REEL HOME REEL DISCUSSION REEL -PHOTOS (1000 pictures!) REEL HIGH $$ SALES
REEL TO REEL - THE LAST REEL's RELEASED (1974-1984) REEL TO REEL - THE EARLY RELEASES (1959-1974)
REEL TO REEL - COLUMBIA HOUSE CATALOGS REEL TO REEL - FOR SALE REEL TO REEL - ELVIS !
8-TRACKS - 8 track's - THE LAST ONES OFFICIALLY MADE (1986-1988)
REEL TO REEL TAPE FORMAT SALES through COLUMBIA HOUSE RECORD & TAPE CLUB
Columbia House carried the last officially released reel to reel albums in late 1984. Click here to read more about Columbia House Record & Tape Club Monthly Catalog Listings
Each month Columbia House sent out a catalog - I have most of the catalogs for 1955-1960 and 1979-1982. If you have any please contact me as I am looking for information and/or scans from your catalogs!
The most recent catalog I have is OCTOBER 1982
Here are some details:
Selection of the month: ELTON JOHN - JUMP UP available in all 4 formats: record, cassette tape, 8-track cassette, reel to reel tape. All were $9.98 each except "T" the reel to reel format was $10.98
Every single album listed in the catalog was available on Record "S", 8Track "X", Cassette tape "C". Those offered on reel to reel "T" are much more sporadic.
498 albums in total are listed in the entire catalog.
Here are the 149 albums that variations from being available in the common 3 formats (record/cassette/8-track) 29% of the catalog varied from the common 3 formats.
112 of these 149 albums are available in REEL TO REEL format marked as "T". 22% of all albums listed in the catalog were available in REEL TO REEL format.
Only 36 of the 498 albums were NOT available in 8-track cassette format marked as "X". 93% of all albums listed in the catalog were available in 8-track format.
100% of all albums listed were available in record vinyl format "S" and 99% of all albums listed were available in Cassette Tape "C" format.
30 different record labels are listed below as having some type of variation to the common 3 format release:
A&M / ARISTA / ASYLUM / ATLANTIC / CAPITOL / CBS / CBS MASTERWORKS / CHRYSALIS / CMT / COLUMBIA / ELEKTRA / EMI AMERICA / EPIC / GATEWAY / GEFFEN / JET / LAURIE / LIBERTY / LIFESONG / MCA / MONUMENT / MOTOWN / RADIO / REPRISE / SESAME STREET / SIRE / TAMLA / THRESHOLD / VOXBOX / WARNER BROS
Some labels were represented with only 1 release: Capitol had 1 Neil Diamond album / Radio had 1 Stars on Long Play album / Tamla had 1 Stevie Wonder album / Sesame Street had 1 Sesame Street album / Reprise had 1 Frank Sinatra album / Voxbox had 1 Leonard Slatkin classical album / Jet had 1 ELO album / Liberty had 1 Kenny Rogers album / Motown had 2 Diana Ross albums
Here is every single title below that was available in either all 4 formats (including reel to reel) OR was selective and missing some formats:
Some of these reel to reel's are so rare that I have NEVER ever seen a single copy listed for sale on the internet OR documented on any website with info and/or photos!
