When volume 1 was published in late 1960, the majority of classical records issued were monaural.
Four reviewers compiled these books: Edward Greenfield, Ivan March, Denis Stevens, and Robert Layton.
Two volumes titled A Guide to Bargain Classics (1962-1964) were also compiled by these authors and published by the Long Playing Record Library.
Penguin Books published three volumes of guides to bargain records (1966, 1970 and 1972).
Four decades after the first publication; Greenfield, March, and Layton continued to review thousands of recordings.