Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen bought and owned Jimi Hendrix’s personal record collection, which consisted of approximately 200 albums. Allen acquired the collection to support the Experience Music Project (now the Museum of Pop Culture or MoPOP) in Seattle, which he co-founded. The collection was bequeathed to MoPOP upon Allen’s death in 2018.
Interestingly, there are very few singles in the collection, as Jimi disliked their sound which was usually compressed for radio play.
We also know that Jimi would listen at home on top-notch HiFi equipment for the time: a Bang & Olufsen turntable connected to a Leak-70 tube amplifier and two 30-Watt Lowther speakers. This was an expensive and powerful set-up for the time.
Hendrix’s record collection confirms his dedication to breaking down the barriers of various music genres. Jimi’s records give us a unique insight into his tastes and influences, and they cover blues, jazz, folk, rock, psychedelia and even a handful of classical LPs.
From Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, the Four Tops, Bee Gees, Bob Dylan, Curtis Mayfield, to Ravi Shankar and Handel. There are a few records in the collection with unusual cover art that appear to have never (or almost never) been played. Apparently bought because of the album art.
Most played records
In order to find out what Hendrix listened to the most Paul Allen had someone examine the vinyl records with a microscope to find out which tracks where used the most.
Based on an analysis of physical wear and tear on the vinyl records, the list of most played records is presented as:
Blues Records: Curators noted that the blues albums showed the most significant wear, indicating they were Hendrix’s most frequent listening choice. Key artists included Muddy Waters (specifically the album Electric Mud, which inspired “Voodoo Chile”), Howlin’ Wolf (More Real Folk Blues), and Albert King. Hendrix was known to cover songs like “Killing Floor” (Howlin’ Wolf) and “Catfish Blues” (Muddy Waters).
Bob Dylan: Hendrix was a devoted fan, owning multiple Dylan albums. The wear on records like John Wesley Harding correlates with his famous cover of “All Along the Watchtower.” He also frequently listened to Highway 61 Revisited.
The Beatles: The album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band showed heavy use; Hendrix famously learned and performed the title track just days after the album’s release in 1967.
Django Reinhardt: The jazz guitarist’s work was so influential that Hendrix named his later group, Band of Gypsys, in honor of Reinhardt’s “Gypsy” jazz style.
Little Richard: Hendrix studied Richard’s albums for stage presence and vocal style, having previously toured with him.
Classical and World Music: Records with music from George Frideric Handel (Messiah) and by Ravi Shankar (The Sound of the Sitar) were also part of his regular listening, influencing the symphonic qualities and droning sounds in tracks like “1983… (A Merman I Should Turn To Be)” and “Love or Confusion.”