Long before you could find all the music you could ever need on the iHeartRadio app, there were CDs. Music lovers would add to their collection any time their favorite bands released an album, however, once songs went digital, CDs were either packed up and stored away or tossed in the trash. If you went with the first route and still have a bunch of CDs in boxes in your basement, attic or storage unit, you might've made a very wise decision. That's because certain discs that came out in the '80s, '90s and '00s now have a lot of value.
MyLondon.news identified a few of the ones that you really want to find. First up is Bruce Springsteen's The Future of Rock and Roll, which The Boss put out in 1988 as a promo-only double disc in Japan. Because the 16-track set is so hard to find these days, it's worth about $1,400.
Another Japan-only collection to look out for is Prince's My Name Was Prince. In 1993, The Purple One released only 50 copies of it to promote his album The Hits/The B Side. If you are lucky enough to find one, it's worth over $6,000.
You might be very surprised about the next CD to be on the lookout for. It's Paris Hilton's debut album, Paris. While the socialite's voice is rather remarkable, that's not why her record can go for over $10,000. It turns out that famed artist Banksy put about 500 fake copies of the album in stores in 2006, replacing Paris' CD with one featuring Danger Mouse remixes.
There have been dozens of versions of Now That's What I Call Music released over the years, but only one of them sells for up to $500. It's the U.K. release of Now That's What I Call Music 4, the first one ever put on CD. Only 500 copies were originally pressed, but a reissue hit shelves in 2019 so don't get too excited if you find one since it might be the newer version. The originals though can go for between $250 and $500.
Back in 1998, a recently-formed band called Coldplay sold 150 copies of an EP they called The Safety. They also gave about 350 to friends, family and label execs. These days, a copy of The Safety is worth nearly $2,000.
In 1993, Nirvana released In Utero and the next year, they put out a single called "Pennyroyal Tea" - an alternate version of the song off In Utero. It came out in April, but that same month, singer Kurt Cobain died and the CD was recalled, however a few copies are still out there and worth about $2,500.
There have been plenty of Michael Jackson CDs over the years, but one you may not have heard of is for the single "Smile." In 1997, it was put out only in Austria but was later cancelled and never pressed again. Just a few of the discs remain and they sell for nearly $2,000.
One other valuable set is David Bowie's Sound + Vision, which came out in 1989. Only 350 copies of the compilation were released, complete with 49 tracks, a video disc, a 72-page booklet and a basewood and birch box. A few more copies dropped in 1990. They can go for $70 to $400.
So what should you do if you have any of these? You could try selling it on eBay or look for a Facebook group for CD collectors and attempt to find a buyer there.