Album value
Sly & the Family Stone — There's a Riot Goin' On.
First-press value.
Released November 1971 on Epic. A radical departure from the band's earlier optimistic funk into darker, slower territory. The original 1971 Epic black-and-yellow label first-press is the collector reference.
01
The first-press, by the numbers
Released 1971. The US first-press shipped on the Epic black-and-yellow label.
- US stereo catalog: KE 30986
02
How to confirm a first-press
Three things separate an original from a later reissue beyond the catalog number.
- 1971 Epic black-and-yellow label is the first-press signal — by 1974 Epic shifted to the orange-and-yellow design
- Original 1971 sleeve has the Stephen Paley American-flag photograph on heavier paper than reissues
- Catalog number KE 30986 is the first-press; reissue runs used a different prefix
The matrix runout etched in the dead wax is the definitive identifier when label and catalog number both look era-correct.
03
What it's worth
Recent sold-listing ranges. Pressing, condition, and current market all move the number.
| Pressing & condition | Recent sold |
|---|---|
| 1971 first-press (NM) | $40–$120 |
| 1971 first-press (VG+) | $20–$50 |
| Reissue (any later catalog), NM | $15–$30 |
What pushes to the top: NM sleeve with intact original artwork colors.
Sources: Discogs sold listings (90-day window), Popsike.com auction archive, Goldmine Record Album Price Guide.
04
If you have one
Pull the record. Check the label first against the Epic black-and-yellow design. Confirm the catalog number on the label matches KE 30986. Then check the matrix runout in the dead wax. All three lining up is the first-press confirmation.
Or scan with Crown Vinyl. The app reads the label, catalog number, and matrix runout from a single photograph, returns the exact pressing, and pulls a current value from recent real sales. Free on the App Store.
Keep checking the shelf
More first pressings worth knowing.
Nearby years, matching labels, and more records by the same artist.
1971 · Reprise steamboat
Joni Mitchell — Blue
1971 first press: $25–$60 in VG+ condition.
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1971 · Tamla Detroit-map
Marvin Gaye — What's Going On
1971 first press: $25–$60 in VG+ condition.
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1971 · Ode brown-and-gold
Carole King — Tapestry
1971 first press: $15–$50 in VG+ condition.
Check this pressingA few questions
The ones that come up.
Check the label design (Epic black-and-yellow), the catalog number (KE 30986), and the matrix runout etched in the dead wax. All three need to line up for a confirmed first-press. 1971 Epic black-and-yellow label is the first-press signal — by 1974 Epic shifted to the orange-and-yellow design.
NM sleeve with intact original artwork colors brings the top of the NM range, typically $40–$120.
Reissues use different label designs, different mastering, and were pressed in far larger quantities. There's a Riot Goin' On reissues from later decades trade at $15–$30 per NM copy. The first-press premium reflects scarcity, era-authenticity, and collector demand — not the music itself.
There's a Riot Goin' On was issued in stereo only as a first-press. The KE 30986 pressing is the reference.
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