Warner/Reprise Loss Leaders


The Warner/Reprise Loss Leaders were a series of promotional sampler compilation albums released by Warner Bros. Records throughout the 1970s. Each album contained a wide variety of tracks by artists under contract to Warner Bros. and its subsidiary labels ; often these were singles, B-sides, non-hit album tracks, or otherwise obscure material, all designed to arouse interest in the artists' regular albums. Also found on some were humorous, bizarre interstitial audio material—clips from old records and movies, short skits, found sound, etc.--and most albums featured clever, humorous cover art and liner notes. Most of the 1970s albums were compiled and annotated by Barry Hansen, better known as Dr. Demento.

Overview

Warner advertised the Loss Leaders albums by magazine and by inserting special illustrated inner sleeves in all of its regular album releases, listing all of the currently available Loss Leaders and including an order form. Each Loss Leader double album was priced at US$2, significantly less than a comparable regular-release double album of the time. The fact that Warner sold these double albums at low cost in hopes of increasing sales of their regular releases is the source of the series name Loss Leaders.
The first Loss Leaders compilation was The 1969 Warner/Reprise Songbook, featuring a wide range of artists from Miriam Makeba to the Mothers of Invention; the last of the original series was the punk and new wave-themed Troublemakers in 1980.
Loss Leaders Revisited, a limited-edition CD and Loss Leaders 2 a limited-edition CD, were not properly Loss Leader releases, since they were given away. There have been no further Loss Leaders releases.

List

The 1969 Warner/Reprise SongbookThe 1969 Warner/Reprise Record ShowOctober 10, 1969The Big BallSchlagers!ZappédLooney Tunes & Merrie Melodies Non-Dairy CreamerHot PlattersTogetherThe Whole Burbank CatalogMiddle of the RoadBurbankThe Days of Wine and VinylAppetizersAll Singing - All Talking - All RockingHard GoodsPeachesDeep EarThe ForceAll MeatPeaches, Vol. 2I Didn't Know They Still Made Records Like ThisThe WorksSupergroupThe People's RecordCook BookLimoCollectus InterruptusPumping VinylA La CarteMonstersEclipseMusic with 58 Musicians, Volume 1TroublemakersLoss Leaders Revisited
  • ''Loss Leaders 2''