Roughly 4,000 vinyl records from the personal library of late Television frontman Tom Verlaine are being released for public sale through a partnership between Academy Records and Discogs. The collection, which spans diverse genres including jazz, avant-garde, and rock, will be available in batches starting June 26, 2024, with in-person events in Brooklyn and subsequent online listings.
How to purchase Tom Verlaine’s record collection
The estate of Tom Verlaine, who passed away in January 2023, is distributing his extensive music library through a multi-stage sale. According to [Academy Records](https://academyrecords.com/), the sales process begins on June 26, 2024, with an initial selection of records appearing on the [Discogs marketplace](https://www.discogs.com/).
Following the online launch, Academy Records will host in-person sales at their Brooklyn store location on July 10 and July 11, 2024. The remaining portion of the 4,000-record trove is scheduled to be listed on Discogs starting July 31, 2024. This staggered release is designed to allow both local collectors and international fans access to the inventory.
What defines the collection’s significance
The collection serves as a historical map of Verlaine’s artistic influences rather than a reflection of his own discography. Academy Records owner Cory Feierman noted in a [public statement](https://blog.discogs.com/en/tom-verlaine-collection/) that Verlaine’s buying habits prioritized “adventure and discovery.”
The archive includes personal copies of landmark albums that shaped the post-punk era, such as:
* Television’s *Marquee Moon* and the single “Little Johnny Jewel”
* Nico’s *Chelsea Girl*
* The 13th Floor Elevators’ *I Have Always Been Here Before*
* Albert Ayler’s *Bells*
* Slint’s *Spiderland*
The diversity of the collection—ranging from jazz and psych to international pressings—provides insight into the listening habits of a musician often credited with redefining the guitar’s role in the 1970s rock underground.
Contextualizing the archive and estate
The sale of the vinyl collection follows other efforts to preserve Verlaine’s professional legacy. In early 2024, the [New York Public Library](https://www.nypl.org/) acquired Verlaine’s written and recorded archives, a collection that includes unreleased music and unpublished poetry.
This preservation effort runs parallel to a recent resurgence in his solo work. [Real Gone Music](https://realgonemusic.com/) reissued three of his final solo albums—*Warm and Cool* (1992), *Around* (2006), and *Songs and Other Things* (2006)—following his death. While the NYPL archive secures his written history for public research, the Academy Records sale offers fans a tangible, functional connection to the records that informed his sound.
Quick Reference: Sale Schedule
| Date | Venue | Format |
| :— | :— | :— |
| June 26, 2024 | Discogs | Online Sale (Batch 1) |
| July 10–11, 2024 | Academy Records (Brooklyn) | In-Person Sale |
| July 31, 2024 | Discogs | Online Sale (Remaining Inventory) |