Decibel magazine, America’s only monthly metal magazine, has just announced an idea that has made grown men cry.

Starting in January 2011 Decibel is going to include a flexi-disc vinyl record with each and every issue. Yes, a new vinyl record and magazine every month. Wowie. Even as a casual metal fan I’m into this. But this deal gets even better.

The vinyl will feature exclusive songs, including previously unreleased tracks, covers, live tracks, demos, alternate takes, re-recordings, and everything else that makes collectors drool. All this this plus a sweet magazine. That sounds like a sale to me.

With Decibel’s seal of approval, each flexi disc in this monthly series will be an instant collectible. These vinyl pieces will remain in the collections of metalheads for dozens of years (think of it as the metal equivalent of Sub Pop’s “Singles Club” series of the early 1990s). And Decibel will be the only publication in the entire world producing a series quite like this. (More)

I wonder if other magazines will jump on this idea. I know if, let’s say a website like Pitchfork decided to get into the magazine world and offered a monthly vinyl disc in the mail, I would definitely pay for that. Or Rolling Stone, instead of trying to be something you’re not (tech savvy), go back to your roots and offer exclusive vinyl records of the performances from the RS archive????

So if you’re a magazine owner why not give vinyl a try? Vinyl is on the way up and magazine sales are slumping, what’s the risk in trying it for a month? Anyway, Decibel is officially the best music magazine in America.

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