A favourite album seems like an easy first purchase. Then you find three editions of it: an older pressing, a new black LP and a coloured version with different artwork. Before long, choosing a record takes longer than listening to it.

If you are wondering how to start a vinyl collection, begin with a few albums you want to hear from start to finish. You can learn about editions as you go. There is no required shelf of classics to buy before your own taste counts.

Start with an album you already know

Think of a record you have returned to for years. Perhaps you owned it on CD, copied it onto a cassette or still have several tracks saved in a playlist. Familiar music gives you a reason to use your turntable while you work out what else you enjoy owning.

For a listener who grew up with Scandinavian Eurodance, Pandora’s Tell the World on blue vinyl is one possible starting point. Its tracklist includes “Don’t You Know”, “The Naked Sun” and “Take My Hand”. If those titles mean something to you, that is a better reason to choose it than its place on somebody else’s essentials list.

Listen to the whole album before ordering. Loving one single does not always mean you will enjoy both sides of the LP.

Read the tracklist before choosing an edition

The album title and cover are only the start. Check the songs, their versions and the running order, especially when buying music you remember from a particular CD or cassette.

Solid Base’s Finally on black vinyl, for example, lists “Mirror Mirror” on side A and a remix version on side B. That distinction matters if you are looking for a specific recording. A familiar song title alone will not tell you which version you are getting.

Look at the format, too. An album, a compilation and a single can share a title. Read the listing rather than guessing from the sleeve.

Give reissues a fair look

A reissue is a later release of music that has already been published. For a new collector, it offers another route to an album without having to find an older copy in suitable condition.

Sometimes an older album reaches vinyl for the first time. Pandora’s Tell the World listing describes its 2023 edition as the album’s first LP release, although the album dates from 1995. The age of the music and the age of a particular vinyl edition are different things.

Read what the label says about the individual release. Details about audio sources, mastering, artwork or included material are useful when provided. If something is not specified, ask rather than assuming. A reissue date by itself tells you little about how the record was prepared.

Choose the colour you like after checking the details

Coloured records can be lovely objects. It is perfectly reasonable to prefer a version that looks good beside the sleeve. Just check what else differs between editions before paying more.

Automat’s self-titled album, for instance, has separate listings for a black vinyl edition and a limited turquoise vinyl edition. Compare their descriptions and tracklists, then decide how much the visual difference matters to you. The word “limited” is not a reason to stretch your budget.

Avoid judging sound from a product photograph. Look for information about the specific edition, and treat the colour as one part of the choice.

Keep the first order small

Two or three carefully chosen records are a manageable start. Set a total budget that includes delivery, and leave yourself time to play what arrives before ordering more.

It helps to keep a short wishlist. Add an album when it catches your attention, then revisit the list after a few days. You may still want it. You may discover that you only wanted it while browsing.

Once you have a few familiar favourites, try something less obvious. Automat is an example worth exploring if you are curious about older electronic music: Romano Musumarra and Claudio Gizzi recorded the album using the MCS 70 synthesizer. Preview the music first and see whether it belongs alongside the records you already play.

Before you place an order

• Check the artist, album title and exact edition.
• Read the complete tracklist and any version notes.
• Confirm the format and number of discs.
• Check whether the item is in stock or a preorder.
• Include delivery in your budget.

When the records arrive, give each one a full listen. Notice which album you reach for again the following week. That is useful information for your next purchase, and a good way to let a collection take shape at its own pace.