AMG's 2025 Year in Review: Top Artists, Top Albums & the Biggest Sales

2025 was a big year for physical media. Across vinyl, CDs, cassettes, and even 8-tracks, collectors sent AMG everything from sealed modern pressings to decade-spanning test presses — and one signed Led Zeppelin record sold at auction for $73,200. Here's the full recap: the most submitted artists, the most submitted albums, and the ten highest graded-album auction sales of the year.

Top 10 Most Submitted Artists of 2025

Based on the physical records collectors chose to grade, authenticate, and archive with AMG this year — these are the artists with the highest submission volume. Each is paired with one example slab:

  1. The Beatles — example slab: Abbey Road (1969 Apple Records SO-383), AMG 8 AMG Instagram recap slide: The Beatles — Abbey Road slab, AMG 8
  2. Nirvana — example slab: Love Buzz / Big Cheese (1988 Sub Pop Records SP23), AMG 9 AMG Instagram recap slide: Nirvana — Love Buzz / Big Cheese slab, AMG 9
  3. Eminem — example slab: Kamikaze (2018, sealed), AMG 10 AMG Instagram recap slide: Eminem — Kamikaze slab, AMG 10
  4. Taylor Swift — example slab: The Life of a Showgirl (Shimmer Desert & Vanilla Perfume Collectible, 2025), AMG 10 AMG Instagram recap slide: Taylor Swift — The Life of a Showgirl slab, AMG 10
  5. Michael Jackson — example slab: Bad (1987 Epic Records), AMG 9 AMG Instagram recap slide: Michael Jackson — Bad slab, AMG 9
  6. Guns N' Roses — example slab: Use Your Illusion I (2012 Geffen Records), AMG 9 AMG Instagram recap slide: Guns N' Roses — Use Your Illusion I slab, AMG 9
  7. Prince — example slab: Batman (Motion Picture Soundtrack) (1989 Warner Bros.), AMG 9 AMG Instagram recap slide: Prince — Batman (Motion Picture Soundtrack) slab, AMG 9
  8. Kiss — example slab: Kiss (1973 Casablanca Records NB 9001), AMG 8 AMG Instagram recap slide: Kiss — Kiss slab, AMG 8
  9. Lil Wayne — example slab: Tha Carter III (2008, signed), AMG 8 AMG Instagram recap slide: Lil Wayne — Tha Carter III slab, AMG 8
  10. Metallica — example slab: Kill 'Em All (1983 Megaforce Records MFI 069), AMG 9 AMG Instagram recap slide: Metallica — Kill 'Em All slab, AMG 9

Top 10 Albums Submitted in 2025

Zooming in on specific albums, these were the individual albums submitted most often this year, across every format AMG grades:

  1. Nirvana — Nevermind (1991 Geffen Records DGC 24425), AMG 10 AMG Instagram recap slide: Nirvana — Nevermind slab, AMG 10
  2. Lil Wayne — Tha Carter VI (2025), AMG 10 AMG Instagram recap slide: Lil Wayne — Tha Carter VI slab, AMG 10
  3. Guns N' Roses — Appetite for Destruction, AMG 10 AMG Instagram recap slide: Guns N' Roses — Appetite for Destruction slab, AMG 10
  4. Michael Jackson — Thriller (8-track stereo tape cartridge), AMG 8 AMG Instagram recap slide: Michael Jackson — Thriller slab, AMG 8
  5. Prince and the Revolution — Purple Rain (1984 Warner Bros. Records P-13031, Japan import), AMG 9 AMG Instagram recap slide: Prince and the Revolution — Purple Rain slab, AMG 9
  6. Eminem — The Marshall Mathers LP (2000, inscribed "To Michael" and signed), AMG Authentic grade A AMG Instagram recap slide: Eminem — The Marshall Mathers LP slab, AMG Authentic grade A
  7. Taylor Swift — Taylor Swift (CD), AMG 9 AMG Instagram recap slide: Taylor Swift — Taylor Swift slab, AMG 9
  8. Kendrick Lamar — GNX (2025 cassette GNX-2925, sealed), AMG 10 AMG Instagram recap slide: Kendrick Lamar — GNX slab, AMG 10
  9. Pearl Jam — Ten (cassette), AMG 10 AMG Instagram recap slide: Pearl Jam — Ten slab, AMG 10
  10. The Notorious B.I.G. — Ready to Die (1994 Bad Boy Entertainment 78612 73000-1, sealed), AMG 9 AMG Instagram recap slide: The Notorious B.I.G. — Ready to Die slab, AMG 9

