AMG at The National 2023: Gary Vaynerchuk and the Hobby Weigh In on Music Grading
July 2023 — Rosemont, Illinois
The National Sports Collectibles Convention is the Super Bowl of the hobby world — tens of thousands of collectors, dealers, and industry voices descending on one floor to talk cards, culture, and the future of collecting. In 2023, AMG showed up with one question for some of the biggest names in the room: What do you think about music grading?
The answers said it all.
Gary Vaynerchuk
Few people have done more to legitimize alternative assets as a serious collecting category than Gary Vaynerchuk. So when Gary Vee sees an opportunity, it's worth paying attention.
"I think grading everything is a huge opportunity — and as someone who's been buying 8-tracks and VHS's and DVDs and CDs and cassettes for a long time at garage sales and things of that nature, I knew this day would come. It looks fly. I'm excited to see where this market goes."
For collectors who've been quietly stacking physical music for years, that's validation from one of the most prominent voices in the hobby. Gary Vee didn't stumble into music collecting — he's been doing it. And he sees exactly where this is headed.
Mojo Sports
Mojo Sports is one of the most recognized and respected voices in the sports card hobby — and his take cut right to the heart of what AMG is building.
"Man, I think it's new. I love music; music's huge and I think the connection between music grading and sports cards can be a real cool thing to this culture."
The crossover between the sports card world and music collecting isn't a stretch — it's a natural evolution. The same passion that drives a collector to chase a rookie card drives a record hunter to track down a first pressing. AMG is building the bridge.
Gin & Juice
Preservation. History. Legacy. When Gin & Juice spoke, those were the words that kept coming back.
"I love the idea of grading music to preserve the history. Some of my favorite albums, some of my favorite vinyl out there, I want to collect — so I definitely want to get it graded. Everybody should be preserving the history and keeping it for their music. I mean, what else can you grade? You might as well start grading anything — it preserves history, so might as well."
That instinct — to hold onto the things that matter, to give them the protection they deserve — is exactly why AMG exists. Music tells us who we are. Grading helps make sure those stories survive.
Great Curator
Great Curator brought a perspective that every skeptic should hear — grounded, clear, and drawn straight from the history of every collecting category that came before music.
"I think music grading, just like any other type of collectible — toys, comics, cards — is going to be huge. There's a passionate fan base that collects these things, and once you put a quantitative grade on it that people can recognize and easily understand, it's going to open up a whole new market for music collectors. Just like every other type of collectible, I think it's got a place."
A quantitative grade that people can recognize and easily understand. That's the whole game. It's what PSA did for cards. It's what CGC did for comics. And it's what AMG is doing for recorded music.
The Verdict from The National
Four voices. Four different corners of the hobby world. One consistent message: music grading isn't a question of if — it's a question of when. And the answer is now.
The National is where the hobby speaks. In 2023, it spoke loudly about music.
Want the full story of how AMG came to be? Read about the launch of the world's first music grading company.
If you're ready to be part of what comes next, submit your first piece at audiomediagrading.com. Your vinyl, cassettes, CDs, and 8-tracks deserve to be recognized for exactly what they are.