Sampler (record)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A sampler is a special kind of compilation album, usually offered at a reduced price, to showcase a selection of artists. The format became popular in the 1960s as record labels sought to promote artists whose most significant work was primarily available in an album rather than a single format, and which consequently had little opportunity for singles-dominated radio airplay. CBS’s “The Rock Machine Turns You On” and Liberty Records “Gutbucket” were the first samplers. Many of the most important folk and rock artists of the time featured on the samplers of their respective record labels, particularly in the UK. Amongst the most well regarded were the samplers from Island Records ("You Can All Join In", "Nice Enough to Eat", "Bumpers" and "El Pea"), CBS, Decca Records, Liberty Records, Vertigo Records and Harvest Records. By the end of the 1970s the format became less popular and those samplers that did appear largely featured more obscure acts.
Beginning in the mid 1990s the compiliation album became a staple of many traditionall punk and alternative labels, with annual or biannual releases from Fat Wreck Chords (Fat Music for Fat People), Epitaph (Punk-O-Rama), Hellcat Records (Give 'Em the Boot), and Lookout! Records (Lookout! Freakout) or even Hed Kandi (Spring Sampler 2005, Summer Sampler 2006)
