A Word About BMG Music Service Numbers

BMG Music Service and Sound & Spirit music clubs use different numbers, depending on whether the listing is on the World Wide Web, in a mailing sent to members, or in a magazine or newspaper advertisement. Their web site uses seven-digit numbers, catalogs mailed to members have six digits, and their ads typically have only five.

The same numbers apply to CDs and cassettes. The number for a CD is preceded by a D, and the number for a cassette is preceded by a C.

But maybe you want to use a card found in a magazine to order an album you found on the web. Or maybe you saw something in an ad, but you're already a member, and need six digits to put on your member order card. Here's how to go from one kind of number to another:

From 7 digits (web) to 6 (member order card):

Lop off the last number.
Máire Brennan's Perfect Time,
order number 1222512 on the web,
becomes 122251 if you're using a member order card.

From 7 digits (web) to 5 (ad):

Delete the first and last digits.
Shirley Caesar's album Live in Chicago,
number 1169713 on the web,
becomes 16971 if you're using the order form from an advertisement.

From 6 digits (member catalog) to 5 (ad):

Cut off the first digit.
PFR's The Late Great PFR,
number 121315 in a member catalog,
becomes 21315 if you're using the order form from an ad.

From 5 digits (ad) to 6 (member order card):

If it's Christian music, consult my lists for artists A-L, M-Z, and albums by "various artists". If it's not on my list, use the search at the official BMG site, and then lop off the last digit, as described above.

From 5 digits (ad) or 6 digits (member catalog) to 7 (web):

If it's Christian music, use the number you have on my Quick Search page. If it's not in my database, use the search at the official BMG site.

Unofficial BMG Sound and Spirit Christian Music Guide | Elizabeth T. Knuth's Home Page

Comments to: eknuth@unix.csbsju.edu