Seven Odd Album Promotional Items

Most of the time, if a band includes an exclusive extra with their new album, chances are it will be something benign like a sticker or patch. On October 18, experimental rock group Negativland turned this on its head when they announced that their new album, ‘The Cutting Edge Vol. 9: The Chopping Channel,’ would be released with a two-ounce bag of deceased band member Don Joyce’s cremated remains.

While this is one of the weirdest (and grossest) promotional items a band has included with an album, they are not the first to use shock value to get the word out. Many artists have been known to make some odd merchandise to sell to fans or create a public display that will get people to remember their name or album.

Join Vinyl Bay 777 in looking at seven of the oddest items artists have produced in order to promote their music.

1.       John Freese’s Car: In 2009, drummer Josh Freese was getting ready to release his latest solo album, ‘Since 1972,’ with a Kickstarter campaign. One of the perks he included in his campaign was for a lucky $10000 donor, who would not only get the album, but a day at Disneyland with Freese and ultimately the musician’s car.

2.       Flaming Lips Chocolate Skull: In 2014, Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne went on a record store tour, bringing with him copies of the Flaming Lips’ first vinyl EP. That wouldn’t be weird, except that the 12” green vinyl was encased inside a white chocolate skull. The band had done something similar in 2011 when they released ‘Gummy Skull Song,’ a four-song EP on a USB encased in a gummy skull.

3.       Katy Perry Panties: For her breakthrough second album, ‘One of the Boys,’ Perry released a pair of panties with her name on the front the title of the album on the back. A T-Shirt is one thing, underwear is another.

4.       Rammstein’s 2009 Box Set: In December 2009, German metal band Rammstein released a deluxe box set edition of their album ‘Liebe ist fur alle da,’ which was released earlier that year. Included in that box set, besides a special edition of the album with four extra songs, were 12 dildos, a pair of handcuffs and lube. Yeah…

5.       The Dead Milkmen’s Methodist Coloring Book: The Dead Milkmen released their album ‘Metaphysical Graffiti’ in 1990, which included the song “Methodist Coloring Book.” So the band made a Methodist coloring book, complete with images of the band dressed as priests and doing some unsavory actions in the guise of religion.

6.       Weezer’s Snuggie: When Weezer released their album ‘Raditude’ in 2009, the band was at the height of their pop culture appropriation period. In keeping with that, the band included a Snuggie emblazoned with their logo for early purchasers of the album.

7.       Iceage’s Hair: Danish metal band Iceage released their debut full length ‘New Brigade’ in 2011 and sold two very odd items to promote it. The first is a knife, which they sold at shows (G-d knows why) with the symbol from the album on the side. The second was locks of hair from their members, which could be purchased online. So while shopping for the album online, you can buy some hair to remember the band by.

In a musical landscape where it can be hard to stand out on music alone, some artists have put out some really crazy items to promote themselves. Between human remains, human hair, sex toys, cars and albums encased in chocolate, there have been some pretty interesting and odd ideas for promotion thrown around.

Check out music from many of these artists (sans human remains) and more at Vinyl Bay 777 and online at vinylbay777.com. We have thousands of titles on vinyl, CD and cassette, and more are being added all the time. Visit during our newly extended business hours