Posted on November 07 2026
Most music posters sold online today are reprints. They are printed on demand from a scan, often years after the release, and have no connection to the campaign they copy. An original promotional poster was printed at the time, by a printer working for the record company, the band or the promoter, to advertise a single, album, tour or film. The artwork can look the same. The object is not.
What "original" means at The Original Poster Shop
The majority of our stock comes from the original print runs. Promoters never knew exactly how many posters a campaign would need, and although most were used, the extras ended up in storage. Many of our posters are still in the original paper packing they left the printers in. When we say original, we mean a poster from that first run, not a later edition and not a copy.
We also sell a small number of first-generation reprints. We make these ourselves from original posters in our stock, usually because collectors ask for a smaller or more affordable version of something iconic, such as the Knebworth 1996 poster. Every one of them says reprint in its title. If a listing does not say reprint, it is an original.
Six ways to tell an original from a reprint
- Size. Promotional posters were printed to trade sizes. Record shop posters are usually about 30 x 20 inches (76 x 51 cm). Outdoor posters for bus shelters and station sites are 60 x 40 inches (152 x 102 cm). A "poster" sold at A2 or 24 x 36 inches is almost always a later product.
- Print. Look closely with a magnifier. Offset lithography leaves a regular pattern of tiny dots. Screen prints show flat layers of ink sitting on the paper. A modern inkjet or digital print looks smooth and slightly soft, with no dot pattern at all.
- Paper. Record shop posters were printed on matt or silk poster paper of the period. Large outdoor posters were printed on wet-strength paper with weatherproof inks, because they were made to be pasted up outside.
- Blue backs. Many 60 x 40 inch outdoor posters have a blue reverse. The blue stops the old poster underneath showing through when a new one is pasted over it on a billboard. A reproduction made for a bedroom wall has no reason to have one.
- Folds and small print. Outdoor posters were often machine folded to fit the envelopes they were sent out in. Originals also tend to carry printer's marks, catalogue numbers or release dates that were only relevant at the time.
- The seller's own words. A trustworthy seller says plainly whether a poster is original, and labels anything that is not. Be wary of listings that say "vintage style", "retro" or "official" without saying original.
Why it matters
A reprint of a poster is a picture of a poster. An original is a piece of the campaign: the thing that hung in a record shop window or a bus shelter the week the single came out. That is what collectors look for, and it is why originals keep their appeal long after the reprints fade.
It matters for display too. Many originals were printed with inks and papers made to last outdoors, so they stand up well to years on a wall.
Buying with confidence
Every original poster we sell comes from the original print run, and we guarantee its authenticity. Each one comes with a certificate of authenticity. If you are unsure about a particular poster, ask us. We would rather answer the question before you buy than have you wonder afterwards.