Album Search

Album Search helps you find records before adding them to your Collection or Wishlist. It searches the DeepGrooves catalog first so you can add a known album, release, or pressing without having to type every detail yourself.

Use search when you know any of these:

artist,
album title,
catalog number,
label,
barcode,
or a few words from the title.

Album search window showing search results

Start a Search

Open Discover or the add/search flow, then enter what you know.

Good searches include:

Warren Zevon Excitable Boy
The Nutcracker Highlights
I'll Eat It Here
ASD 3061
Blue Note 1595
Miles Davis Kind of Blue
a barcode number from the jacket

You do not need perfect punctuation or the exact first word of the title. Search should be tolerant of punctuation, parentheses, subtitles, spacing, memorable title fragments, and catalog-number-like input when possible.

Search by Title

Title searches work best when you include the main words and ignore punctuation.

For example, if the release title is The Nutcracker (Highlights), try:

Nutcracker Highlights
The Nutcracker Highlights
Nutcracker

Parentheses and subtitles can vary between releases. If an exact punctuation search fails, remove punctuation and search the important words.

If you remember the middle or end of a title, search that phrase too. For example, I'll Eat It Here should still be a useful search even when the full title is Thanks I'll Eat It Here.

Search by Catalog Number

Catalog numbers are useful, but they are not always entered consistently across releases. DeepGrooves checks catalog-number-like input against catalog pressing metadata first when it can. If that does not find the record, try title words, artist, label, or barcode variants.

Try variants:

with spaces: ASD 3061
without spaces: ASD3061
with label: HMV ASD 3061
with title words: Nutcracker ASD 3061

If a catalog number does not return results, search by title and then use label, country, year, and format to choose the correct pressing. A catalog number can identify a pressing, but the album title may be the more reliable way to reach the right master release.

Search by Barcode

If you type a barcode number, DeepGrooves should treat it as a barcode-style search.

Barcode search is helpful for newer releases, but it is not perfect. Different pressings can share a barcode, and older records may not have one at all.

Read Search Results

Search results should give enough information to decide whether a release is worth opening.

Search result cards showing album covers and metadata

Look for:

Field	Why it matters
Artwork	Quick visual confirmation
Artist and title	Basic identity
Year	Helps distinguish originals and reissues
Format	LP, 7-inch, CD, cassette, box set, and similar
Label	Important for pressing identity
Catalog number	Often the fastest way to confirm the exact release
Country	Helps distinguish regional pressings
Have/Want	Community demand signal where available, not proof of value

Artwork can occasionally fail because remote images are slow or blocked. The app should retry where supported and then show a clean fallback, not a broken-image icon.

Filter Results

Use result filters when the search returns too much.

Filter options showing vinyl-only toggle and text filter

Helpful filters may include:

vinyl-only,
format,
year,
country,
label,
and text filter within results.

If you are shopping for vinyl, turn on vinyl-only before opening many results.

Master Releases and Pressings

A master release is the title-level grouping. A pressing or release is the specific version.

Master release expanded showing multiple pressings

This distinction matters. You usually want to add the specific pressing you own or want, not just the general album.

When choosing a pressing, compare:

country,
label,
catalog number,
year,
format,
color or variant,
barcode,
runout notes where available,
and artwork.

If you are unsure, add the best match and use notes or runouts later to clarify.

Add to Collection

Use Add to Collection when you own the record.

After adding to Collection, fill in ownership details such as condition, purchase price, notes, Vault location, and runouts where supported.

Add to Wishlist

Use Add to Wishlist when you want the record but do not own it yet.

Wishlist items can later hold target price, max price, priority, desired condition, notes, and alert settings.

Duplicate Warnings

If DeepGrooves finds a likely existing copy, it should warn you before adding another one.

Duplicate warnings are especially important when:

you already own the same release,
you own a different pressing under the same master,
you are adding a Wishlist item that resembles something owned,
or you are intentionally adding a second copy.

Read the warning carefully. A different pressing may be valid, but an exact duplicate may not be what you intended.

No Results

No-result searches happen.

Try:

Remove punctuation.
Search fewer words.
Add the artist.
Add the label.
Try catalog number with and without spaces.
Search by barcode if available.
Use manual add if the record is not available.

Public release data is not perfect. A record can exist even when a search does not find it.

Poor Network or Service Errors

If search fails because of network or service trouble, the app should show a retry-friendly error and keep your search text.

Try again after a moment. If the same query repeatedly fails, test a simpler search to see whether the service is reachable.

Tips

Start broad, then narrow

Search title and artist first, then use filters and pressing details.

Do not trust artwork alone

Artwork is useful, but different pressings can share similar covers.

Use catalog number as evidence

Catalog number is one of the strongest pressing clues, but it still needs label/country/year context.

Use runouts for hard cases

When two pressings look nearly identical, runout text may be the deciding detail.