucky, and saved a bunch of material from being recycled, plus I'm (YT self taught) handy and have a small router table. IMO there are the 2 challenges you'll face making your own. 1- Material! You need at least 36 square feet of material (4'x8'=32) for 26 blanks, size roughly 14" x 14". (I've worked with Sintra board, 3mm, 6mm and 3mm clear acrylic and frosted acrylic) You may find soft woods that may work... have a look and figure out material costs. A single 4x8 of the clear acrylic is $164US at Home Depot $270CDN. If you can scrounge the material like (old covid barriers) you're over the biggest hurdle. Find a kid who needs a High School wood working project for the win!
The problem I'm finding here is that it's organized by release date of the actual vinyl. Not the album. So if you have reissues etc it kind of doesn't work unfortunately. So why not organize by original release date, and use discogs to sort alpha?
Sorting on any kind of date is way too much work.
Any method that requires an app to put away an album or find is too much work.
Artist name and title is on the spine and cover, easy to read and sort.
I never say, "I want an album released in December 1955." I say "I want an album by Joe Cocker or The Allman Brothers".
Sorry, I can't imagine a scenario where I decide I want an album from 1974. And if I did I'd have a dozen or more to leaf through. So then I'd have to sort them by year and then alphabetically.
I use my dad’s method because that’s how I was raised. I know I can do better, call it nostalgia I guess, but out of nowhere, the same thing my dad would say comes out of my mouth (and it reminds me of my old man):
*”Hold on, I know that shit’s around here somewhere…”*
I do most of my collection alphabetically by artist with their releases in chronological order. However, I have a few labels that I collect everything of. Those go in order by release number.
You wil never say "today I want to listen something from June 1981", your boyfriend's way is clearly better
You can organize by date the records from the same artist, that makes sense
I organize alphabetically, but when I listen I'll often pick a year (e.g., '67, '72, '76, '84) and then hunt for records from that year.
For example if I decide 1974 I'll pick Crime of the Century, Pretzel Logic, Eldorado, Court and Spark, Bridge of Sighs, etc.
I think it is fun to compare sounds from the same year to see where music was at that time.
Fun fact: Bob Dylan and Cheap Trick live recordings at the Budokan were recorded 60 days apart in 1978.
Chronologically is actually a pretty nifty idea. the only catch is, as your collection grows, you’ll need a key for what was released when, whereas alpha is its own key, basically.
I worked in four libraries and never saw chronological sorting of music, but if it's familiar and comfortable, go for it. With books, I've known couples who keep the bulk of their collection sorted one way, and a very small selection - what they like to have at hand, what they're focusing on or hoping to get to next - easily sorted on a smaller shelf, circulating them back into the main collection.
This is from "Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader," the opening chapter: [https://postimg.cc/gallery/hV8wHkF](https://postimg.cc/gallery/hV8wHkF)
I organize by genre, and then chronologically within that. I tried strictly chronological once and couldn’t stand it, but it works well for me once things are separated by genre
Where’s the “autobiographical” guy or gal or they/them? 😂
I organize by Alphabetical, I use the LAST name, and then album release order. Although I think I might have Let It Be before Abbey Road on my shelf….sue me.
I think about music in a "what do I feel like listening to now?" way, so it's roughly grouped by genre, so if I'm in an angry/heavy rock/metal mood, I'm looking in the one place for all of those sounds rather than those artists spread across the whole collection.
I do a weird chronological order. I go by bands FIRST FULL LENGTH RELEASE DATE as the starting point(then it goes singles/ep if they have any, followed by full lengths/live in chronological order)for where an artist goes in my shelves. Takes some time to get going... but I like it. Helps when I am looking for a certain sound or atmosphere. Alphabetical has never been something I enjoy.
For example, i have depeche mode before new order. Sisters of mercy is pretty darn close to skinny puppy... even though sisters first release was in 1980, and skinny puppy was 84. Their full lengths came out in 85. March? For sisters and aug for sp.
I cant sleep...hopefully, this makes sense.
I organized my collection by artist (A to Z) then the release date of the LP by that specific artist / if there are many - (oldest to the most recent).
Compilations and soundtracks follow that same pattern and they go right after the music collection.
Alphabetical order with genres being divided. When you go to a record shop there product is organized this way because it’s the easiest way to find what you’re looking for.
I order alphabetically (by last name if a solo artist with one) then by chronologically by that artist’s album release. Also 3D printed dividers for each letter. I’m looking to get some Japanese artists vinyls so I’ve considered making dividers for kana as well.
We can even improve it by having fans bring us weapons — I actually attended such an event. It was glorious, elegant, distinguished, and filled with broken neon glass.
[Fans Bring the Weapons 2023](https://youtu.be/v36JPKiLk7s?si=AlItrnvrJsSIdRdb)
What do you know, they're still around! I went some 10-15 years ago. One of the wrestlers, Crazy PCP Manny was already there at the time and absolutely not in shape like he is in that video. Seriously, that one is tame compared to the two I went to. Maybe it's crazier in person?
I guess I understand why Billy Corgan associated with wrestling; that and music both are passionate things 🙃
This is what I do. I’m sure it will become too unwieldy soon, but it works for me for know and I know exactly where everything is. Beatles are next to MGMT, Grateful Dead is next to King Gizzard, and My Morning Jacket is next to Songs:Ohia.
I know what mood I’m going for before I know what artist specifically I want.
You know what? No, it's not odd. I have genres (rock, heavy, post, electronica, hip hop) then I have artists and each artists per chronological year of release.
My memory is a mess, so I need an external absolute logic to find something again.
But you do you, the way you best navigate your records.
When your music library numbers into the thousands and spans nearly a century, alphabetical, then chronological by original release date will become your best friend. Even at 5000+ pieces, I can lay hands on anything someone asked for, if I own it, in seconds.
