BMG Direct (BMG’s direct marketing company/club editions)

~ Label

Annotation

BMG’s direct marketing company that was primarily active in the UK but was also credited on US releases (starting circa 1995).
If the release text states BMG Direct Marketing, Inc., please use that label instead.

Not a ‘true’ label, but treated as one in MB, for now. When you spot BMG Direct on a release please:

  • Add BMG Direct as label with the D###### code as the catalogue number
  • Add other visible labels with their respective catalogue numbers
  • Add ‘BMG club edition’ to the disambiguation
  • If you see Mfd. for BMG Direct, add the manufactured for release-label relationship

BMG Direct Marketing, Inc. was the US company that owned the BMG Music Service record club, and by extension, BMG Direct.
The company was formed in 1988, when Bertelsmann Music Group acquired RCA, owner of the RCA Music Service record club. The record club was then renamed BMG Music Service. BMG Music Service acquired Columbia House in June 2005. BMG Music Service ceased operations on June 30, 2009.

Catalog numbers of the original label appear on BMG Direct pressings as normal.
For legacy releases: If, on a release, BMG Direct is credited as a label, instead add the release's actual label(s) and catalog number(s) as the label credit, and format BMG Direct's using the manufactured by release-label relationship, or whatever relationship is applicable.

Releases

ReleaseArtistFormatTracksDate/Country
Speaking in Tongues (BMG club edition)Talking HeadsCD9
The Best of Aretha Franklin (BMG club edition)Aretha FranklinCD12
Reckless (BMG club edition)Bryan AdamsCD10
Legend: The Best of Bob Marley and The Wailers (62 minute version)Bob Marley & The WailersCD14
10 From 6 (BMG club edition)Bad CompanyCD10
  • 1985-12 US
Parallel LinesBlondieCD12
Windham Hill Records: Piano Sampler (BMG club edition)Various ArtistsCD9
Riptide (BMG club edition)Robert PalmerCD9
Little Creatures (BMG club edition)Talking HeadsCD9
Atlantic Rhythm and Blues 1947–1974, Volume 5: 1962–1966 (BMG Direct club edition)Various ArtistsCD27
Atlantic Rhythm and Blues 1947-1974, Volume 6: 1966-1969Various ArtistsCD25
His 12 Greatest Hits (BMG club edition)Neil DiamondCD12
Greatest Hits, Volume I & Volume II (BMG club edition)Billy Joel2×CD11 + 14
Stand by Me: Original Motion Picture SoundtrackVarious ArtistsCD10
Horowitz in Moscow (BMG club edition)Vladimir HorowitzCD15
Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc. (BMG club edition)Dwight YoakamCD10
Classics, Volume 1 (BMG club edition)Herb Alpert & the Tijuana BrassCD25
  • 1987-06-07 US
The Lion and the CobraSinéad O’ConnorCD9
  • 1987-11-04 US
Who’s That Girl: Original Motion Picture SoundtrackMadonnaCD9
Over 60 Minutes With...ZappacostaCD17
Moanin’ (BMG club edition)Art Blakey and The Jazz MessengersCD7
Kick (pressed by Allied Record Company)INXSCD12
Raffi's Christmas AlbumRaffiCD15
Crest of a Knave (club edition)Jethro TullCD9
Compact Jazz: Ella FitzgeraldElla FitzgeraldCD16
Joe’s Garage: Acts I, II & III (BMG Direct Marketing edition)Frank Zappa2×CD12 + 7
Classics, Volume 6Chuck MangioneCD10
Syncopated Clock and Other Favorites by Leroy Anderson (BMG club edition)Leroy Anderson; Erich Kunzel, Rochester Philharmonic OrchestraCD18
Faith (Club Edition)George MichaelCD11
I'm No Angel (club edition)The Gregg Allman BandCD10
The Argent Anthology: A Collection of Greatest Hits (Club Edition)ArgentCD8
The Quintessential Billie Holiday, Volume 2Billie HolidayCD16
Dirty Dancing: Original Soundtrack From the Vestron Motion Picture (BMG club edition)Various ArtistsCD12
The 19 Hungarian Rhapsodies (BMG club edition)Franz Liszt; Misha Dichter2×CD9 + 10
In My Tribe (Club Edition, BMG - Record label black and red)10,000 Maniacs12" Vinyl12
