UK | Record Store Day 2024 set to boost indie retailers by almost £10m: Record Store Day is expected to deliver a £9.7 million boost to indie record shops as it returns this weekend. Taking place on Saturday, April 20, the event will see 443 exclusive releases hit independent stores, with the £9.7m figure an estimation by ERA of their total sales value. ERA analysis does not include non-RSD titles, food, drink or other items. ERA estimated that Record Store Day releases accounted for nearly 10% of annual sales of all physical music product through High Street stores in 2023. Last month, ERA announced that indie store numbers have hit a 10 year high. ERA CEO Kim Bayley said: “Record Store Day is a cultural phenomenon which draws in tens of thousands of music fans across the country, but it is also a financial lifeline for a vital element of music’s unique ecosystem. Without Record Store Day, many would find it difficult to stay in business.
Record Store Day is about more than just the releases: A lot of music fans will be lining up at independent record stores across the country for Record Store Day on Saturday, April 20, but the day is about more than just landing that special release. “It’s almost like Record Store Day is two different days in one,” RSD co-founder Carrie Colliton tells ABC Audio. “In the morning, it’s all about, ‘Oh, I got this special treasure.’ … But the second half of the day is a party, and a celebration of stores and what they do in the community all year long.” RSD started in 2007 and artists like Metallica, Dave Grohl and Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy were early supporters, but for RSD co-founder Michael Kurtz, it was when Paul McCartney emailed them after an in-store appearance that he knew they had made it. Kurtz notes, “That was the moment I think we all were like, ‘Holy crap, one of the Beatles likes us,’” adding it made them realize they “must be doing something right.”
Philadelphia, PA | Look what’s happening in Philly on Record Store Day 2024: Check out some special events at local stores, including ones where you’ll find free copies of XPN’s Homegrown Originals Volume 2. You know it: this Saturday is Record Store Day. The annual holiday celebrates independently owned record stores and brings together fans, artists, and local businesses around the world. Many Philly establishments are joining the fun and continuing the yearly event with exclusive sales, live music, and more. To add to the excitement, WXPN’s Homegrown Originals is back with its second volume with support from Dogfish Head. Featuring a slew of Philly artists, the limited vinyl will be available as a free gift with purchases at select independent record stores in and around Philly, all of which are listed below Don’t miss out on your chance to score Homegrown Originals Volume 2, and check out all the events going on – this Record Store Day is shaping out to be one to remember, and not just because it falls on 4/20.
Miami, FL | 8 Best Record Stores in Miami: From hip-hop to jazz and rock to electronica, Miami has a plethora of record stores catering to every kind of vinyl aficionado. Miami is one of the best places in the U.S. for record collectors. Sustained by a buzzing DJ scene and a class of shop owners who know the city’s scene well, South Florida’s outstanding options for diggers and vinyl fans rival, and even surpass, those of bigger cities. Specialty shops for dance music, reggae, and high-quality vinyl can be found in Miami, along with multigenre and community-oriented spaces that understand the unifying power of music in a diverse city. Here are the eight best record stores in Miami and Fort Lauderdale, in alphabetical order. Start digging!
Denver, CO | Where to Get Exclusive Vinyl on Record Store Day 2024: Denver record stores are celebrating Record Store Day on April 20 with deals, event specials and more. Vinyl records are beyond seeing a renaissance: They’re sincerely back, baby. Look no further than the massive success of Record Store Day, a twice-annual celebration of music and the small-business stores that sell it year-round. The event started in 2008 to support the ongoing success of the unique culture surrounding nearly 1,400 independently owned record stores in the U.S. and thousands of similar stores internationally. The first Record Store Day of 2024 will take place on Saturday, April 20, and locations around Denver are getting in on the fun. Like all the RSDs before it, exclusive releases abound (after our list of stores, keep scrolling for our top-ten picks for re-releases and RSD exclusives). For a complete list of the available audio awesomeness, see the RSD website, and note that not every store below may carry the release you want; be sure to call first.
Baltimore, MD | Record Store Day Roundup: The Best Places to Celebrate Vinyl in Baltimore: The annual day dedicated to independent music shops is all queued up to return on Saturday, April 20. Calling all old-school music lovers. Record Store Day, the annual tribute to independently run vinyl shops across the globe, is all queued up to return on Saturday, April 20. Originally launched in 2007, the initiative is meant to honor the personalized culture of sonically shopping small, as well as a record store’s ability to bring our communities together through music. Typically, local shops participate with special deals and limited-edition releases (check out the full list of this year’s RSD releases, here), so it’s also the perfect excuse to pick out some new titles to bring home to your turntable. Whether you’re looking for something specific—or simply want to celebrate with fellow collectors—these participating stores are sure to provide an upbeat atmosphere for you to show your gratitude this Saturday.