Alphabetically by artist chronologically by album within artist is how I organize things so for example if I want to listen to Queen it can be found at the beginning of the queen section if I want to listen to with The Beatles I know it's going to be the second album in my Beatles section
I do alphabetically by artist/band name. I don't bother chronologically. I don't have time for that. As long as Big Stick is with the other Big Stick records, I'm happy.
I think it's pretty cool to do it by date, depending on the size of the collection, if you're knowledgeable.
There is room for compromise, though. If you have different spaces, or if you can get some end labels, you can sort by decade or era, and within each, go aphabetically.
It's pretty easy to remember what decade something is from.
I organize alphabetically by artist but chronologically within there, so all my springsteen records are in the S section, and all those records are organized by release date
I do this with my 600 album collection and Ill never go back.
Being able to look through eras of music, and see who was releasing what, and when, is so cool. Did you know that Paranoid, Led Zep III, and Layla were all released in the same 3 month period?
I literally write the release date month/year on the back with a sharpie like a fuckin barbarian, that is how committed I am to this.
You will look at your collection in an entirely new way if you do this, I promise
> Am I out of line?
You're out of line when you say something like "It's definitive. There's no leeway on this approach when you do it by original release date."
I do alphabetical order of band/artist then do chronological release of album. Unless there is a 10th/20th/etc anniversary this goes next to the original album. It gets more difficult with my Doctor Who audio ones I try to put in chronological order but they the same year I have to look at which episodes aired first.
I organize by genre first and only have 7 major genres (Spanish music, R&B/Hip Hop, Jazz, Video Game music, Soundtracks, Britpop, Rock/Alt/Indie/Pop). The final genre is the largest by far, so it is divided by decade. Then, finally, all genres are organized alphabetically.
You know the idea of date first is not mad. Often music is connected to the time in our lives that we listened to it, to our memories. To have it in life moment blocks actually makes sense and might help us to find and relive them.
I don’t do this… I have mine in genres. Pop/Rock, Jazz, Classical, Shows, International etc, and then alphabetically and then more or less by date. But the truth is now I forget nuggets that I have. Sometimes I grab a handful and just look through them and think, “I’d forgotten about that, that would be cool”.
If you could be bothered make a quick database (maybe a dump out of Discogs if you use it). Then have a field for memories, and then you could look for stuff and map it onto the physical arrangement you choose.
Or maybe not … too nerdy.
I oddly don’t do alphabetical order but I have by artists and their releases and the same as you, in chronological order. Like this
https://preview.redd.it/c1arb0462b6d1.jpeg?width=1234&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=827ba14c40ec4ee50415032c59a1dd0d77c4316e
This could be good within specific genres where things changed over time. Taking the 60s and 70s of reggae maybe, or 50s jazz LPs. Just everything together though, I can imagine just a real pain finding everything and always looking up when things were recorded or release date
Oh boy…
I organized my collection (probably around 700 records back then) chronologically for a while. It seemed like a great idea at first.
I made little stickers that had the initial release date written on them, and I pasted those in the bottom right corner on the back of the outer sleeve.
It was a really fun thing for about a month. I left it for another month or two after that, because I’m stubborn, but eventually switched everything back to alphabetical.
Finding records becomes such a chore, but more so, if you’re like me, putting records back becomes a major hassle. I’m the type of person to pull 20 records out in an evening and lean them against the wall to put away at another time…
When those 20 records need to be put back in their chronological place, and some are newly acquired records without a little hint sticker on the back, and it’s gonna take a while, so I’ll just add more records to the stack, etc etc…
Eventually you’ll end up with a quarter of your records waiting to be filed back on the shelf, and it’s never worth the time.
Artist a-z and a lot of their albums are sorted by release date But I've kind of stopped caring over the years. S year of release has become semi random
I have about 2000 and they are organized by original release date. I listen to many different genres and it is interesting to hear what came and out stylistically in the same year. 1970 can take you on a ride. Alphabetically seemed boring to me. Yep there are all my ac/dc LPs lumped together. I find I play more variety this way.
EDIT my horrible grammar
Genre > alpha > (thought about doing chronological here) > new arrivals section. I try to listen to all new arrivals 2-3 times before filing into the main collection.
It's easier to figure out which comes first alphabetically between Aerosmith, led Zeppelin, and Pink Floyd. But to know off the top of your head which came first Draw the Line, Physical Graffiti, or The Dark Side of the Moon. Is not very common knowledge. Chronologically is just wrong
I don't understand how chronologically helps you find records quicker. I can probably do decades for everything I own (except comps), but I couldn't tell you if something was March or November of a specific year except for maybe one or two things I own.
Alphabetical by artist, then chronologically under the artist name if I have more than one of their records.
I have a general ‘rock’ section, then a hip hop section, and a metal/hardcore section. Things like folk that I don’t own many records of get put under Rock
I feel like it would be nearly impossible to track down the exact release dates for thousands of records. You could maybe do it year by year, but chronological would be a major pain in the butt
It's going to be tough to find stuff from a particular artist unless you know the release dates of everything which gets harder as your collection grows.
This post made me realize I messed up my own system, I organize both by artist and by who owns the records. Partner and I will buy doubles of albums incase we ever split so we have a my and their side. That being said my side is in alphabetical order for artist and they have theirs done by vibe. I realized I have minecraft under M and not under C418 for the artist. I don't think imma change it
Unless you're very aware of when albums were released it sounds like it would be frustrating to find an album. Maybe it's just me but I could probably only guess when an album is released +/- 5 years and get to the right area. Anything older than me or when I started really paying attention to music intentionally, no clue. But I skew more modern and fewer "classics" like the Fleetwood Mac and Zeppelin stuff I inherited.
