Virtual XI "CRC" United States

 

The acronym "CRC," printed on the back cover or the insert of an older music CD, stands for Columbia Record Club (later known as Columbia House).

• What it was: A once-popular mail-order music club and subscription service in the United States.

• How it affects the disc: Record labels would license their albums to the club, allowing it to manufacture its own pressings. Consequently, CDs marked with "CRC" are typically specific versions pressed for members of this club—a detail
that serves as an identifier for collectors.