Television Founder Tom Verlaine’s Personal Vinyl Collection Up For Sale

Discogs has teamed with independent New York City store Academy Records to sell the personal vinyl collection of Tom Verlaine, founder of influential New York outfit Television.

Why it matters:

• Prior to his passing in 2023, Verlaine was regarded as one of the most distinctive artists to emerge from New York’s downtown music scene.

• The 4,000-piece vinyl collection offers a rare window into his listening habits and musical influences.

The sale:

• The first drop of Verlaine’s personal collection will be available through Discogs beginning June 26.

• A selection of titles will then be at Academy Records in Brooklyn on July 10 and 11, before the sale finishes on Discogs on July 31.

• Each purchase on Discogs will include a certificate of authenticity.

• Highlights include Verlaine’s personal copies of Television's debut single “Little Johnny Jewel” and debut LP Marquee Moon, the 13th Floor Elevators' Easter Everywhere, Nico's Chelsea Girl, and many others.

What they said:

• Russ Ryan, Discogs: “A lifetime of [Verlaine's] digging is in these 4,000 records, and our job is to keep them in circulation rather than let them vanish into a vault. Whether they go to a collector in Tokyo or someone walking into Academy, the music stays in the world the way it always has, passing from one set of hands to the next.”