CD-R - CD-Rs or Reference CDs are now usually used in place of acetates or test pressings. These allow the artist and producer to hear the work before it is delivered to the label as finished or to provide a quick advance copy of the finished work. CD-Rs can only be recorded one time. CD-Rs are usually packaged in a plain jewel case with an insert from the studio containing information regarding the recording. Because of their relatively small numbers, CD-Rs are extremely collectible and valuable.
Test Pressing - A "Test Pressing" is a record made in very small numbers to check sound quality before a record is finally manufactured in quantityl. Test pressings usually have white labels and a white sleeve with all the album's pertinent information either on the sleeve or on the labels. Because of their extremely limited numbers, test pressings are considered to be among the rarest items of virtually any artist.
Promotional Record - A promotional copy of a recording is actually a commercial, or stock copy, that will be distributed -
usually prior to the album's release - to retail stores, the press and radio. A promotional copy has been marked either by a
gold stamp, a sticker or a cut or hole to indicate that it is promotional and cannot be sold to the public or returned to the
record company for credit. Promotional copies are very common and in some cases less valuable than commercial copies; as in the
case of the Y Kant Tori Read LP.
Sometimes 'stamped' promotional copies of albums DO contain printed differences that are worth noting for collectors.
Usually, the disc of this type of promo contains additional promotional language that is not found on the commercial release.
The Tori albums with known printed variations on stamped promotional copies are: From The Choirgirl Hotel and Strange
Little Girls.
Promotional-Only Record - Promotional-only records are never intended for commercial release and as such are pressed in
relatively small quantities. They are distributed to radio, retail stores, DJs, the press and sometimes given away to the public
as part of the promotion of a new record. E.G.: the London Girls French CD single. Promotional-only copies are usually
a single intended for radio, e.g.: New Music From Tori Amos... or an interview, e.g.: Tea With The Waitress. The
easiest way to distinguish promotional-only copies from commercial copies is by their lack of a UPC number or bar code.
Promotional-only copies frequently contain rare material, such as live tracks, remixes or previously unreleased songs. Because
of their limited numbers, promotional-only copies are rare and highly sought after by collectors.
It should be said that the collectibility or value of promotional-only items varies greatly! The days of having very
interesting promotional releases with extra songs and content seem to be gone. Today, promotional-only releases rarely contain
anything other than the single that is being promoted at the moment. Promotional singles with no additional content are rarely worth more
than $10-20, but they are still fun to collect.
Flat (Poster Flat) - A Flat is a usually double-sided 12" by 12" promotional poster sent to retail stores. They are some of the most standard promotional items and are usually made for every album. They're made out of slightly stiff posterboard. Occasionally, the size is different from the standard 12" by 12". For Scarlet's Walk, for example, the promotional flats consisted of two standard size flats connected by a perforation. For The Beekeeper the flat was a standard sized flat connected by perforation to a smaller section.
Limited Edition - Limited edition releases are items that are usually released for a relatively short period of time and contain material not available on the standard release. In the past, singles were frequently released as a two CD set with one being a limited edition release. More recently, it has become common to have a regular and limited edition version of an album. Tori has had limited edition releases for Scarlet's Walk and The Beekeeper. Additionally, in the UK and other countries, Tales Of A Librarian was available both as a single CD and a CD/DVD combo although I don't believe they used the 'limited edition' terminology.
Longbox - The longbox was a former method of packaging CDs that allowed them to be displayed in the deep shelves originally intended for 12" records in stores. The standard CD case was packaged inside a cardboard casing which extended the length. Little Earthquakes and the Crucify EP were both initially released as longboxes. The soundtrack for Toys was also released as a longbox. There may be other longboxes that have yet to surface!
Standee - A standee is a stiff, cardboard poster typically intended for display on a counter. The standard size of a standee is around 8" by 12", however they are often made in larger sizes to display an album cover. Worth noting is the life-size cardboard standee of Tori that was made to promote The Beekeeper.
Trade Ad - Trade ads are large, full-page ads in music industry publications which typically advertise the release details of upcoming singles or albums. Because they are only printed in trade publications, they are not easily available to the public. The details of a single's release or air play are often updated on the ads making for many variations of each trade ad.
Variations - The word 'variations' on this site refers to the slight differences that can be found within a single release. Because things are sometimes changed slightly in subsequent pressings, it's worth noting the details of the changes. On this site, variations such as these have been included on a single page rather than individual pages.