ELTON JOHN - JUMP (ALL 4) GEFFEN
THE POLICE - GHOST IN THE MACHINE (ALL 4) A&M
THE WHO - FACE DANCES (ALL 4) WARNER BROS
SANTANA - ABRAXAS (ALL 4) COLUMBIA
QUEEN - GREATEST HITS (ALL 4) ELEKTRA
DANNY JOE BROWN (RECORD/CASSETTE ONLY) EPIC
CHICAGO IX (ALL 4) COLUMBIA
THE CARS - CANDY-0 (ALL 4) ELEKTRA
THE CARS - SHAKE IT UP (ALL 4) ELEKTRA
J. GEILS BAND - FREEZE-FRAME (ALL 4) EMI AMERICA
AC/DC - FOR THOSE ABOUT TO ROCK WE SALUTE YOU (ALL 4) ATLANTIC
AC/DC - DIRTY DEEDS DONE DIRT CHEAP (ALL 4) ATLANTIC
XTC - ENGLISH SETTLEMENT (RECORD/CASSETTE ONLY) EPIC
PAT BENATAR - PRECIOUS TIME (ALL 4) CHRYSALIS
PAT BENATAR - CRIMES OF PASSION (ALL 4) CHRYSALIS
FOREIGNER - 4 (ALL 4) ATLANTIC
FOREIGNER - HEAD GAMES (ALL 4) ATLANTIC
VAN HALEN - WOMEN AND CHILDREN FIRST (ALL 4) WARNER BROS
THE CARS - PANORAMA (ALL 4) ELEKTRA
QUEEN - THE GAME (ALL 4) ELEKTRA
ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA - ELO'S GREATEST HITS (ALL 4) JET
STYX - PARADISE THEATER (ALL 4) A&M
STYX - CORNERSTONE (ALL 4) A&M
STYX - PIECES OF EIGHT (ALL 4) A&M
TOM TOM CLUB (RECORD/CASSETTE ONLY) SIRE
MOODY BLUES - LONG DISTANCE VOYAGER (ALL 4) THRESHOLD
CHICAGO X (RECORD/CASSETTE/REEL) COLUMBIA
LOGGINS AND MESSINA ON STAGE (ALL 4) COLUMBIA
VAN HALEN - FAIR WARNING (ALL 4) WARNER BROS
LOGGINS & MESSINA - THE BEST OF FRIENDS (ALL 4) COLUMBIA
DOOBIE BROTHERS - BEST OF THE DOOBIES VOL 2 (ALL 4) WARNER BROS
GEORGE CARLIN - A PLACE FOR MY STUFF (RECORD/CASSETTE ONLY) ATLANTIC
THE WHO - HOOLIGANS (ALL 4) MCA
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN - DARKNESS ON THE EDGE OF TOWN (ALL 4) COLUMBIA
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN - BORN TO RUN (ALL 4) COLUMBIA
DOOBIE BROTHERS - ONE STEP CLOSER (ALL 4) WARNER BROS
SUPERTRAMP - BREAKFAST IN AMERICA (ALL 4) A&M
JOURNEY - ESCAPE (ALL 4) COLUMBIA
JOURNEY - DEPARTURE (ALL 4) COLUMBIA
FLEETWOOD MAC - LIVE (ALL 4) WARNER BROS
JOHNNY WINTER - AND/LIVE (RECORD/CASSETTE ONLY) COLUMBIA
ABBA - GREATEST HITS VOL 2 (ALL 4) ATLANTIC
LINDA RONSTADT - MAD LOVE (ALL 4) ASYLUM
DIANA ROSS - DIANA (ALL 4) MOTOWN
DAN FOGELBERG - PHOENIX (ALL 4) FULL MOON/EPIC
STARS ON - STARS ON LONG PLAY (BEATLES MEDLEY) (ALL 4) RADIO
JAMES TAYLOR - JT (ALL 4) COLUMBIA
JAMES TAYLOR - DAD LOVES HIS WORK (ALL 4) COLUMBIA
KENNY ROGERS - GREATEST HITS (ALL 4) LIBERTY
BARRY MANILOW - IF I SHOULD LOVE AGAIN (ALL 4) ARISTA
BARRY MANILOW - BARRY (ALL 4) ARISTA
BARRY MANILOW - ONE VOICE (ALL 4) ARISTA
BARRY MANILOW - GREATEST HITS (ALL 4) ARISTA
BARRY MANILOW - EVEN NOW (ALL 4) ARISTA
AIR SUPPLY - THE ONE THAT YOU LOVE (ALL 4) ARISTA
AIR SUPPLY - LOVE AND OTHER BRUISES (RECORD/CASSETTE ONLY) COLUMBIA
CARLY SIMON - COME UPSTAIRS (ALL 4) WARNER BROS
