Like most geeks with an extensive Music collection, I store them in alphabetical order. My friend and I disagree on where to place "number" bands (10CC, .38 Special, 10,000 Maniacs); I put them where they would be "alphabetically", ie, my .38 Special CDs are between my Third Eye Blind and George Thorogood ones. My friend (and many record stores) put them at the beginning of their collections, before the "A" section starts. What is the "proper" manner to alphabetize said number bands?

Another question is regarding bands whose names start with "A" like A Perfect Circle and A Flock Of Seagulls. Is the "A" supposed to be ignored in terms of alphabetizing, like "The" is?

And finally, my third problem is with Alice Cooper. Since it's actually his name, I have him under "C", but "Alice Cooper" used to be a band, and I constantly see him/them in the "A" section of record stores. Any thoughts?

Are these matters simply ones of personal preference or are there concrete sets of rules regarding the above?

It's your "music" collection, Mr. Loew, so you're free to organize it on any principle you see fit.

In the Microsoft world, numeric signs precede alphabetic ones in the catalog (and are not spelled out). Haven't you noticed that? But you are by no means required to follow this practice in sorting your own collection.

It is chiefly librarians who ignore the words "a," "an," and "the" in alphabetizing their catalogs. This has the practical purpose of avoiding having too many titles beginning with these all too common words falling together in the same place on the shelves. You might run into the same kind of difficulty when your collection numbers in the thousands, but again, you're free to use whatever filing system works best.

I collect books, myself. I used to sort them by subject, author, and the like, but I've discovered this could often yield disagreeable color and size combinations, so I gave it over in favor of a more pleasing, harmonious arrangement: what looks best. As long as I know where to lay my hands on any book on my shelves, I'm happy. And if I have more books in my collection than I could possibly keep track of or read in a single lifetime, I'll know that it's then time to use a more rational filing system.

I'm not the only one! Yay!!

I file them by category and then alphabetically by artist. Of course, one time I filed them alphabetically by album title, and MAN that drove people nuts.
I put 311 and 10,000 Maniacs under "T" because they're pronounced with a "T."
The Sex Pistols go under "S." I ignore the "the's" and "a's" and so on.
I file Alice Cooper under "C" for Cooper.
However, I file The Brian Setzer Orchestra under "B" because it's the name of the whole band.
For some reason, I have Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers under "P," though. That's because He has solo albums, too, and I like 'em all close together.
But White Zombie goes under "W" but Rob Zombie goes under "Z."
John Mellencamp is difficult because he was John Cougar at one point, but I just file it all under "M."

Of course, I used to file right to left for some crazy reason. When my fiance and I moved in together, we had to compromise. I would file left to right if he would let me organize the CDs in my categories.
For instance, we have regular bands: AC/DC to Zombie, Rob. Then we have classical, then comedy, then tribute albums (from tributes to Black Sabbath through Pink Floyd -though that one's tough because it is a classical tribute, but since it says "tribute" on the album, I go with that), and then compilations from "The Beavis and Butthead Experience" (not mine!) through "Music for Vampires" to "Woodstock 99." And then we have soundtracks.

So I guess what I'm saying is that, while there are specific rules, CDs are a very personal and private matter and it's personal preference how you file them. That, and if you ever come over to my house and want to play a CD, let me find it for you.

Yes. You should put them as
would best suit you. An example
in my collection, next to Nugent
is Amboy Dukes. Alphabetic order
is okay, but there are certain
side projects that I always put
next to the group (i.e. Gilby's
album Pawnshop Guitars can
only go next to Guns n' Roses).The
same goes for Ozzy's albums which
I put in the B's next to Black Sabbath.
I do always put the numerical stuff
first though.

What about band names like "Gary Lewis & The Playboys" or "Freddie & The Dreamers"?

Or special-edition records that have one artist on one side and another artist on the other?

(PS - I put Alice Cooper under "A" because the name originally referred to the band.
That and I like having his records near the front! )

If there are numbers... generally you store numbers before letters... and symbols before numbers...

So, it'd go *#ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

And if any had numbers and letters, it goes the same way, so the first three you mentioned would go .38 Special, 10,000 Maniacs, 10CC, at least in my order...

EDIT: Oh, and regarding ordering two- or multi- worder band names, I'd order them by the first word always... So my "Weather Report" and "Henry Winkler's Greatest 'Grease' Ad-Libs" CDs will be worlds apart

"...and then compilations from "The Beavis and Butthead Experience" (not mine!) through..."

The following quote comes to mind...

"A Swedish-made *****-enlarger..."
"I swear! It's not mine!"

It's not! It's not! I swear!! -Though the Austin Powers soundtrack is mine... The lady doth protest too much, eh?

TIE, in my method of alphabetizing, I go by the first word for bands and the last name for soloists. So, Dick Dale and his Del-Tones goes under "D" for "Dick." Gary Lewis and the Playboys would go under "G" for "Gary." But if Gary Lewis did a solo album, it would be filed under "L" for "Lewis, Gary." Again, that's just me.