Toronto, CA | Record Store Day is April 20 and here’s how Toronto shops are celebrating: Music lovers, rejoyce! Record Store Day is coming up on April 20, and Toronto’s record stores are already getting prepared. On Saturday, April 20, independent record stores across Toronto, and the rest of North America, will spend the day celebrating the culture and artistry of vinyl, with special releases, sales and events. What started in 2007, Record Store Day has blossomed into an annually celebrated event, with a slew of exclusives, firsts and rare vinyls being dropped specifically on the day to generate business and excitement for local record shops. Operating on a retail-store-first basis, the event is aimed at drawing shoppers out of their homes and into physical record stores to get their hands on the exclusives. Derek Antonio, founder of East Chinatown’s Pop Music, tells blogTO that they’re gearing up for a huge day this year, having seen a fanbase for the event steadily growing at the shop year over year.
Chicago, IL | The 22 best record stores in Chicago: Discover new music at Chicago’s best record stores, where you can shop for vinyl, CDs, cassettes and more. When you want some fresh tunes for your turntable, tape deck or CD player, there’s no better place to find them than at Chicago’s best record stores. Whether you’re trying to prepare for a concert coming up at a Chicago music venue or feeling an old-school vibe, these shops have what you’re looking for. Many have been in business for years, selling new and used vinyl, CDs and tapes—and making recommendations when you need them. From the latest albums in indie rock, hip hop and contemporary R&B to vintage jazz, blues and Chicago house records, Chicago’s best record stores offer it all.
Salt Lake City, UT | Record Store Day 2024: Talking to local proprietors about why physical-media music still matters. There are many ways to tend to the past. Whether you pay homage to nostalgia or pander to remorse, reminiscing is more interesting when set to music. Enter the vinyl record, a conduit for history in two distinct ways. One: The record itself is a relic, recalling a time before the CD, before Walkman and certainly before Spotify, when vinyl was the only medium designed for music. Two: Music itself is memory. Tied to circumstance, people and the past, in many ways music is a momentary reenactment of time and space. If listening to a record lets such histories loose—conjuring spirits which come tapping upon your inner ear—then Record Store Day brings a shovel and ceremoniously digs up the grave of What Once Was, presenting it re-invented, rearranged, re-formatted and fit for our 2024 inclinations.
Napa Valley, CA | Downtown Napa’s Folklore to celebrate Record Store Day: Folklore — by definition, according to Merriam-Webster — has a hint of mystery. But in Napa, Folklore means something more. Folklore is downtown Napa’s hidden gem that thrives on a synergy of the senses. Folklore’s proprietress Faith Henschel-Ventrello describes her space as an eclectic mix where music, food, wine and cocktails live in harmony. “Folklore is many things,” Henschel-Ventrello said in a recent interview. “I’ve heard people describe us in a lot of ways, but the most common thing I hear is that people like ‘the vibe,’ and I’m OK with that. We wanted to create a community vibe.” Depending on whom you ask, Napa’s Folklore is a record store with a bar — or a bar with a record store. Either way, the casual visitor doesn’t realize that Folklore is also home to local radio station KCMU-FM 103.3.
Boston, MA | Your road map to Record Store Day: In an age where physical album sales typically take a backseat to streaming, it’s comforting to know that a shiny batch of Record Store Day releases can still wrap a line of customers around the block. On Saturday, exclusive titles from artists like Paramore, The Weeknd, and Pearl Jam will help vinyl sales spike at independent record stores here and across the country, as fans shell out for previously unreleased music and new pressings of their favorite albums. Tucked among this year’s exclusive releases — which range from The Cure picture discs to three-inch Beatles records — are a handful of titles with local ties, like Pixies’ red and orange marble pressing of “Live From Red Rocks 2005.” The Boston band’s 27-song set at Colorado’s Red Rocks Amphitheatre arrived on streaming services in the fall of 2021 but has never previously been available on vinyl.
Seattle, WA | Record Store Day showcases local vinyl lore and indie purveyors: Back in the 1960s, long before the Pacific Northwest was the bustling hub it is today, a regional phone company called Pacific Bell saw what tourism did for the region during the 1962 World Fair and decided to get into the record business. What followed was the release of The Fabulous Sounds of the Pacific Northwest, an odd duck of a found sound record featuring the booming sound of ferry horns, along with recordings of rodeos, hydroplanes, regional orchestras and jazz ensembles. Meant to lure tourists to this “exotic” corner of the country, the record stands today as a precursor to the region’s continued fascination with recorded sound. With the 17th annual Record Store Day falling on Saturday, April 20 this year, it’s worth celebrating a format once thought to be headed for the same fate as Betamax and beepers: the vinyl record.