GOLDEN GIRLS SING THEIR GOLDEN HITS OF THE 50S & 60S VOL 2 (RECORD/CASSETTE ONLY) LAURIE
BARBRA STREISAND - GREATEST HITS (ALL 4) COLUMBIA
DIANA ROSS - TO LOVE AGAIN (ALL 4) MOTOWN
JIM CROCE - PHOTOGRAPHS AND MEMORIES (ALL 4) LIFESONG
BOB DYLAN - GREATEST HITS (ALL 4) COLUMBIA
EAGLES - LIVE (ALL 4) ASYLUM
EAGLES - THE LONG RUN (ALL 4) ASYLUM
BOB DYLAN - GREATEST HITS VOL 2 (ALL 4) COLUMBIA
PIRATES OF PENZANCE ORIGINAL CAST (RECORD/CASSETTE ONLY)
THE BYRDS (RECORD/CASSETTE ONLY) COLUMBIA
JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR (ALL 4) MCA
STEVIE WONDER - SONGS IN THE KEY OF LIFE (ALL 4) TAMLA
LARRY CARLTON - SLEEPWALK (RECORD/CASSETTE ONLY) WARNER BROS
ABBA - THE VISITORS (ALL 4) ATLANTIC
BILLY AND THE BEATERS (RECORD/CASSETTE ONLY)
ALAN PARSONS PROJECT - TURN OF A FRIENDLY CARD (ALL 4) ARISTA
CAT STEVENS - GREATEST HITS (ALL 4) A&M
BARBRA STREISAND - MEMORIES (ALL 4) COLUMBIA
BILLY JOEL - SONGS IN THE ATTIC (ALL 4) COLUMBIA
BILLY JOEL - GLASS HOSUES (ALL 4) COLUMBIA
BILLY JOEL - 52ND STREET (ALL 4) COLUMBIA
SESAME COUNTRY (RECORD/CASSETTE ONLY) SESAME STREET RECORDS
NEIL DIAMOND - LOVE SONGS (ALL 4) MCA
NEIL DIAMOND - YOU DON'T BRING ME FLOWERS (ALL 4) COLUMBIA
NEIL DIAMOND - JAZZ SINGER (ALL 4) CAPITOL
NEIL DIAMOND - SEPTEMBER MORN (ALL 4) COLUMBIA
NEIL DIAMOND - GOLD (ALL 4) MCA
NEIL DIAMOND - ON THE WAY TO THE SKY (ALL 4) COLUMBIA
BLONDIE - EAT TO THE BEAT (ALL 4) CHRYSALIS
LINDA RONSTADT - GREATEST HITS (ALL 4) ASYLUM
DIANA ROSS - ALL THE GREAT HITS (ALL 4) MOTOWN
ROCK N ROLL IDOLS SING THEIR HITS OF THE 50'S & 60'S (RECORD/CASSETTE ONLY) LAURIE
BLUES BROTHERS - BRIEFCASE FULL OF BLUES (ALL 4) ATLANTIC
GEORGE BENSON - COLLECTION (ALL 4) WARNER BROS
GEORGE BENSON - BENSON BURNER (2 RECORD SET - RECORD ONLY) COLUMBIA
EDDIE RABBITT - STEP BY STEP (ALL 4) ELEKTRA
BARBRA MANDRELL - THE MIDNIGHT OIL (RECORD/8-TRACK ONLY) COLUMBIA
LARRY GATLIN - LOVE IS JUST A GAME (RECORD/CASSETTE ONLY) MONUMENT
WILLIE NELSON - SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW (ALL 4) COLUMBIA
WYNTON MARSALIS (RECORD/CASSETTE ONLY) COLUMBIA
ALBERTA HUNTER - THE GLORY OF (RECORD/CASSETTE ONLY) COLUMBIA
JOHN McLAUGHLIN - BELO ORIZONTE (RECORD/CASSETTE ONLY) WARNER BROS
SALLERI: SINFONIA VENEZIANA (RECORD/CASSETTE ONLY) CBS MASTERWORKS
LEONARD SLATKIN - GERSHWIN: ALL THE WORKS FOR ORCHESTRA (ALL 4) VOXBOX
BOLLING: CONCERTO FOR CLASSIC GUITAR AND JAZZ PIANO (ALL 4) CBS
LIONA BOYD - MINIATURES FOR GUITAR (ALL 4) COLUMBIA
LEONARD BERNSTEIN - BOLERO ON THE MIGHTY MOOG (ALL 4) COLUMBIA
THE BLUE DANUBE - STRAUSS' GREATEST WALTZES (RECORD ONLY) COLUMBIA
LEONARD BERNSTEIN - COPLAND: FOUR DANCE EPISODES FROM RODEO (ALL 4) CBS
TCHAIKOVSKY: THE NUTCRACKER (ALL 4) COLUMBIA
SAINT-SAENS: CARNIVAL OF THE ANIMALS (ALL 4) COLUMBIA