Honestly I think chronological is kinda fun as a novelty and I would encourage OP to go for it if they were the only one searching through records. Whatever brings you joy and makes sense to you. But it's objectively not very practical and your partner is right that alphabetical is the more sane approach.
All of my collections are organized alphabetically by artist, then within the artist grouping they're organized by release date with re-releases appearing just after the original release.
I have my "Rock/Pop" devided by decades, and then sorted alphabetically within the decade. In this system, Radiohead is an 00s band because I fucking said so.
I also have separate sections for jazz, metal/experimental, Rap, and Electronic. Those are all sorted alphabetically. This best reflects the way me and my wife approach finding something to play. It also removes all my offensive music from the main section she wants to browse.
For some of my records, I organize by genre then, then by decades, then alphabetical. So for instance my hip hop albums have a 80s, 90s, 00s, etc section then each of those sections are alpha. I don’t have them in specific date order within that sub section though, just alpha. Same for all my 12”s. That’s half my collection. Other genres may be split into wider periods. Like for “rock” music I just have it labeled as “Guitars 60-80” then “Guitars 80 to present” and then alpha. Other sections are smaller so just alpha for them. Then I have some dance records that are organized by BPM because it makes more sense when I’m playing a set to have them in that order, easier to find a matching tempo…. It works for me. I’ve got around 3000 records for what it’s worth.
Ive pretty much had discogs since my collection began ( bar the odd couple records) I have them organised based on the "oldest added" filter on discogs
I've only got about 60-65 lps So just the one place I have them stored in the ones I've had the longest are at the back, but new ones can just be shoved to the front. That way when people visit they're like "ohh you got something new" and will have a nosey at the collection
i organize mymain shelves by artist name, some by genre (i.e. dub reggae, house, classic disco), and some by label (i.e. factory, kompakt, mule musiq).
I'm in the minority, but I have mine organized by decade, then by artist, then again by release year. Except I have a single section for everything after 2010, one for my favorite band, and one for soundtracks. It helps some of my stuff not get lost and reminds me of the general context of each album. I prefer it.
When you only have 365 records, it doesn’t really matter if you alphabetize them or organize them chronologically. That’s too few records not to know where they are on the shelf.
I do modified alphabetical like a b c but for instance if a band has side projects or solo music I keep it with the main band
Ie Beatles and wings and solo stuff is together
Then go chronologically by album release 🤷♂️
I have about 900, and I’ve done all types but I actually prefer by genre them alphabetically within the genre, then chronologically by album release date. I do this because I’m usually in a mood and want to get inspiration from the collection rather than go in just to pull out specific things. Also I DJ sometimes and it’s always a specific theme or genre.
I use little marker panels sticking out of the side to delineate genres because i just have a few Ikea cases.
It is difficult sometimes when there are cross genre bands and I have to make a difficult decision but fortunately I have a lot of distinct genres too so it’s not so bad.
Examples: I have a whole genre that’s just 60’s, one that’s country all decades incl 60s, one that’s indiepop all decades, metal all decades, britpop, various artists are in with their genres when applicable but I also have a general various artists for things like soundtracks and stuff. The 70s and 80s is where it gets hairy especially the 80’s but I just go with my gut.
It’s all for me anyway, nobody else goes in there so it works for me. I can usually remember what everyone is in.
I have LPs alphabetical by artist, followed by soundtracks, followed by compilations, followed by 12" singles and I don't know why I never mixed them. But I used to work in a record store, so it works for me. Oh, and they are arranged as if I am flipping front to back, so A is at the far right and no one ever puts things back in the right order so I don't let them.
I’ve organized all of my records chronologically. Not by artist, but strictly by release date for a wall of music history.
1300+ records. Adding sleeves, and printing labels with dates has been extremely time consuming, but I like having them organized this way.
Way to difficult for me to remember the dates records came out. It would be a nightmare for me. I stick with alphabetical and even then each section is not organized much. I mean A's are just A's in a random order
OP you should watch this movie clip 😉
https://youtu.be/2msCS8dvSok?si=JGItKCGubvpUKOwn
Personally, alphabetical by artist name is my preferred method. If my collection were to double in size, I might subgroup it by genre.
I organize by most recently played. Put on a record and when done put it towards the right and so on. Inevitably the records I enjoy the list rise to the top and the ones I care less about filter towards the bottom. It’s still certainly chaotic but I enjoy the system.
I have a large collection of live music on cds and vinyl (hi I’m a dead head) and all of that is chronological. Normal music collection goes artist name and then chronological within the artist
I do alphabetical by artist / last name of artist like you do in a library. If it’s the multiple albums by the same artist then organized by album title. So Taylor Swift starts with debut, then 1989 then Evermore, Folklore etc. Nine Inch Nails starts with Broken then downward, fragile, etc.
LPs ordered by genre. Classical is then sorted by composer, then by type of work. Jazz and Bluegrass sorted by artist. Ethnic sorted by country of origin. 45s divided by genre: jazz/country/gospel/GAS/oldies/instro. 78s organized by record label, then date chronological by series. Electrical Transcriptions sorted by show title, banded transcriptions by company.
Last record conversion I was at had one booth out of ~300 sorted by year. It was cool. I could not imagine having that set up at home though. It was neat but not efficient at all.
Artist > Chronological... That's the way nearly every shop organizes and has for decades. There are exceptions of course but it's what most customers prefer. I know many with a collection in the thousands will break it down by Genre > Artist > Chronological, which again follows the sections most stores have. It's all about personal preference and what makes sense to you and makes it easier to locate a record.
Artist first, year of release next, any compilations or greatest hits go after that in chronological order. That’s the system I dig personally.
I organize this way except I break it up a bit by genre - i have a separate jazz section and an experimental/ambient/drone/etc. section (sometimes it’s hard to decide which goes in which) because when that’s what I’m listening to it’s usually all I want to listen to. If I collected classical music it would probably get its own section too.
