Vinyl Collectors Frustrated by Incomplete Albums and High Prices: “It’s Not Right”

A recent trend in the vinyl record scene has left collectors and fans feeling frustrated. Many new physical records from artists like Charli xcx, Olivia Rodrigo, The Weeknd, and Beyoncé are hitting shelves with incomplete tracks or missing content. For those shelling out $30 or more for a record, this situation is particularly annoying, largely due to the extended production times required for vinyl.

Charli xcx’s latest album, *Music, Fashion, Film*, features the much-anticipated track “No One Lasts Forever,” a collaboration with director David Cronenberg. However, fans who pre-ordered the vinyl version found that a spoken-word section by Cronenberg, present in the digital release, was absent from the physical copy. Many fans and critics consider this segment a crucial part of the album, yet it’s missing from the $30+ vinyl editions.

Charli explained on a podcast that they had to deliver the vinyl audio before getting Cronenberg’s contribution in time. “There’s actually a different version of the song on the vinyl, which we haven’t really spoken about yet,” she noted.

Charli isn’t alone in disappointing fans with incomplete vinyl releases. Olivia Rodrigo’s *You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love* features various edits across its tracks, with some missing outros and bridges. Raye’s second album also lacks the final mix, sounding different from its digital counterpart. “I really apologize,” Raye stated earlier this year. “The digital versions of some of these songs, some are quite different. And you just need to embrace that because I tried my best.”

Other recent vinyl releases have faced similar issues. The Weeknd’s *Hurry Up Tomorrow* includes only 11 tracks on vinyl, while the digital version boasts 22, along with different mixes and missing guest features. A later “complete edition” was released at a higher price. Beyoncé’s *Cowboy Carter* shipped missing five songs, and Nicki Minaj’s *Pink Friday 2* features shorter versions of tracks.

Some of these omissions may be attempts to avoid producing more expensive double or triple vinyl editions. However, they can also stem from artists not finalizing their albums in time for vinyl production. Vinyl plants typically require masters and artwork about six weeks before release, and that timeline extends with more complex packaging. In contrast, digital platforms like Spotify and YouTube can process masters and get songs online in just days.

For artists who like to refine their music right up to the last minute, ensuring that physical vinyl editions are complete can be a challenge. Rodrigo even mentioned in a podcast that she wrote the song “Cigarette Smoke” just a week before needing to finalize everything for vinyl.

While some fans are understandably upset, many others simply want clearer communication regarding the completeness of vinyl pre-orders. One fan expressed on Reddit regarding the Charli xcx situation: “I think it’s fair to assume when you’re buying a record that it’s the final recording. I don’t think that needs to be explicitly stated on a product listing to assume that, and I think to argue that is incredibly insincere. I ride for Charli, I love her as an artist, but a bait-and-switch isn’t cool. It’s not cool when Charli does it, or Raye, or Olivia.”

If an album isn’t finished, the suggestion is to hold off on pressing it. Instead, pre-orders could be taken, with physical copies of the final album shipping a few months after the digital release.