In My Tribe (Club Edition, BMG)10,000 Maniacs12" Vinyl12
Bête Noire (club edition, BMG)Bryan Ferry12" Vinyl9
Roll With It (club release)Steve WinwoodCD8
  • 1988-06-21 US
Buster: The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (BMG club edition)Various ArtistsCD12
Greatest Hits Live (Club edition – BMG)Carly SimonCD11
Greatest Hits LiveCarly SimonCassette11
VixenVixenCD11
Traveling Wilburys, Vol. 1 (club edition)Traveling WilburysCD10
Nothing's Shocking (BMG Direct Edition)Jane's AddictionCD11
Windham Hill Records Guitar Sampler (BMG club edition)Various ArtistsCD11
The Fox (stereo, BMG club edition)Harold LandCD6
Now and Zen (club edition)Robert PlantCD10
12 Greatest Hits (club edition)Patsy ClineCD12
Make His Praise GloriousSandi PattyCD10
…And Justice for All (club edition)MetallicaCD9
Bird: The Original Recordings of Charlie Parker (BMG club edition)Charlie ParkerCD12
Crowded House (BMG club release)Crowded HouseCD11
Greatest Hits LiveCarly SimonCD11
The Trinity SessionCowboy JunkiesCD12
SouvenirsDjango Reinhardt & Stephane Grappelly with The Quintet of the Hot Club of FranceCD20
Unforgettable FiftiesVarious Artists2×CD25 + 25
Mystery Girl (BMG club edition)Roy OrbisonCD10
  • 1989-02-07 US
Czech Miniature MasterpiecesAntonín KubálekCD23
Quatuor pour la fin du tempsOlivier MessiaenCD8
11The SmithereensCD10
Crazy Loving: The Best of Poco 1975-1982 (club edition)PocoCD13
The Real Thing (BMG Direct release)Faith No MoreCD11
Rick Springfield’s Greatest Hits (BMG club edition)Rick SpringfieldCD12
Just Lookin’ for a Hit (BMG club edition)Dwight YoakamCD10
The Kink Kronikles (BMG club edition)The Kinks2×CD14 + 14
Repeat Offender (glass mastered at Denon Digital Industries)Richard MarxCD11
Journeyman (BMG club release)Eric ClaptonCD12
Basher: The Best of Nick LoweNick LoweCD25
Def, Dumb & Blonde (BMG club release)Deborah HarryCD15
The Age of PlasticBugglesCD8
  • 1990-06-01 US
"Epic Anthology": From the Original Master Tapes! (club edition)The HolliesCD20
  • 1990-07-03 US
GreatestGo‐Go’sCD14
  • 1990-10-05 US
Recycler (club edition)ZZ TopCD10
  • 1990-10-06 US
Hello, I Must Be Going! (BMG club edition)Phil CollinsCD10
  • 1990-10-25 US
Alabama Greatest Hits (club edition)AlabamaCD10
  • 1990-10-25 US
Serious Hits… Live! (club edition)Phil CollinsCD15
  • 1990-12-08 US
Carmen (Highlights)Bizet; Leontyne Price, Franco Corelli, Robert Merrill, Mirella Freni, Vienna Philharmonic, Vienna State Opera Chorus, Herbert von KarajanCD19
Packed! (club edition)PretendersCD11
Greatest HitsDEVOCD16
Greatest Hits of the Outlaws: High Tides Forever (club edition)OutlawsCD8
The Heart of Saturday Night (BMG Distribution)Tom WaitsCD11
Sheik Yerbouti (BMG Direct Marketing edition)Frank ZappaCD18
The Best of the Decca Years, Volume One: Hits! (BMG club edition)Judy GarlandCD14
So Far (BMG Direct Edition)Crosby, Stills, Nash & YoungCD11
Heartbreak StationCinderellaCD11
Shut Up and Dance: The Dance Mixes (club edition)Paula AbdulCD8
Led Zeppelin (club edition)Led Zeppelin4×CD15 + 15 + 10 + 14
Graffiti Bridge (BMG Direct)PrinceCD17
The Concert in Central Park (BMG club edition)Simon & GarfunkelCD19
Europe ’72Grateful Dead2×CD10 + 7
The Capitol Collectors Series (Volume 1, The Early Years)Peggy LeeCD25
Ladies of the Canyon (BMG club edition)Joni MitchellCD12
Christmas AlbumHerb Alpert & the Tijuana BrassCD10
Brothers in Arms (club edition)Dire StraitsCD9
Reading, Writing and Arithmetic (BMG club edition)The SundaysCD10
The Chess Box (Club Edition)Bo Diddley2×CD24 + 21
Classic Country Music: A Smithsonian Collection, Volume IIVarious ArtistsCD27
50 Years: 50 HitsElvis Presley2×CD25 + 25
Standard Time, Vol. 2: Intimacy CallingWynton MarsalisCD12
  • 1991-03-26 US
Slave to the Grind (BMG club edition)Skid RowCD12
  • 1991-06-11 US