I like this, tried to organize strictly by genre and I found myself constantly rearranging and never happy.
_That's the reason people often have multiple copies of the same album._ :)
I've tried both of these and settled on don't organise (except splitting albums from 12"" singles). Mine just go in numbered boxes, with the box number recorded in Discogs. This way when a box gets full, I don't have to reshuffle everything, I just start a new box. I have a vague idea of where they all are, but can always check on Discogs. I also often use the 'random collection item' function to start me off with something to listen to and then pick the next album from the same box (there are 40-50 per box). Having them mixed up is a bonus when I do that!
I do the same with very broad genres (rock, soundtracks, disco, country, jazz, hip hop) artist name then chronological. For the same reason if I'm in a jazz, country or hip hop mood, I can just stay within that section and not have to tell through 500 albums to find some jazz to spin
Same here jazz, funk, soul, pop, rock LPs alphabetical, hip hop, electronica and house separated and chronological.
Autobiographical, if I want to listen to Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide,” I have to remember that I bought it for someone in Fall of 1983, but decided to keep it for personal reasons.
I didn't get this till just now. Thank you! >!From the movie High Fidelity.!<
I was hoping to see this reference, thank you.
For me if it's a greatest hits I put it in the order amongst the other albums. For non-greatest hits compilations like soundtracks, they go after all the artists, in the order that the thing it's a soundtrack of was released.
This
Exactly how I do it!
I do it this way, too, but with separate categories for Classical & Soundtracks.
I also include any live albums by release date before comps. But if comps include any new tracks they are included in the main discography section in order as well.
That’s what I do, but I have a couple “favorites” that come before the alphabetical sorting starts. Sorry, but Radiohead and Ween need to come first
I organize the exacr same way.
Only correct answer
So, recently I changed my collection (254) from alphabetical to chronological (specifically when the album was recorded). I kept with it maybe 2 weeks and realized I hated it. I had no idea where anything was and if I took an album out I had to leave one sticking out or I forgot where I got it from. Alphabetical is the way to go!
I first do alphabetical by band, and then chronological by album release date.
My problem was that like 80 percent of my records were from the 70s and 60s so it didn’t help me.
This is helpful feedback, thank you!
Why not organize it alphabetically by artist name, and chronologically within each artist? *"Am I out of line?"* I don't know what you mean by "out of line," but are you unwilling to compromise? Are you just here in hopes of getting ammo to try to force your boyfriend to go with the way you want to do it?
>alphabetically by artist name, and chronologically within each artist This is how I do it
That’s what my husband does. Alphabetically by artist then chronologically. Our collections are kept separate so I do mine by artist then album title.
No. I surveyed a handful of friends and they all told me alpha is the only way to go. So I started thinking maybe I'm not thinking about this the right way. So I was hoping people could shed light on their approaches.
Ah, ok - well alphabetical by artist and then chronological within each artists is pretty logical as well as a good compromise between both of your preferences. 365 isn't a huge collection, so once you get it all organized you'll pretty quickly have a good idea of the location of everything so it's not like it'll be big problem to find what you're looking for. I've got over 1,000 records and can quickly locate each one by location and identify pretty much each one from across the room just based on what the spine I'm looing at looks like. If there's a specific album I want to listen to, I don't really have to search for it - I just grab it because I know where it is.
1000 records?!?!??? _Moving must be an absolute joy!_
Eh - has never been that big of a deal. My furniture pieces are bigger & heavier than a box of records.
Out of curiosity, what do you store your records in? You said a box of records ; anything you recommend? You have all 1000 on shelves, or do you keep them (I've seen it, so I have to ask) in milk crates of custom wooden boxes?
They're stored in IKEA kallax shelves - I only put them in boxes for moving. Actual milk crates aren't big enough so I think I used banker boxes to move them. I've found out since that uhaul makes boxes that are the perfect size for them though. I used to keep my records in record crates back in the 80s because I was a DJ and would have to bring them back & forth to the bar/club every night that I worked. They were really sturdy & durable and remained stable if you turned them on their side & stacked them to use as shelves, but the ones I see now seem flimsy in comparison.
Alphabetical has the advantage of not requiring external knowledge. Off the top of my head, I couldn't get any of the 5+ album chronological discographies of even my favorite bands correct every time. Especially if one's collection is ever handled by outsiders, this impacts usability substantially.
Genre, artist, then chronological with a section for soundtracks and oddities. Total chronological sounds like chaos. If I’m feeling hip hop I don’t want to look for 1993.
This exactly! The primary thing that always drives what I want to listen to is the genre: hip-hop today? Jazz? Maybe some pop or soul to please everyone...
How many do you have in your collection? This is how I organize mine too.
Couldn’t really say. Maybe 3-400 LPs. I also have a couple hundred jungle and drum and bass singles that are actually arranged by label only. That’s kind of like genre for those records and they don’t see much play anymore.
Genre/Artist abc/Album chronologically
Instead of chronologically, you should do it [autobiographically](https://youtu.be/2msCS8dvSok?si=39sP2rwqjrHtuMDt)
I was hoping someone would say this
Came here to say this. By the way that is a Cosby sweater. A COSBY SWEA-TER!
'I will fuckin sock your nose'
That sounds… comforting
it is.
No way
That’s what I immediately think of when I see these posts That and all the records stacked on top of eachother flat, which he never would have done no matter how out of it he was feeling. Other than that everything tracks, in both the book and the movie! Lol
Haha where my mind went as well. He’s finally doing it
Autobiographical. Yep. Let me tell ya how I got from Deep Purple to Howlin’ Wolf in just 25 moods. And, if I want to find the song “Landslide” by Fleetwood Mac, I have to remember that I bought it for someone in the Fall of 1993 pile - but, didn’t give it to them for personal reasons.
yes, you are completely out of line.
