UK | UK recorded music market growth slows in Q3—but vinyl’s still unstoppable: Despite some highly successful releases, Q3 was largely a quarter to forget for the UK recorded music industry. Whatever the effects of a sweltering summer, recorded music does not seem to have been a beneficiary, at least on a market basis. In fact, the overall market across all formats (AES) grew by just 0.1% year-on-year in the third quarter to 50.96 million equivalent sales. It compares to year-on-year market growth of 4.3% in Q2. While the year-to-date AES figure up to Q3 of 3% year-on-year is a more healthy growth figure, it’s down compared to previous years (including just shy of 5% for 2025). The drag on market growth this time came from a worsening performance for CD sales in Q3 (down 9.5% year-on-year) and continued decline for download sales.
Lancashire, UK | Beloved Lancashire record shop and café forced to close: A popular Lancaster record shop and coffee house has announced it is closing its doors after owners said they were unable to make the business financially viable. Forty Five Records shared the news with customers in a heartfelt statement on social media, describing the move as a “difficult decision” made after “a lot of thought.” Owners Martin and Lizzie said: “There are many factors that have led to this but ultimately we just couldn’t get the numbers to work.” The venue, which combined a record shop and café and became a well-known part of Lancaster’s independent music scene, had hoped to remain open until the Lancaster Music Festival. However, the owners said they would not be able to stay open until that date.
Ennis, UK | Vinyl Shop Owner Calls For Solidarity Purchases As Developer Eyes Property: An Ennis-based vinyl shop owner is looking for people to buy a digital song download for €3.50 to prevent the closure of the business. Sinéad, who owns the Record Break, Ennis’ only record shop, has taken to social media as a developer is set to buy the property where the business operates from. Operating for twelve years, the vinyl store has been more than just a place to buy records. It served as a community hub, a launchpad for local musicians, and a piece of the town’s cultural soul. As their building is going on the market, it could be bought by a corporate player, who will prioritize profit over the community. The place could be turned into luxury apartments, unaffordable for the working class, at the whims of whoever buys the property—a process which has been noted elsewhere, such as in Dublin, as a “cultural death” of community spaces.
Cork, IE | Beloved local record shop closes following ‘financially difficult’ period: A record shop in Cork has announced its closure after ten years in business following a ‘financially difficult’ period including recent flood damages. John Dwyer opened the Bunker Vinyl in 2016. The business, located on Camden Place, has been a haven for music fans, but John has faced huge setbacks in recent years. This includes a €21,000 loss following flood damage, as well as disturbed trading following problems with the outside footpath. Taking to social media on Sunday, John announced the closure of Bunker Vinyl, admitting ‘it’s really hard to write this but today is the end of The Bunker.’ He explained: ‘The last 2 years have been financially difficult and I’ve been ploughing on regardless. It’s been stressful and relentlessly so…”
Haarlem, NL | Record Store Day and Making Vinyl announce first ever RSD Camp Europe: …Inspired by the successful Record Store Day Summer Camp, which takes place in New Orleans each summer, the two-day event will bring together European record shops, labels, distributors and organisers to share ideas, discuss common challenges and explore how territories can work more closely together. RSD Camp Europe will take place ahead of Making Vinyl, from 29 September–1 October, followed by the Haarlem Record Fair, from 1-3 October. Record Store Day has grown into a major annual celebration across Europe, bringing together hundreds of independent record shops, artists and music fans across the continent. In the UK and Ireland, over 300 independent record shops took part in 2026, with sales up 25% year on year and record-breaking footfall.
UK | Record Store Day Unsigned returns to support grassroots talent: It’s back! Record Store Day UK and Breed Media are thrilled to announce the return of RSD Unsigned—the competition offering one exceptional unsigned UK artist the chance to have their music pressed onto 500 vinyl records. This incredible prize provides emerging artists with a unique opportunity to showcase their talent and take their musical careers to the next level by having their music pressed to vinyl for free, courtesy of Breed Media—a music manufacturing and vinyl pressing platform which specialises in supporting emerging artists. The vinyl will then be available from independent record shops across the UK, and the winning artist will also be able to sell copies directly to their fans.
Ludlow, KY | NKY on Tap: Spinning records and pouring beers at Ludlow Vinyl & Tap: There is a new place to grab a beer in Northern Kentucky, and they call themselves Ludlow Vinyl & Tap. Now, when I heard that someone was opening a bar that both served local beer and sold vinyl records, I wanted to be the first in line. These are two of my absolute favorite things in the world, and like wine and cheese, Simon and Garfunkel, they are fantastic on their own but far more magical together. To further add to my excitement, this place is even within walking distance of my house! It’s a leisurely 20-minute stroll there, and depending on how many beers are sipped and records bought to carry back, a slightly more arduous 30-35 minute walk and/or stumble home.
Santa Cruz, CA | Why pay to listen to music? A new Santa Cruz lounge is betting on the power of vinyl. Sometime back in the 1990s, a downtown business on Pacific Avenue attempted to sell oxygen. There was a little corner booth at which you donned an apparatus to inhale oxygen infused with your choice of aromas for however long you wished—after which, of course, you left the store and continued breathing oxygen, for free. The business didn’t last. Skeptics might look at what Jeremy Stone is up to with the same jaundiced eye. Why would I buy what I can easily get for free? Stone, a Santa Cruz producer, studio tech and entrepreneur, is opening another downtown business called Sonivore. And his product will be music—or more directly, the act of listening to music.
Winchester, UK | “A love letter to the CD”–Perfect Sound Forever exhibition, West Downs Gallery: The last 40 years have seen many changes in how the music we listen to has been formatted. Things started to change in the late 80s/early 90s when the compact disc suddenly became popular after first being launched in 1982. Since then, we’ve seen digital platforms provide music in such a widespread manner that makes almost anything available for listening to at the touch of a screen. While that can give exposure to an artist’s music, it’s not necessarily financially rewarding for them, and the physical item remains a thing of value for many music lovers, knowing that at least it feels as though the artist gains in some way.
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