Recordz
What is Discogs?
Discogs is a crowdsourced database of recorded music, mostly physical releases such as vinyl, CDs and cassettes, combined with a marketplace where independent sellers list copies for sale. Collectors use it to identify the exact pressing they own, track their collection and wantlist, check recent sale prices, and buy or sell records. It is free to use; sellers pay a fee when an item sells.
Where Discogs came from
Kevin Lewandowski, a programmer and DJ, started Discogs in 2000 as a way to catalog his electronic music collection. The first release in the database was The Persuader's "Stockholm". It later expanded to every genre and format, with a stated goal of cataloging all physical music ever made. Discogs is operated by Zink Media, LLC and is based in Oregon. By 2026 the database held more than 19 million release entries.
The database
The core of Discogs is its discography: pages for artists, labels, master releases and individual releases. A release page documents one edition, down to the catalog number, country, credits, companies involved and the matrix codes in the runout groove.
Users write all of it. The guidelines' first rule is that "you must have the exact release in your possession when you make a release submission". Submissions go live immediately, then users with voting rights rate them, from "Correct" or "Complete and Correct" to "Needs Major Changes" or "Entirely Incorrect". Voting rights are assigned automatically based on a user's activity and contribution history.
The database also catalogs unofficial releases such as bootlegs and counterfeits, tagged "Unofficial Release", so collectors can identify them. Cataloging is not endorsement: many of those items are blocked from sale.
The marketplace
Discogs doesn't sell records itself. Independent sellers, from individuals clearing a shelf to large shops, list copies against release pages. Listing is free; Discogs takes a percentage of each sale, charged on the item price and shipping. Payments go through PayPal, which sellers must use.
Every sale feeds the price data shown on release pages: low, median and high values from up to the 30 most recent sales. That sales history is one of the main reasons collectors check Discogs before buying anywhere.
Collection, wantlist and community
| Feature | What it does |
|---|---|
| Collection | Lists what you own, with folders, notes and an estimated value |
| Wantlist | Tracks records you want, with alerts when they're listed |
| Lists | User-made lists of releases |
| Reviews and ratings | Community opinions on releases |
| Forums and groups | Discussion, including database help |
| Digs | Discogs' own editorial articles and guides |
The website, the app and the API
The website does everything: browsing, contributing, buying, selling and managing your collection. The free iOS and Android apps cover search, barcode scanning, collection and wantlist management, marketplace prices and buying, and sellers can list items from the app. On September 30, 2026, the iPhone app had 67,059 US App Store ratings averaging 4.8.
Discogs also has a public API and publishes monthly data dumps under a CC0 "No Rights Reserved" license. The API mixes CC0 data with restricted data, such as some images, governed by its API Terms of Use. Third-party apps, including Recordz, build on that API.
Discogs FAQ
Is Discogs free?
Yes. Creating an account, browsing the database, cataloging your collection and buying are free. Sellers pay a selling fee when an item sells, and buyers pay the seller's price plus shipping.
Is Discogs only for vinyl?
No. Vinyl is its best-known category, but the database covers CDs, cassettes and other physical formats too. Discogs started with electronic music and now covers all genres.
Who adds the information on Discogs?
Its users do. Contributors must have the release in hand when submitting it, follow the database guidelines, and have their entries voted on by other users. Entries can still contain errors, which other contributors correct over time.
Does Discogs sell records itself?
No. Every listing comes from an independent seller, and the seller is responsible for grading, shipping and returns. Discogs says it cannot mediate disputes over condition or shipping; unresolved disputes go to the payment provider.
Who owns Discogs?
Discogs is operated by Zink Media, LLC, which does business as Discogs. Its seller policy and API terms are issued under that name.
Last updated September 30, 2026.
Sources: Discogs: The Evolution of the Database Submission Guidelines; Discogs on Wikipedia; Database Guidelines 1: General Rules; Database Guidelines 20: Voting Guidelines; Contributing to Discogs; Discogs Seller Policy; Discogs Data; Discogs API Terms of Use; Discogs on Google Play; ratings from App Store data, September 30, 2026.
Recordz is an independent application and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Discogs or Zink Media, LLC. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Record data is sourced from the Discogs API under the Discogs API Terms of Use and from the CC0-licensed Discogs data dumps.