Princeton, WV | National Record Store Day 2024 to bring in record fans and music collectors alike: With National Record Store Day coming on Saturday, April 20, 2024, Cheap Thrills Records will be participating and celebrating the unique culture of independent record stores across the country for this annual event. For this event, Cheap Thrills Records will be extending its hours for both of its locations in Princeton, WV located at 1130 Stafford Drive and in Bristol, VA located at 507 State Street, with the event starting from 10:00 A.M. to 8:00 P.M. The event will also feature live music, food trucks, special deals, giveaways, and tons of exclusive collectible vinyl releases. Matt Mullins from Matt Mullins and the Bringdowns will also be performing at the Bristol location from 12:00 P.M. to 2:00 P.M. National Record Store Day is a big deal to fans and music collectors alike partly due to the fact that there is only a very limited number of collectible records and exclusive releases available at participating stores.
NJ | Celebrate National Record Store Day by visiting these North Jersey record stores: While analog copies of music were once thought to be a thing of the past for most, they have experienced a resurgence in recent years. In the age of online shopping, many people are missing out on the excitement that comes along with digging through bins of music to finally find that one hidden treasure and, instead, have grown accustomed to having everything delivered to their front doors. So, whether you’re a seasoned music lover or you’ve just gotten your first turntable and are looking to build your collection, take some time to explore local record stores in our area. Here are nine local record stores where you can browse records, CDs and cassette tapes to your hearts content.
Houston, TX | Shop at These 12 Houston Record Stores for New and Vintage Vinyl: Blues, country, punk rock—Houston is a gold mine for crate-digging. Blues. Country. Hip hop. Rap. Cumbia. Punk rock. Houston’s music scene is about as diverse as its population, a point our finest local record stores reflect. The city’s top vinyl shops offer a curated megamix of new and vintage music, rocking limited run box sets, albums with special bonus tracks, and all kinds of genres in formats from cassettes and CDs to etched vinyl. Spend some time sifting through the goods to build your collection and find your next musical obsession. Here’s where to find the best Houston record stores for new and vintage vinyl.
Denver, CO | Storied Denver vinyl shop opens 2nd location in time for Record Store Day: Wax Trax’s new location on South Broadway is smaller, but “has what people want.” …“The record industry has had its ups and downs and we have been there for a lot of that,” said Pete Stidman, the majority owner of Wax Trax, 638 E. 13th Ave. “Right now, things have really come back. … People have started to crave something more than ethereal, digital, have-it-whenever-you-want-it musical experiences,” he added. “Vinyl is not only a direct connection to the music because it is analog, but it is a physical object – and the cover art is a lot of it. That physical piece is important to people.” So important that Stidman has opened a second, satellite store, Wax Trax Broadway Bazaar, alongside a friend’s vintage clothing business at 200 S. Broadway. Both locations will host big parties for Record Store Day on Saturday, April 20
Tucson, AZ | Record Store Day: Tucson vinyl shops prepare for worldwide party: Vinyl stores around Tucson are gearing up for Record Store Day on April 20. Retailers like Wooden Tooth Records and Desert Island Records have special deals and collectibles in celebration of the worldwide celebration. Wooden Tooth Records’ owner Kellen Fortier sells new and used records. Wooden Tooth opened on RSD 2015 inside a coffee shop and has since relocated to storefronts on Seventh Street and on Congress Street in Downtown Tucson. Fortier is celebrating Wooden Tooth’s ninth anniversary this year and he said business has been booming. “Every Record Store Day, we order big on the Record Store Day exclusives. So, that’s really what brings people out — hundreds of different exclusive records,” Fortier said. “We ordered pretty big this year. So, we’re expecting a big turnout.”
West Kirby, UK | Dig Vinyl gets into the groove for Record Store Day: Dig Vinyl in West Kirby will be taking part in Record Store Day UK on Saturday 20 April. The national event began back in 2007, and celebrates and promotes the distinctive culture of record shops with special vinyl releases made exclusively for the event and stocked only by participating retailers on the day. Over the years, Record Store Day has evolved into a prominent music celebration globally, involving thousands of record shops from all over the world, including more than 260 in the UK. The West Kirby shop, located off Banks Road, is Dig Vinyl’s second permanent retail shop on Merseyside, in addition to their store on Bold Street in Liverpool. Yvonne Wynne from the store told us: “Dig Vinyl West Kirby will be open for Record Store Day on Saturday 20th April.
London, UK | The best things happening in London for Record Store Day 2024: Pick up some exclusive new releases and celebrate physical music at these events. Fancy yourself a bit of a vinyl junkie? Reckon that real DJs don’t need a subscription to Serato? Then you’ll probably already know that this Saturday (April 20) marks the return of Record Store Day. Founded in 2007 in the early days of the vinyl revival, the annual celebration of indie record stores has since become a key fixture in any crate digger’s calendar, with thousands of stores across the globe participating. This includes many of London’s 50-odd independent record shops, where you can pick up limited-edition releases from the likes of Blur, Olivia Dean, Young Fathers, Sinéad O’Connor, Talking Heads, Laufey, Paramore, Pulp and The 1975. But that’s not all. From fashion collabs and in-store sets to giveaways and immersive listening experiences, there’s all sorts of fun stuff going on around the city in celebration of the humble. Here, we’ve rounded up a selection of the best things happening around the city.
