Our Top Five collectible pop records

It's over a decade since British bands Blur and Oasis battled it out for chart supremacy, the '90s answer to The Beatles Vs The Rolling Stones according to many.

But the former's fans have been rocking like it's 1995 since last Saturday.

This weekend saw the release of Blur's first new song since their 2003 Think Tank album, limited to just 1,000 7" vinyl copies.

Naturally the 7", featuring new track Fool's Day, is proving highly collectible. Copies are already selling for prices between £145 and £175 on eBay.

Interesting, this being the digital age, it isn't the song itself that has inspired fan's fervour - that can be downloaded as an mp3 for free at the band's website.

Rather, the 7" itself is the desirable object. And the once-in-a-lifetime chance for fans and collectors to own this singular piece of rock history is just too much to resist...

So, to mark Blur's latest impact on the collectibles markets, here is a Top Five of the most collectible records we've encountered at Paul Fraser Collectibles.

And our chart run-down features some unlikely and unexpected performers...

#5 Yukio Hatoyama, Prime Minister of Japan - 'Take Heart - Fly, Dove of Peace' (1988)

When Yukio Hatoyama from Japan recorded a song 20 years ago, he probably never imagined that it would be worth 35,000 yen ($375). But that was he became Japan's Prime Minister.

What's more, the song was written by his 65-year-old dentist, Teruaki Asanuma.


Japanese PM Yukio Hatoyama: don't
let him near a microphone... 

As we reported back in September, 2009, Hatoyama's Take Heart - Fly, Dove of Peace was recorded in 1988, and sold in an online auction.

"I never imagined that there would be a day when this tune would come into the spotlight," said Asanuma, according to the Kyodo news agency.

Price: 35,000 yen ($375)

#4 Otis Redding - 'Pain In My Heart' (signed LP, 1964)

Otis Redding, would be among the first names on the lips of anyone asked to list the most important soul singers of the 20th century. "Otis Redding is rock 'n' roll," proclaimed the eminent rock critic Jon Landau, in 1967.

In the history of soul music Redding's name is mentioned in the same breath as James Brown and Marvin Gaye - Michael Jackson is also quoted as saying Otis Redding was a major influence on his career.

Redding was just 26 years old when he died in a plane crash, and this combined with his influence makes his huge influence and early death significantly rare. However, he is also significantly underrated compared to his contemporaries - making his signature a great buy.

An autographed original LP by Otis Redding - Pain in My Heart, released on January 1, 1964, four years prior to his tragic plane crash - is currently on the market priced £2,500 ($4,125).

Price: $4,125

#3 Michael Jackson - 'Thriller' (signed compact disc, 1984)

Penned in black felt-tip pen, "Love Michael Jackson '89," the singer often liked to sign his autographs with the wrong date. He actually signed it for a video and film editor with whom he worked at the 1984 American Music Awards.

Compact Disc technology was brand new at the time, and the editor was shocked to hear Jackson tell him that he had never seen a CD before.

The singer wanted to hear his music via the new technology, so Jackson put on headphones and immediately gave an impromptu performance, dancing, snapping his fingers and singing along to this Thriller CD.

Price: $4,880

#2 DA Hunt - 'Lonesome Old Jail' b/w 'Greyhound Blues' (1953)

Renowned collector John Tefteller wins the 'rarest and most expensive' vinyl from legendary Sun label.

The previously unknown and potentially one-of-a-kind blues 45 rpm record produced by the legendary Sun record label of Memphis, Tennessee - also home to Elvis - was won at auction for $10,323.

The record features Alabama blues singer DA Hunt performing each song in an outstanding old acoustic style; his first and only record which sold very, very few copies when first released.

Jackson's RIAA Platinum record award for Bad ($27,500)
Jackson's RIAA Platinum record award for Bad ($27,500)

"I think I stole it," said the long-time rare records dealer John Tefteller of his winning bid. Tefteller's blues records collection is already referred to by many as the best in the world.

"This record was not previously known to exist on 45 rpm," said Tefteller. "[It's] a discovery of monumental importance to the record collecting world and I just had to have it."

Price: $10,323

#1 Michael Jackson - 'Bad' (his Platinum record award, signed in 1998)

Jackson's RIAA Platinum record award commemorated more than one million sales of his landmark album, Bad.

The framed disc display was later signed by Jackson - "All My Love Michael Jackson 1998" - to sell to raise money for Leukemia, Cancer and AIDS Research.

It was auctioned at Julien's in New York in November of last year.

Price: $27,500

 

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