Columbia House Closure: A Nostalgic Look Back

Have you heard the news? After 70 years in the business of mail-order music, Columbia House is ceasing operations on September 15, 2026.  What’s that you say?  You didn’t even know they were still around.  Welcome to the club- the secondary club of not knowing they were still around.  The primary club, of course being the Columbia House Records and Tape Club.  If you’re still a member, I’d love to hear from you.

The Hook: When you joined the club, you were able to select12 records or tapes for just one penny.  As a member you were obligated to buy five additional records at the regular retail price over the next three years.  Three years!  What a deal!

As a pre-teen, I saved up my allowances, mowed lawns, and babysat so I could meet my commitment to buy the full price records.  But it was so worth it. And if you referred a friend, they could select 12 records or tapes for just one penny and you – the friend – could select six records or tapes for just one penny!  Under the side-eye glare of my disapproving mother, I signed up Susan Lee as my friend and received 18 record albums for two pennies, only having to buy another five albums over the next three years.

Join me as I walk down my personal Columbia House memory lane.

If You Like Pina Coladas – Escape (The Pina Colada Song) has lasting power.  This song has been featured on an episode of Better Call Saul, The Goldbergs, and also the soundtrack of Guardians of the Galaxy.  It was on the album Partners in Crime by Rupert Holmes, one of my original “free” selections.  I was a big fan of two other songs on the album – Him and Answering Machine.  Not sure a lot of people remember Rupert Holmes’s name, but I know you know the Pina Colada song.

Get the Knack – As with many songs viewed through the lens of retrospect, My Sharona shows some tarnish in the light of 2026.  Written by 25-year-old Doug Fieger, he dumped his current girlfriend (who had introduced him to Sharona) to pursue the 17-year-old titular namesake.  We didn’t know the backstory; we loved the song and several others on the album.  As an interesting side note for those who don’t already know, lead singer Doug is the brother of Detroit power attorney Geoffrey Fieger.  “All We Do Is Win.”

Greatest Hits – I learned much about my music preferences and classic older music by buying greatest hits selections.  From Linda Ronstadt to Electric Light Orchestra to Aerosmith.  Greatest Hits and Best Of compilations were definitely prized Columbia House selections.  The Eagles Greatest Hits 1971 – 1975 is reportedly Columbia House’s biggest mail order seller of all time.

On the Radio—whoa-oh-oh-oh, on the radio. This Donna Summer double album still rocks today. Actually, it’s a disco album, but I’m not sure disco has a corresponding verb. Packed with No. 1 hits—including Bad Girls, Hot Stuff, Last Dance, and the Barbra Streisand duet No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)—this album is still hot!

I love you, the best; better than all, the rest – These lyrics from The Doors song Indian Summer describes my love for this band who were defunct (and their lead singer dead) before I even discovered them.  This is one of those times that I found the greatest hits album So Great that I started to collect all their albums.  Wow!  I did (and still do) love that Jim Morrison and his friends.

Centerfold – My blood runs cold, my memories have just been sold. My angel is a centerfold.  Then there were the albums you bought because of a really big hit and ended up knowing and loving most – or all – of the songs. This is definitely the case of Freeze Frame by the J. Geils Band and also Foreigner 4.  Iconic.

One Hit Wonders – Not exactly the true meaning of that phrase, but how about those albums you bought because that one song is so fantastic, the whole album should be worth it.  Let’s just say I was disappointed more than once and should have stuck with going to the mall and buying the 45.

Fortunately, there were also times that I bought an album for one song and ended up loving all, or most of the songs on the album.

These days, I’m a big Spotify user and the ease and speed with which you can pull up a song – old or new – is astounding.  However, streaming music on your phone can’t replace studying the album cover art or the joy of finding that the inside album sleeve is printed with all the lyrics.  It makes me want to sign up all over again.