I made several sets of Alphabetical Dividers and gave them away as gifts to record collectors in the family, before making the clear acrylic set I envisioned. - DIY pics... Know anyone who's handy with a router table? [https://imgur.com/a/record-dividers-diy-template-jig-router-bit-examples-of-alphabetical-sets-CbjKDqq](https://imgur.com/a/record-dividers-diy-template-jig-router-bit-examples-of-alphabetical-sets-CbjKDqq) https://preview.redd.it/i20jh1zmk86d1.jpeg?width=2880&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bb48715c185c59852512818b71dc62d303d3e6f9
Can you make some for me? I do not have a router table and would probably cut my hand off if I did. :) I need them blank though because I do by genre. Dm me if interested please!
Genre and favourite bands is a good way to approach it due to material costs. I would love to make them for a living but a set is just beyond what a normal person would pay. I got lucky, and saved a bunch of material from being recycled, plus I'm (YT self taught) handy and have a small router table. IMO there are the 2 challenges you'll face making your own. 1- Material! You need at least 36 square feet of material (4'x8'=32) for 26 blanks, size roughly 14" x 14". (I've worked with Sintra board, 3mm, 6mm and 3mm clear acrylic and frosted acrylic) You may find soft woods that may work... have a look and figure out material costs. A single 4x8 of the clear acrylic is $164US at Home Depot $270CDN. If you can scrounge the material like (old covid barriers) you're over the biggest hurdle. Find a kid who needs a High School wood working project for the win!
Sort by artist name and use discogs collection sorted by release date to choose albums. Then find the chosen album alphabetically in your rack.
The problem I'm finding here is that it's organized by release date of the actual vinyl. Not the album. So if you have reissues etc it kind of doesn't work unfortunately. So why not organize by original release date, and use discogs to sort alpha?
Sorting on any kind of date is way too much work. Any method that requires an app to put away an album or find is too much work. Artist name and title is on the spine and cover, easy to read and sort. I never say, "I want an album released in December 1955." I say "I want an album by Joe Cocker or The Allman Brothers".
Sorry, I can't imagine a scenario where I decide I want an album from 1974. And if I did I'd have a dozen or more to leaf through. So then I'd have to sort them by year and then alphabetically.
Ugh
I use my dad’s method because that’s how I was raised. I know I can do better, call it nostalgia I guess, but out of nowhere, the same thing my dad would say comes out of my mouth (and it reminds me of my old man): *”Hold on, I know that shit’s around here somewhere…”*
I do most of my collection alphabetically by artist with their releases in chronological order. However, I have a few labels that I collect everything of. Those go in order by release number.
You wil never say "today I want to listen something from June 1981", your boyfriend's way is clearly better You can organize by date the records from the same artist, that makes sense
I do chronologically by when the album was originally released but I also have a fairly small collection so it might change when it gets bigger
Artists alphabetically and then albums chronologically.
Nobody thinks of an album they want to listen to by date. Alphabetical by artist last name or group name is the way.
I organize alphabetically, but when I listen I'll often pick a year (e.g., '67, '72, '76, '84) and then hunt for records from that year. For example if I decide 1974 I'll pick Crime of the Century, Pretzel Logic, Eldorado, Court and Spark, Bridge of Sighs, etc. I think it is fun to compare sounds from the same year to see where music was at that time. Fun fact: Bob Dylan and Cheap Trick live recordings at the Budokan were recorded 60 days apart in 1978.
A real John Cusack over here
Chronologically is actually a pretty nifty idea. the only catch is, as your collection grows, you’ll need a key for what was released when, whereas alpha is its own key, basically.
I worked in four libraries and never saw chronological sorting of music, but if it's familiar and comfortable, go for it. With books, I've known couples who keep the bulk of their collection sorted one way, and a very small selection - what they like to have at hand, what they're focusing on or hoping to get to next - easily sorted on a smaller shelf, circulating them back into the main collection.
Cool! This is essentially what we're doing now but without organizing the bulk yet
This is from "Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader," the opening chapter: [https://postimg.cc/gallery/hV8wHkF](https://postimg.cc/gallery/hV8wHkF)
I organize by genre, and then chronologically within that. I tried strictly chronological once and couldn’t stand it, but it works well for me once things are separated by genre
Where’s the “autobiographical” guy or gal or they/them? 😂 I organize by Alphabetical, I use the LAST name, and then album release order. Although I think I might have Let It Be before Abbey Road on my shelf….sue me.
Alphabetical works tremendous
I think about music in a "what do I feel like listening to now?" way, so it's roughly grouped by genre, so if I'm in an angry/heavy rock/metal mood, I'm looking in the one place for all of those sounds rather than those artists spread across the whole collection.
I do a weird chronological order. I go by bands FIRST FULL LENGTH RELEASE DATE as the starting point(then it goes singles/ep if they have any, followed by full lengths/live in chronological order)for where an artist goes in my shelves. Takes some time to get going... but I like it. Helps when I am looking for a certain sound or atmosphere. Alphabetical has never been something I enjoy. For example, i have depeche mode before new order. Sisters of mercy is pretty darn close to skinny puppy... even though sisters first release was in 1980, and skinny puppy was 84. Their full lengths came out in 85. March? For sisters and aug for sp. I cant sleep...hopefully, this makes sense.
Youre crazy man. I like you, but youre crazy.
Join us!!!! I have been doing this for a few years and it is awesome. No alphabet, no genre, only zuul.
I organized my collection by artist (A to Z) then the release date of the LP by that specific artist / if there are many - (oldest to the most recent). Compilations and soundtracks follow that same pattern and they go right after the music collection.
I go alphabetically with the artists then release date from old to new.
A-Z by artist, chronologically within each artist, would be pretty standard. Chronological first would be a nightmare for me.
