First Nirvana Vinyl Ever Played on Radio Hits the Auction Block

Every band has a beginning, and for Nirvana, that origin story is now commanding big money. A 7-inch vinyl test pressing of “Love Buzz,” the first Nirvana recording ever played on the radio, is currently up for auction — and bids have already climbed into the thousands.

The rare single is being sold through Goldin, an international collectibles auction house, where the current bid sits at $8,500. For Nirvana collectors, this isn’t just another record — it’s a piece of history marking the band’s very first official broadcast.

The First Nirvana Recording to Hit the Airwaves

The test pressing includes a certificate of authenticity from Seattle radio DJ Scott Vanderpool, who provided firsthand details about how he obtained and premiered the record. Vanderpool, a Sub Pop employee at the time, recalled receiving the freshly pressed vinyl directly from label co-founder Jon Poneman.

“I met Jon Poneman at KCMU, where all three of us were volunteer DJs,” Vanderpool wrote. “It was handed to me by Jon seconds after it arrived in the mail from the pressing plant. While I was working at Sub Pop, any test pressing that came in I immediately took to the radio station to play on my show (Audioasis). So your Nirvana test pressing has the distinction of being the first Nirvana studio recording played on the radio anywhere.”

Before that historic moment, the band — then performing under the name Skid Row — had only appeared on radio once in 1987. The KCMU broadcast of “Love Buzz” in November 1988 marked the first time a recording from Nirvana aired publicly.

This particular copy is marked “Test Pressing No. 6” — one of only 10 known to exist.

From Dutch Psychedelia to Grunge History

Though it became Nirvana’s debut single, “Love Buzz” actually began as a 1969 song by Dutch rock band Shocking Blue, best known for their hit “Venus.” Nirvana’s version — darker, heavier, and unmistakably raw — captured their early blend of punk aggression and melodic instinct.

Released as part of Sub Pop’s Singles Club, the track was limited to just 1,000 numbered copies, making it one of the label’s most sought-after releases. The song later reached a wider audience when it was included on Nirvana’s 1989 debut album, Bleach.

What Makes This Pressing Special

According to Goldin’s auction listing, the record has been graded E (Excellent), with media subgrades of 8, signifying its high preservation quality. Test pressings like this were produced in extremely limited runs to verify audio quality before official release, which makes surviving examples exceedingly rare.

This specific disc holds even greater significance: it’s the same copy that aired on Seattle’s KCMU, officially introducing Nirvana to the world. The label features handwritten blue felt-tip inscriptions reading “Love Buzz” on the A-side and “Big Cheese” on the B-side, showing minor age-related wear.

Inside Goldin’s Fall Music Auction

The “Love Buzz” pressing is one highlight in Goldin’s 2025 Fall Music Auction, which runs through Nov. 12 and includes over 600 lots of rock memorabilia. Among the other headline items: an Ozzy Osbourne–used and signed throne, a band-signed copy of Led Zeppelin II, and stage-used gear from the Rolling Stones.

For Nirvana fans and collectors alike, this rare test pressing represents more than just vinyl — it’s a tangible artifact from the moment a scrappy Seattle band first began reshaping rock history.