Valualbum II

Description

Valualbum II is a multi-artist compilation featuring tracks by ten current pop artists signed to or distributed by Word Records, released for promotional purposes by Word in 1983. It was a follow-up to a similar sampler album entitled Valualbum, released by Word the previous year. (Valualbum II actually includes five of the songs featured on the 1982-sampler).

NEW LABEL, NEW STRATEGI: Word Unveils Plans For ’83
Billboard Magazine (Gospel Section), March 5, 1983
by Melinda Newman

DALLAS – Plans for a new label and a series of sales strategies were unveiled by officials of Word Records here during the company’s annual Press Days, Feb. 14-15.
…

Also selling at $6.98 are “Valualbums,” LPs used primarily to introduce new artists Word feels would not get a fair chance if their records entered the market at $8.98. “We had a problem when we had to raise our prices to $8.98. No one will buy an unknown at this price,” said Dan Johnson, vice president of record marketing.

These albums were produced for lower than usual budgets, but receive extra promotion, including a special floor rack to advertise the product. As added sales incentive, each Valualbum contains a second free LP with a sample of songs from other Valualbums. Johnson said the venture has been a success so far, adding that two of the artists, Kenny Marks and Pete Carlson, have already recovered their production costs.

Johnson said Word has sold more than 250,000 copies of its exercise albums, and is preparing to market an accompanying video for the “Believercise” album for $49. The company has relied upon word of mouth by church groups and the use of bag stuffers to advertise this product. It has trained 25 instructors to go into the community and conduct classes.

“Giftables,” cassettes wrapped in a box with a gift card enclosed, continue to be a successful product line, Johnson said. The tapes, which sell for the same price as cassettes without the gift packaging, were shipped last fall in time for the Christmas season, but Word intends to make “Giftables” an all-year-long line. “We’re moving it beyond the Easter or Christmas idea,” said Nichols. The cassettes are in their own display rack and usually located away from the music section, often near the greeting cards or books, Nichols said. “The whole idea with the display is to get it more on an impulse buying level.” [An excerpt from the article]

LP tracklist:

Side One
A1. Dion DiMucci – “Here Is My Servant” – 3:37 (from the album I Put Away My Idols, 1983)
A2. Morris Chapman – “Bethlehem Morning” – 5:15 (from the album Longtime Friends, 1982)
A3. Leslie Phillips – “Beyond Saturday Night” – 4:27 (from the album Beyond Saturday Night, 1983)
A4. Paul Clark – “Drawn to the Light” – 3:11 (from the album Drawn to the Light, 1982)
A5. John Fischer – “Dark Horse” – 3:55 (from the album Dark Horse, 1982)

Side Two
B1. Andrew Culverwell – “Cover Me” – 3:26 (from the album Alive! Again, 1982)
B2. Pete Carlson – “Dreamer’s Dream” – 3:44 (from the album Dreamer’s Dream, 1982)
B3. Keith Thomas – “Livin’ Without Your Love” – 3:34 (from the album Instrumental Appetite, 1983)
B4. David Edwards – “Someone to Trust” – 3:09 (from the album Get the Picture, 1983)
B5. Kenny Marks – “Lean On Him” – 3:32 (from the album Follow Him, 1982)

Note: Promo LP that comes with no jacket/cover. (The LP originally came enclosed with the ten albums featured on the sampler.)

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