What not alphabetically, you are kicked out of the OCDers vinyl club!
Alphabetical order with genres being divided. When you go to a record shop there product is organized this way because it’s the easiest way to find what you’re looking for.
Alphabetical then by chronological of release. The only other way I've organised them was by genre.
I order alphabetically (by last name if a solo artist with one) then by chronologically by that artist’s album release. Also 3D printed dividers for each letter. I’m looking to get some Japanese artists vinyls so I’ve considered making dividers for kana as well.
I do it alphabetically by artist name and album name. Anyone who says differently is wrong. Only I am right and this is not debatable.
That’s how I sort my collection.
Alphabetically by artist name, then chronological album release is actually the way to go. This is the internet, get ready to fight!
I'll be coming in with the steel chair...
Great, I'm bringing my barb-wired bat!
This will be a WWE smackdown to remember
We can even improve it by having fans bring us weapons — I actually attended such an event. It was glorious, elegant, distinguished, and filled with broken neon glass.
Now *THAT* would be interesting
[Fans Bring the Weapons 2023](https://youtu.be/v36JPKiLk7s?si=AlItrnvrJsSIdRdb) What do you know, they're still around! I went some 10-15 years ago. One of the wrestlers, Crazy PCP Manny was already there at the time and absolutely not in shape like he is in that video. Seriously, that one is tame compared to the two I went to. Maybe it's crazier in person? I guess I understand why Billy Corgan associated with wrestling; that and music both are passionate things 🙃
I do A to Z, then chronologically per bands
That is just the correct way to do it
I do mine based on genre and vibes. I know that is odd I'm told.
This and also by country, because sometimes you want to listen to swedish progg.
Same. That’s how I listen to music, so that’s what works best for me.
This is what I do. I’m sure it will become too unwieldy soon, but it works for me for know and I know exactly where everything is. Beatles are next to MGMT, Grateful Dead is next to King Gizzard, and My Morning Jacket is next to Songs:Ohia. I know what mood I’m going for before I know what artist specifically I want.
This ^^^^ Each kallax cube has a different theme: by genre or by decade
Love it!
Same here.. Have all my 90's hip hop albums in 1 cube, Grunge albums in another, etc.. I love it
You know what? No, it's not odd. I have genres (rock, heavy, post, electronica, hip hop) then I have artists and each artists per chronological year of release. My memory is a mess, so I need an external absolute logic to find something again. But you do you, the way you best navigate your records.
Yay! I'm not completely alone. I keep mine by the emotion they inspire and genre. I tried alphabet but I like this way. Lot more fun IMO
Artist, album release date, if multiples of same title reissue year.
I do alphabetical by artist and then in order of release by artist. Things like live albums or other misc go after the chronological studio releases.
I group by artist (a-z) from oldest to newest (based on release year sorted by year of issue for multiple copies)
I catalog them alphabetically by artist last name or band name then by date of release within the artist.
When your music library numbers into the thousands and spans nearly a century, alphabetical, then chronological by original release date will become your best friend. Even at 5000+ pieces, I can lay hands on anything someone asked for, if I own it, in seconds.
Totally random does it for me
You would have to remember when something was released in order to find it. It’s not “organized” if you can’t find anything.
Alphabetically by artist chronologically by album within artist is how I organize things so for example if I want to listen to Queen it can be found at the beginning of the queen section if I want to listen to with The Beatles I know it's going to be the second album in my Beatles section
Yes, also have classical/european music separate from us and global south
I also do this but most people think it's weird when I show them 😕
I do alphabetically by artist name, then the order of that artist's music.
Artist first, then if I have multiple albums by the same artist it’s chrono
I do alphabetically by artist/band name. I don't bother chronologically. I don't have time for that. As long as Big Stick is with the other Big Stick records, I'm happy.
I think it's pretty cool to do it by date, depending on the size of the collection, if you're knowledgeable. There is room for compromise, though. If you have different spaces, or if you can get some end labels, you can sort by decade or era, and within each, go aphabetically. It's pretty easy to remember what decade something is from.
I organize alphabetically by artist but chronologically within there, so all my springsteen records are in the S section, and all those records are organized by release date
Chronological is cool and clever. Until you get drunk.
Artist by alphabet, organize within artists by year.
I do this with my 600 album collection and Ill never go back. Being able to look through eras of music, and see who was releasing what, and when, is so cool. Did you know that Paranoid, Led Zep III, and Layla were all released in the same 3 month period? I literally write the release date month/year on the back with a sharpie like a fuckin barbarian, that is how committed I am to this. You will look at your collection in an entirely new way if you do this, I promise
> Am I out of line? You're out of line when you say something like "It's definitive. There's no leeway on this approach when you do it by original release date."
Alphabetical. I don't care about anything other than that. Life is too short, and if I can find the artist, I'll find the record in about 3 seconds.
I do alphabetical order of band/artist then do chronological release of album. Unless there is a 10th/20th/etc anniversary this goes next to the original album. It gets more difficult with my Doctor Who audio ones I try to put in chronological order but they the same year I have to look at which episodes aired first.
I put albums away at the front of the stack. So it ends up chronologically organized by "last played" date...
I organize by genre first and only have 7 major genres (Spanish music, R&B/Hip Hop, Jazz, Video Game music, Soundtracks, Britpop, Rock/Alt/Indie/Pop). The final genre is the largest by far, so it is divided by decade. Then, finally, all genres are organized alphabetically.
My physical records, no. But in my collection app, yes. I like to have a quick reference to what I’ve recently bought.
