So should the Stones expect to see unsold albums gathering dust on the shelves, a rare commercial misstep in an otherwise business-savvy career?

According to Dan Orkin, Director of Content at music gear marketplace Reverb.com, the commercial potential of this release shouldn’t be dismissed. For one thing, the original album’s relative lack of popularity may now a selling point, not a drawback.

“Because the album wasn’t that popular,” the original had fewer copies made, he explained to CNBC. “So for hardcore Rolling Stones fans, this album is harder to find, and original copies with the coveted ‘lenticular’ can sell for hundreds of dollars,” he said, referring to 3D cover art that was abandoned after the first pressings of the album.

The original lenticular will be reproduced for the reissue, and that alone brings value for collectors.

Eric Alper, owner of Eric Alper PR in Toronto, said that in addition to the music and the artwork, the accompanying 20-page booklet – which includes an essay by historian Rob Bowman – also sweetens the deal.

“Rob is one of the best music historians alive, who knows the group almost better than anyone not in the band,” Alper said. “I’d pay $72 just to read his notes.” He also added that the price tag could be less of a stumbling block than it appears.

“By having it under a hundred dollars, those fans are able to purchase it without thinking,” he said. “As vinyl buyers know, a new album will set you back about $30 now, some even higher, so this isn’t out of the buying power of those fans.”

Bill Furbee, a music specialist at Cincinnati estate sale marketplace Everything but the House, said that ‘Satanic Majesties’ status as a limited edition package makes it irresistible to collectors. Additionally, Stones fans are already well-known for having expensive tastes.

“The average concert ticket for the band’s 2012 50th Anniversary tour cost $624,” he said. “The fans filling all of those arenas probably won’t balk at spending a little bit more than average for this reissue.”

With teenagers and millennials helping to drive resurgent sales in vinyl and other physical media, there may be an audience beyond just Baby Boomers, Furbee said.

“There’s a good chance that anyone in their teens or early to mid-20s may have only experienced music as a digital file,” he said. “I’m not surprised at all that young adults are building record collections now, as they strive to find a deeper connection with the artists and music they love.”

Source: Tech CNBC
Why the Rolling Stones hope fans will buy a version of an album Mick Jagger once 'rubbished'