RIP, BMG Music Service

I joined BMG back in high school, when it was 12 CDs for the price of 1 and you could get a bunch more by signing other people up. Eventually I returned too many "featured selections" that I forgot to decline and they cut me off that. I still get e-mails from them occasionally, but I haven't ordered anything from them in probably a decade.

But today I got an e-mail that says BMG will be discontinued effective June 30. I'm amazed it stuck around as long as it did. I think Columbia House still exists.

Ah, the 90s. *Sniff*

 

Fixed.

Wow. When I look back at the battlefield that is my credit record, the first landmine was BMG. Used to blow all my paper route money, and then some, on tapes as a kid. Then I got a bunch of CDs from them when I went away to college.

Remember how there'd be the BMG code where the UPC code would normally go? Good times.

 

yep, been in BMG a long time. in fact, within reaching distance of me right now is a stack of CDs that I haven't even opened, courtesy of the "oh, I forgot to return the card to BMG.".. ;D
i think it's being replaced by something called "yourmusic.com." i thought I saw that on the notice I got about them closing down.

 

My mom joined Columbia House once. She bought a bunch of 8-tracks.

 

Joined it when it was the RCA Music Club, I'd use it like netflix, to get albums from the past. Too often, albums I wanted weren't available. Just used CD Universe to get a Herbie Hancock compilation and a Stevie Wonder album. The BMG service was a lot better deal than Columbia House. I'll be sure to cash in my music points.

 

I belonged to the club until the mid 90s -- I purchased the remastered Led Zeppelin collection (all the full studio albums) for about 30 bucks, and then I discontinued it for good. Before that I would quit, they would ask me to rejoin, I would get the free 12 CDs again, buy the required one, quit, receive letter, rejoin, etc... Damn I got a lot of CDs.

 

How did it hurt your credit? You gave your SS number and your real name?

 

I also worked for Columbia House in Indiana and knew every way to rip them off and never get caught. All my friends became "members" and used my knowledge to their advantage!!!

 

Thanks to BMG, I have a whole pile of CDs I don't like. Whenever I'd join with the "get 12 for the price of one" come-on, I'd invariably wind up picking some marginal stuff that didn't hold up. Then I also misfired on sending cards back, which left with me some selections of the month I never wanted.

They would throw me out, then I'd get another pitch inviting me to join and they'd take me back like nothing bad had ever happened.

Only ever ordered when they had free shipping (the postage charges were obscene...it was like three bucks and change per CD, and they'd send the order of four CDs for about two bucks).

Bought some greatly discounted box sets there when they'd run a once a year sale on them.

 

Damn, what a glorious memory. Did anyone in history ever fulfill their membership obligation, write to cancel, and leave it at that? It was always some form of fuckaroo.

 

Thanks to BMG, I have at least six copies of Sheryl Crow's Globe Sessions.

Good fucking riddance!