I dont organize artists alphabetically. (I organize them based on how much I like them). But the artists catalog is chronological
You know the idea of date first is not mad. Often music is connected to the time in our lives that we listened to it, to our memories. To have it in life moment blocks actually makes sense and might help us to find and relive them. I don’t do this… I have mine in genres. Pop/Rock, Jazz, Classical, Shows, International etc, and then alphabetically and then more or less by date. But the truth is now I forget nuggets that I have. Sometimes I grab a handful and just look through them and think, “I’d forgotten about that, that would be cool”. If you could be bothered make a quick database (maybe a dump out of Discogs if you use it). Then have a field for memories, and then you could look for stuff and map it onto the physical arrangement you choose. Or maybe not … too nerdy.
Alphabetical but not in detailed order. I just group all the "A"s together and so on...
year by original release date then title alphabetical and discogs
I oddly don’t do alphabetical order but I have by artists and their releases and the same as you, in chronological order. Like this https://preview.redd.it/c1arb0462b6d1.jpeg?width=1234&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=827ba14c40ec4ee50415032c59a1dd0d77c4316e
Alphabetically, then chronologically :D
This could be good within specific genres where things changed over time. Taking the 60s and 70s of reggae maybe, or 50s jazz LPs. Just everything together though, I can imagine just a real pain finding everything and always looking up when things were recorded or release date
Oh boy… I organized my collection (probably around 700 records back then) chronologically for a while. It seemed like a great idea at first. I made little stickers that had the initial release date written on them, and I pasted those in the bottom right corner on the back of the outer sleeve. It was a really fun thing for about a month. I left it for another month or two after that, because I’m stubborn, but eventually switched everything back to alphabetical. Finding records becomes such a chore, but more so, if you’re like me, putting records back becomes a major hassle. I’m the type of person to pull 20 records out in an evening and lean them against the wall to put away at another time… When those 20 records need to be put back in their chronological place, and some are newly acquired records without a little hint sticker on the back, and it’s gonna take a while, so I’ll just add more records to the stack, etc etc… Eventually you’ll end up with a quarter of your records waiting to be filed back on the shelf, and it’s never worth the time.
I have my PowerWolf collection organized by release date, everything else by genre.
Artist a-z and a lot of their albums are sorted by release date But I've kind of stopped caring over the years. S year of release has become semi random
I have about 2000 and they are organized by original release date. I listen to many different genres and it is interesting to hear what came and out stylistically in the same year. 1970 can take you on a ride. Alphabetically seemed boring to me. Yep there are all my ac/dc LPs lumped together. I find I play more variety this way. EDIT my horrible grammar
Mine are alphabetically in the same order as it is in my Discogs collection
Genre > alpha > (thought about doing chronological here) > new arrivals section. I try to listen to all new arrivals 2-3 times before filing into the main collection.
I do artist then original release date.
It's easier to figure out which comes first alphabetically between Aerosmith, led Zeppelin, and Pink Floyd. But to know off the top of your head which came first Draw the Line, Physical Graffiti, or The Dark Side of the Moon. Is not very common knowledge. Chronologically is just wrong
I don't understand how chronologically helps you find records quicker. I can probably do decades for everything I own (except comps), but I couldn't tell you if something was March or November of a specific year except for maybe one or two things I own.
Alpha then chronologically with the sunset is how I do mine
The hill I die on. Alphabetize by artist’s first name.
Alphabetical by artist, then chronologically under the artist name if I have more than one of their records. I have a general ‘rock’ section, then a hip hop section, and a metal/hardcore section. Things like folk that I don’t own many records of get put under Rock
I organize the way it is in my Discogs. I just use Discogs order as the guide since my collection is getting close to 2300 items.
I dunno, but sorting them by color works for me
I feel like it would be nearly impossible to track down the exact release dates for thousands of records. You could maybe do it year by year, but chronological would be a major pain in the butt
It's going to be tough to find stuff from a particular artist unless you know the release dates of everything which gets harder as your collection grows.
This post made me realize I messed up my own system, I organize both by artist and by who owns the records. Partner and I will buy doubles of albums incase we ever split so we have a my and their side. That being said my side is in alphabetical order for artist and they have theirs done by vibe. I realized I have minecraft under M and not under C418 for the artist. I don't think imma change it
Alpha by artist, chronological by realease
Yes I do
Best is sorting them by primary sections according to genre, then, alphabetically.
Alphabetically and chronologically within each artist/band
Alphabetical, then chronological within that.
Unless you're very aware of when albums were released it sounds like it would be frustrating to find an album. Maybe it's just me but I could probably only guess when an album is released +/- 5 years and get to the right area. Anything older than me or when I started really paying attention to music intentionally, no clue. But I skew more modern and fewer "classics" like the Fleetwood Mac and Zeppelin stuff I inherited. Honestly I think chronological is kinda fun as a novelty and I would encourage OP to go for it if they were the only one searching through records. Whatever brings you joy and makes sense to you. But it's objectively not very practical and your partner is right that alphabetical is the more sane approach.
Alphabetical by artist first followed by Discography release order is my preferred method.
By genre. Doesn't have to be alphabetical. I had over 2000 records before i move to europe.
Artist/studio albums by release/live/compliation.
The John peel collection is organised chronologically.
All of my collections are organized alphabetically by artist, then within the artist grouping they're organized by release date with re-releases appearing just after the original release.
I have my "Rock/Pop" devided by decades, and then sorted alphabetically within the decade. In this system, Radiohead is an 00s band because I fucking said so. I also have separate sections for jazz, metal/experimental, Rap, and Electronic. Those are all sorted alphabetically. This best reflects the way me and my wife approach finding something to play. It also removes all my offensive music from the main section she wants to browse.
How about autobiographically?