ERIK SATIE PIANO MUSIC (RECORD/CASSETTE ONLY) COLUMBIA
LUCIANO PAVAROTTI PREMIERS VERDI ARIAS (ALL 4) COLUMBIA
PLACIDO DOMINGO - DOMINGO (RECORD/CASSETTE ONLY) COLUMBIA
LEONARD BERNSTEIN - OFFENBACH: GAITE PARISIENNE (RECORD/CASSETTE ONLY) COLUMBIA
JOHN WILLIAMS AND FRIENDS (ALL 4) COLUMBIA
BOLLING: SUITE FOR VIOLIN AND JAZZ PIANO (ALL 4) COLUMBIA
JEAN-PIERRE RAMPAL - GREATEST HITS (ALL 4) COLUMBIA
CHOPIN: PIANO USIC (RECORD/CASSETTE ONLY) CBS MASTERWORKS
ISAAC STERN - 60TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION (ALL 4) COLUMBIA
THE CARPENTERS - THE SINGLES 1969-1973 (ALL 4) A&M
BLOOD SWEAT AND TEARS - GREATEST HITS (ALL 4) COLUMBIA
JIM CROCE - DOWN THE HIGHWAY (RECORD/CASSETTE ONLY) LIFESONG
JAMES TAYLOR - FLAG (ALL 4) COLUMBIA
BRIDESHEAD REVISITED - PBS TV SHOW SOUNDTRACK (RECORD/CASSETTE ONLY) CHRYSALIS
JOHNNY MATHIS - HEAVENLY/FAITHFULLY (RECORD/CASSETTE ONLY) COLUMBIA
FRANK SINATRA - TRILOGY (3 TAPE/3 RECORD SET) (ALL 4) REPRISE
RAY CONNIFF AND THE SINGERS - SOMEWHERE MY LOVE (RECORD/8-TRACK ONLY) COLUMBIA
ASIA (ALL 4) GEFFEN
RUTH LAREDO PLAYS RAVEL (ALL 4) CBS MASTERWORKS
SIMON AND GARFUNKEL - CONCERT IN CENTRAL PARK (ALL 4) WARNER BROS
SPLIT ENZ - TIME AND TIDE (RECORD/CASSETTE ONLY) A&M
QUARTERFLASH (ALL 4) GEFFEN
WILLIE NELSON - ALWAYS ON MY MIND (ALL 4) COLUMBIA
MAHLER - SYMPHONY NO 1 (ALL 4) CBS MASTERWORKS
SIMON AND GARFUNKEL - BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER (ALL 4) COLUMBIA
SIMON AND GARFUNKEL - GREATEST HITS (ALL 4) COLUMBIA
SIMON AND GARFUNKEL - SOUNDS OF SILENCE (ALL 4) COLUMBIA
LINDA FRATIANNE - DANCE AND EXERCISE WITH THE HITS (RECORD/CASSETTE ONLY) COLUMBIA
EFFORTLESS EXERCISE AS RECOMMENDED BY PHYSICAL FITNESS EXPERT VIC BOFF (RECORD ONLY) GATEWAY
AEROBIC DANCING (RECORD/CASSETTE ONLY) GATEWAY
ADVANCED AEROBIC DANCING (RECORD/CASSETTE ONLY) GATEWAY
BARBARA ANN AUER'S DANCE EXERCISE (RECORD/CASSETTE ONLY) GATEWAY
JIM CROCE - TIME IN A BOTTLE (ALL 4) LIFESONG
KIM CARNES - ST. VINCENT'S COURT (RECORD/CASSETTE ONLY) EMI AMERICA
MIKE POST - TELEVISION THEME SONGS (RECORD/CASSETTE ONLY) ELEKTRA
BLONDIE - THE BEST OF BLONDIE (ALL 4) CHRYSALIS
LINDA RONSTADT - GREATEST HITS (ALL 4) ASYLUM
JACKSON BROWNE - HOLD OUT (ALL 4) ASYLUM
HOME FOR CHRISTMAS (3 RECORD/2 TAPE SET) (ALL 4) CMT
THE MAGIC OF CHRISTMAS (2 RECORD SET/1 TAPE SET) (ALL 4) CMT
MERRY CHRISTMAS - VARIOUS ARTISTS (2 RECORD SET/1 TAPE SET) (ALL 4) CMT
This list compiled by Terry Hoknes at hoknes@hotmail.com in Canada
I was a member of Columbia House from 1982 to about 1989
I started out in vinyl initially but had switched to cassette in the late 80's
I never knew anyone personally who bought 8-tracks or reel to reels during this time period