Start Your Ear Off Right Kick-Off

We know you’ve been doing everything possible to put 2016 out of your mind, and given everything that went down and all of the people we lost over the course of those 365 days, we totally get that. Still, if you could just push past all of that and think back to last January, you’ll recall that Rhino launched its first ever “Start Your Ear Off Right” campaign, wherein we released titles from some of our most revered artists. Given that it went over like gangbusters, we’ve decided to do it again, and it all starts today!

Now, this year’s releases – just like last year’s releases – aren’t available everywhere, but if you’d like a full list of participating retailers, you need only visit rhino.com/syeor. Also, we’re continuing a special offer we started last year: while supplies last, everyone who purchases one of the “Start Your Ear Off Right” releases will receive a free copy of our always-awesome Rhino calendar. Oh, yeah, and here’s one more while-supplies-last opportunity: if you pick up one of these releases at a Barnes & Noble location, you’ll get a unique, limited-edition vinyl cleaning cloth.

“Start Your Ear Off Right” launch, was a music industry-only perk for record label employees, radio DJs, journalists, record store owners, and other insiders. For a limited time, anyone who purchases one of the “Start Your Ear Off Right” releases at participating music retailers will receive a free copy of the Rhino calendar, while supplies last. Barnes & Noble customers will receive a unique, limited edition vinyl cleaning cloth with any “Start Your Ear Off Right” purchase.

Here’s the full list of what’s available this week, and if you see something you like, just remember; they’re all limited edition, don’t waste a single moment before picking up a copy for yourself!

January 10:

• Various Artists, FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH: MUSIC FROM THE MOTION PICTURE: 2-LP set, limited edition of 5,500 copies, $29.98 – Precious few soundtracks of the ‘80s were quite as successful at providing a legitimate look at the diversity of ‘80s music as this one. It’s an audio expedition that takes listeners from Jackson Browne to Oingo Boingo, with stops in between for songs by everyone from The Go-Go’s to Jimmy Buffett to Donna Summer.

• John Prine, JOHN PRINE: 1-LP 180-gram black vinyl, limited edition of 3,500 copies, $21.98 - A true folk classic of the early ‘70s, you’ll know this one for the single “Hello in There” at the very least, but it’s prime Prine from start to finish.

• Lil' Kim, HARD CORE: 2-LP Set, limited edition, of 3,500, $29.98 – A must-own for rap fans, this is Li’l Kim’s debut album, and it’s been recognized by Rolling Stone as one of the essential recordings of the ‘90s.

• Hootie and the Blowfish, CRACKED REAR VIEW: 1-LP on clear / yellow / black vinyl, limited edition of 5,500 copies, $21.98 – Yes, we know, you probably already have this on CD, and we know this because just about everybody bought it on CD in the ‘90s, but while it suffered some oversaturation at the time, it’s a piece of jangle-pop radio candy of the highest order.

• Iron Butterfly, IN-A-GADDA-DA-VIDA: 1-LP on Psychedelic vinyl, limited edition of 4,000 copies, $22.98 – These guys once asked, “Don’t you know that I love you?” We know the feeling’s mutual, and if you’re going to own a copy of this classic album, you’ve got to own it on psychedelic vinyl. It’s a must!