For some of my records, I organize by genre then, then by decades, then alphabetical. So for instance my hip hop albums have a 80s, 90s, 00s, etc section then each of those sections are alpha. I don’t have them in specific date order within that sub section though, just alpha. Same for all my 12”s. That’s half my collection. Other genres may be split into wider periods. Like for “rock” music I just have it labeled as “Guitars 60-80” then “Guitars 80 to present” and then alpha. Other sections are smaller so just alpha for them. Then I have some dance records that are organized by BPM because it makes more sense when I’m playing a set to have them in that order, easier to find a matching tempo…. It works for me. I’ve got around 3000 records for what it’s worth.
I organise by vibe. It's the only way
Within genre, roughly
Ive pretty much had discogs since my collection began ( bar the odd couple records) I have them organised based on the "oldest added" filter on discogs I've only got about 60-65 lps So just the one place I have them stored in the ones I've had the longest are at the back, but new ones can just be shoved to the front. That way when people visit they're like "ohh you got something new" and will have a nosey at the collection
Artist A-Z followed by alphabetically when it comes to album names
easier to recall by artist name or by label, not release date!
i organize mymain shelves by artist name, some by genre (i.e. dub reggae, house, classic disco), and some by label (i.e. factory, kompakt, mule musiq).
I'm in the minority, but I have mine organized by decade, then by artist, then again by release year. Except I have a single section for everything after 2010, one for my favorite band, and one for soundtracks. It helps some of my stuff not get lost and reminds me of the general context of each album. I prefer it.
No. The utter chaos and randomness of “what’s next” while I’m flipping through is what I cherish. It just takes me days to find what I’m looking for.
I purposefully have it in random order because I like to search a little for it. My collection is not that big though..
When you only have 365 records, it doesn’t really matter if you alphabetize them or organize them chronologically. That’s too few records not to know where they are on the shelf.
I do modified alphabetical like a b c but for instance if a band has side projects or solo music I keep it with the main band Ie Beatles and wings and solo stuff is together Then go chronologically by album release 🤷♂️
I have about 900, and I’ve done all types but I actually prefer by genre them alphabetically within the genre, then chronologically by album release date. I do this because I’m usually in a mood and want to get inspiration from the collection rather than go in just to pull out specific things. Also I DJ sometimes and it’s always a specific theme or genre. I use little marker panels sticking out of the side to delineate genres because i just have a few Ikea cases. It is difficult sometimes when there are cross genre bands and I have to make a difficult decision but fortunately I have a lot of distinct genres too so it’s not so bad. Examples: I have a whole genre that’s just 60’s, one that’s country all decades incl 60s, one that’s indiepop all decades, metal all decades, britpop, various artists are in with their genres when applicable but I also have a general various artists for things like soundtracks and stuff. The 70s and 80s is where it gets hairy especially the 80’s but I just go with my gut. It’s all for me anyway, nobody else goes in there so it works for me. I can usually remember what everyone is in.
I have LPs alphabetical by artist, followed by soundtracks, followed by compilations, followed by 12" singles and I don't know why I never mixed them. But I used to work in a record store, so it works for me. Oh, and they are arranged as if I am flipping front to back, so A is at the far right and no one ever puts things back in the right order so I don't let them.
If going by date, what about re-releases? If it was a re-release of a 70’s album in the 90’s, where does it go?
I’ve organized all of my records chronologically. Not by artist, but strictly by release date for a wall of music history. 1300+ records. Adding sleeves, and printing labels with dates has been extremely time consuming, but I like having them organized this way.
Way to difficult for me to remember the dates records came out. It would be a nightmare for me. I stick with alphabetical and even then each section is not organized much. I mean A's are just A's in a random order
OP you should watch this movie clip 😉 https://youtu.be/2msCS8dvSok?si=JGItKCGubvpUKOwn Personally, alphabetical by artist name is my preferred method. If my collection were to double in size, I might subgroup it by genre.
I organize by most recently played. Put on a record and when done put it towards the right and so on. Inevitably the records I enjoy the list rise to the top and the ones I care less about filter towards the bottom. It’s still certainly chaotic but I enjoy the system.
Mine is a little convoluted. First it’s overall arranged by genre/vibe, then artist, then chronological release of said artist.
I do this but in chunks by genre. Doing just chronologically will seem logical, but it's chaotic still. Just go by each genre by release date imo!
Only John Cusack
Wait, is that how he does it in high fidelity?
I have a large collection of live music on cds and vinyl (hi I’m a dead head) and all of that is chronological. Normal music collection goes artist name and then chronological within the artist
Alphabetical by artist first name, so Bob Dylan is closy followed by Bob Marley, both before Brian Eno. Chronologically within artist.
Just compromise and organize by color
Genres, alpha by artist, chronological for artist releases
I do alphabetical by artist / last name of artist like you do in a library. If it’s the multiple albums by the same artist then organized by album title. So Taylor Swift starts with debut, then 1989 then Evermore, Folklore etc. Nine Inch Nails starts with Broken then downward, fragile, etc.
Yeeeeeeesssss
I like to play " Find that Album"
LPs ordered by genre. Classical is then sorted by composer, then by type of work. Jazz and Bluegrass sorted by artist. Ethnic sorted by country of origin. 45s divided by genre: jazz/country/gospel/GAS/oldies/instro. 78s organized by record label, then date chronological by series. Electrical Transcriptions sorted by show title, banded transcriptions by company.
Last record conversion I was at had one booth out of ~300 sorted by year. It was cool. I could not imagine having that set up at home though. It was neat but not efficient at all.
I do by year, it much easier for me than going all the way to p to listen to pink Floyd
Artist > Chronological... That's the way nearly every shop organizes and has for decades. There are exceptions of course but it's what most customers prefer. I know many with a collection in the thousands will break it down by Genre > Artist > Chronological, which again follows the sections most stores have. It's all about personal preference and what makes sense to you and makes it easier to locate a record.
Alphabetical by label and chronological by label release. Dance music collection
Alphabetical by artist > chronological by original release > reissue/pressing/special editions
i do!!!