Worldwide LP variants: Greatest Hits

[eddy_wehbe]

There are 9 versions of the vinyl pressing of Greatest Hits:

• 1995 Holland issue
• 1995 Holland issue for export to France
• 1995 Spain issue
• 1995 USA issue
• 2018 Europe RSD issue (on red vinyl)
• 2018 Europe RSD issue (on red vinyl, without numbering)
• 2018 Europe regular issue (on black vinyl)
• 2018 USA RSD issue (on red vinyl)
• 2018 USA regular issue (on black vinyl)

The below image shows differences between the five 2018 issues. (save the image or open it in a new tab to zoom in)

Red circular sticker
- RSD/red vinyl stickers on the RSD issues
- non-RSD stickers on the regular issues

"We are vinyl" sticker
- Large size of the EU issues
- Small size of the US issues

Limited edition numbering
- Numbering on RSD issues (EU and US issues have different fonts)
- No numbering on regular issues
- No numbering on some EU RSD issues (these originate from Italy)

Barcode
- 8 8985-46012-1 8 barcode on RDS issues
- 1 9075-82066-1 5 barcode on regular issues

Record label logo
- Columbia and Sony Music logos on EU issues
- Columbia logo on US issues

Green Dot logo
- Green Dot logo on EU issues shrink
- No logo on US issues shrink

Text on back sleeve
- RDS issues have catalog number 88985460121
- Regular issues have catalog number 19075820661
- EU issues have "...Sony Music Entertainment International Services GmbH, PO Box 510, 33311 Gütersloh, Germany..." and "...Made in the EU..."
- US issues have "...Distributed by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment / 25 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10010-8601..."
- The text on the RSD and regular EU issues is identical, except for the order of some sentences
- The text on the RSD and regular US issues is identical

[gigius70]

Hello from Italy,

I have another version bought in Paris last year.
It is a 1995 Holland issue exported to France.
It is stickered on the back with a little white sticker "CB 321" and stickered on the front with a black sticker written in french.

IMG_6357.jpg (202.36 KiB) Viewed 176 times

IMG_6356.jpg (207.5 KiB) Viewed 176 times

Ciao Ciao

Roberto

[eddy_wehbe]

Hello from Italy,

I have another version bought in Paris last year.
It is a 1995 Holland issue exported to France.
It is stickered on the back with a little white sticker "CB 321" and stickered on the front with a black sticker written in french.

Ciao Ciao

Roberto

Great find! Never seen it before. I will add it to the above list.
This sticker is similar in style to other stickers that were use on albums and singles exported to France in 1995. Examples:
https://www.springsteenlyrics.com/colle ... ?item=5029
https://www.springsteenlyrics.com/colle ... ?item=5334
https://www.springsteenlyrics.com/colle ... ?item=7088
https://www.springsteenlyrics.com/colle ... ?item=5701

The sticker on the back side changes the "distribution code" from CB 521 to CB 321. "CB" is the distribution code for Sony Music and CBS Records, but I'm not sure what the 321 code means. Probably has to do with the country.

[gigius70]

The sticker on the back side changes the "distribution code" from CB 521 to CB 321. "CB" is the distribution code for Sony Music and CBS Records, but I'm not sure what the 321 code means. Probably has to do with the country.

A friend has a copy bought in Denmark and it has the same sticker on the back with the same number (CB 321).
Another friend said it is a price change.

[eddy_wehbe]

The sticker on the back side changes the "distribution code" from CB 521 to CB 321. "CB" is the distribution code for Sony Music and CBS Records, but I'm not sure what the 321 code means. Probably has to do with the country.

A friend has a copy bought in Denmark and it has the same sticker on the back with the same number (CB 321).
Another friend said it is a price change.

That is not completely true . "CB ###" is a distribution code. There are three codes that you should know:

Label code
It was introduced in 1977 in order to identify the different record labels
"LC 0149" is the label code for CBS Records (until 1991 and on some reissues)
"LC 0162" is the label code for Columbia Records

Distribution code
"CB ###" is for CBS Records. Other examples include "BM ###" for BMG Records, "WE ###" for Warner Music...

Price code
These are in general inside a circle on the back sleeve. They determine the selling price of the record. An interesting example is the Portuguese pressing of Dancing In The Dark, which comes in two variants differing only in the price code.

The distribution code is used internally in the record companies and can have several functions relater to their distributors, and this can include the price for the distributors. This is why your friend got confused.

Anyway, have a look at this example where you will see distribution code "CB 231", price code "53", and label code "LC 0149".

[tillywilly17]

I got this info
2018-04-21 Bruce Springsteen ‎– Greatest Hits Vinyl 24-96 USA


I thought this was correct number from discogs but can you clarify?
Label Columbia C2 67060, Columbia 88985460121

confusing but trying to learn

[eddy_wehbe]

2018-04-21 Bruce Springsteen ‎– Greatest Hits Vinyl 24-96 USA

24-96 refers to 24bit/96kHz for the high resolution digital files. I'm sure you wrote them here by mistake.

I thought this was correct number from discogs but can you clarify?
Label Columbia C2 67060, Columbia 88985460121

"C2 67060" is the catalog number for the 1995 U.S. issue.

"88985460121" is the catalog number for the 2018 U.S. and EU red vinyl reissues.

However, these reissues still have the old (1995 U.S. issue) catalog number on them. Therefore, Discogs considers that both "C2 67060" and "88985460121" are the catalog numbers for the 2018 red vinyl reissues, though technically "88985460121" is the correct one.

[tillywilly17]

24-96 refers to 24bit/96kHz for the high resolution digital files. I'm sure you wrote them here by mistake.

Actually, I copied that from somewhere else, and I appreciate your comment. The only way to get an official bruce springsteen release in this format is to download from springsteen.net , which I often do. I haven't "ripped" or transfered a an lp to my pc in 20 years, but if this was done it would never be in this format. The analog signal would have to be saved as digital before it could be further monkeyed with by some amateur engineer. I know this is almost off topic, but thanks for helping me sort this out in my mind. There is a lot to be aware of these days with all the formats and technology. I remember the old days when there was only lps, and high-tech was half mastered or a Jap import. I must have bought Born To Run 10 times looking for better sound until cds came out around 1985. thanks

[B.L.]

2018 Europe RSD issue on red vinyl (no numbering)

[eddy_wehbe]

2018 Europe RSD issue on red vinyl (no numbering)

Never seen such copy before! Thanks for sharing. I will be looking for one myself, so if you see one please let me know.

I updated the original post accordingly.

Your copy comes from Italy, as evidenced by the SIAE sticker (Italian Society of Authors and Publishers) on the back cover. These stickers are mandated by law on every audio/video product in Italy.