Top 10 Graded Album Auction Sales of 2025

And the numbers that made headlines — the ten highest prices paid at auction this year for AMG-graded records:

  1. $73,200 — 1969 Led Zeppelin band-signed Led Zeppelin II, first pressing, UK release, gatefold, "wreck" label. AMG Authentic, Beckett & JSA AMG Instagram recap slide: $73,200 — 1969 Led Zeppelin band-signed Led Zeppelin II, first pressing, UK release, gatefold, "wreck" label, AMG Authentic, Beckett & JSA
  2. $58,560 — 1988 Nirvana "Love Buzz" 7" test pressing, the first-ever radio-played Nirvana record, Scott Vanderpool COA. AMG 8 Excellent AMG Instagram recap slide: $58,560 — 1988 Nirvana "Love Buzz" 7 inch test pressing, the first-ever radio-played Nirvana record, Scott Vanderpool COA, AMG 8 Excellent
  3. $28,060 — 1979 Sugarhill Gang "Rapper's Delight" test pressing, single-sided handwritten labels. AMG E8 AMG Instagram recap slide: $28,060 — 1979 Sugarhill Gang Rapper's Delight test pressing, single-sided handwritten labels, AMG E8
  4. $24,400 — Mach-Hommy "The G.A.T." open vinyl record display, 2x clear vinyl, lathe cut, limited to #/28, The Mach-Hommy Collection 2017. AMG NM9 AMG Instagram recap slide: $24,400 — Mach-Hommy The G.A.T. open vinyl record display, 2x clear vinyl, lathe cut, limited to #/28, The Mach-Hommy Collection 2017, AMG NM9
  5. $15,494 — Eminem "Infinite" sealed vinyl, original retail version, limited edition #/250, no address, F.B.T. Productions, 1996. AMG E8 AMG Instagram recap slide: $15,494 — Eminem Infinite sealed vinyl, original retail version, limited edition #/250, no address, F.B.T. Productions, 1996, AMG E8
  6. $9,150 — Eminem "The Marshall Mathers LP" sealed vinyl, first pressing, 2x vinyl with hype sticker, Interscope Records 2000. AMG NM9 AMG Instagram recap slide: $9,150 — Eminem The Marshall Mathers LP sealed vinyl, first pressing, 2x vinyl with hype sticker, Interscope Records 2000, AMG NM9
  7. $8,540 — 1973 Billy Joel "Piano Man" open vinyl test pressing, Santa Maria press, front cover inscription, inner sleeve with handwritten side 1 & side 2 tracklist. AMG G5 AMG Instagram recap slide: $8,540 — 1973 Billy Joel Piano Man open vinyl test pressing, Santa Maria press, front cover inscription, AMG G5
  8. $7,869 — 1991 Nirvana "Nevermind" sealed CD first pressing with hype sticker. AMG 10 Mint AMG Instagram recap slide: $7,869 — 1991 Nirvana Nevermind sealed CD first pressing with hype sticker, AMG 10 Mint
  9. $6,710 — 1980 George Harrison initialed and inscribed "Somewhere in England" self-recorded personal cassette tape, recorded at Friar Park prior to release. AMG VG+7, Beckett LOA AMG Instagram recap slide: $6,710 — 1980 George Harrison Somewhere in England self-recorded personal cassette tape, AMG VG+7
  10. $6,405 — 1991 Nirvana "Nevermind" NFR promotional copy cassette tape. AMG VG+7 AMG Instagram recap slide: $6,405 — 1991 Nirvana Nevermind NFR promotional copy cassette tape, AMG VG+7

Here's to 2026

From a $6,405 promo cassette to a $73,200 signed Led Zeppelin pressing, 2025 proved the same thing across every price point: physical music still matters, and collectors want it graded, authenticated, and preserved exactly as it existed in the moment it mattered.

Have something you're ready to submit? Start your submission at audiomediagrading.com →

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