US | RSD Black Friday Makes Record Stores Part of the Biggest Shopping Season of the Year! List of Special Releases for 11/27. All year long, record stores around the country have been welcoming their friends—old and new—inside their bricks and mortar to #listentogether to experience the emotions of music as a community. Listening parties, in-store signings and intimate performances spotlight the fact that record stores are not your average “retail.” They’re a little more thoughtful, welcoming, and interesting. A little more… special. Details on these, and a complete list, along with artwork, as well as participating stores and so much more at recordstoreday.com as always.
UK | Record Store Day Black Friday: 2026 exclusive releases announced: This includes rare releases from the likes of Florence + The Machine, sombr, Noah Kahan, Shawn Mendes, Bruce Springsteen, KATSEYE, Prince and more. Record Store Day have revealed their Black Friday line-up of exclusive and limited edition releases, selling across independent record shops in the UK and Ireland next month. Returning on Friday, 27 November, Record Store Day Black Friday focuses on exclusive releases, record collecting and the independent shops that sell them. From first-time pressings to special editions and unexpected finds, it’s a chance for music fans to discover something new at their local shop.
Austin, TX | New shop brings art books, records, and rare objects to South Lamar: Obi, a new South Lamar shop built around books, records, objects, and an appreciation for culture and artisanship, will start its soft opening phase October 2. The new retail project from documentary photographer Michael Magers and creative director Sergio Alcocer is located at 2055 S. Lamar Blvd., just north of Loro Asian Smokehouse. The shop will be open from noon to 7 pm October 2-4 and again October 9-11. Obi sits in the space somewhere between a shop and a gallery, with photo and art books, records, and objects as the main draw, and wall space used to complement the work. Magers says the gallery element is secondary, but the walls give the shop room to pair projects together, such as a book signing with an artist’s photographs.
London, UK | 14 record shops in London every music lover needs to visit: From Soho scene stalwarts to East End pop-ups, no visit to the UK capital is complete without delving into the stacks at these legendary. The UK vinyl market is estimated to hit a whopping £220 million in revenue in 2026, meaning there’s no better time to hit the bins for an under-appreciated classic. When it comes to London record stores, you’re certain to find some absolute treasures, whether you’re looking for the newest releases, a soul funk import, a signed LP, or a dog-eared holdout from the dog days of punk. There’s no city quite with the same music heritage, after all. May we mention The Clash, Amy Winehouse, Led Zeppelin, Stormzy, Dizzee Rascal and Blur to name a few? If you’re looking to celebrate the best music the capital has to offer, this dozen-and-change list to the best record shops in London should be your first—and last—stop.
Chicago, IL | After enduring more than 30 roof leaks, Chicago’s 11-year-old punk and horror shop Bucket O’ Blood will close its Elston Avenue storefront this November: After 11 years and ongoing maintenance issues, the independent bookstore and record shop will close its current doors in November. After enduring more than 30 roof leaks and subsequent mold damage, Bucket O’ Blood Books and Records will close its current Avondale storefront at the end of November. The independent shop, a fixture on Elston Avenue for 11 years, opted not to renew its lease to escape the ongoing maintenance struggles. A beloved haven for collectors of the weird, wonderful, and wonderfully obscure is preparing to leave its longtime home—but this isn’t goodbye.
Cork, IE | ‘It’s been stressful and relentlessly so’: Cork record store announces closure. ‘The last two years have been financially difficult, and I’ve been ploughing on regardless’ says John Dwyer of Bunker Vinyl. In sad news for Cork music fans, it has been announced that one of the city’s last independent record stores, Bunker Vinyl on Camden Quay, is to close its doors. The shop, in the basement below Ozalid House, opened a decade ago, and had been a haven for discerning music fans, with the steps down to the premises decorated with murals of Jimi Hendrix and David Bowie. It was a place where the young and the young-at-heart could mix and share a love of music, under the genial stewardship of the shop’s founder, John Dwyer. In a post on social media, Mr Dwyer said on Sunday that he had made the decision to close due to financial reasons and doctor’s orders.
Exton, PA | The Exton Record Riot! Over 10,000 vinyl records in ONE ROOM! Sunday October 11th 10 AM-4 PM. The Exton Record Riot! It’s a GIANT vinyl record POP-UP sale at the Exton Hotel and Conference Center. Sunday October 11th. 10000+ vinyl records in one room! COME DIG! A giant record store lands in Exton PA! Dealers from far and wide converge for a giant music sale! LPs and 45s and CDs too. All types of music from punk to funk to country to classic rock, hip hop, soul/jazz and more. Dust off that turntable and come on down. DOOR PRIZES TOO! Regular admission starts at 10 AM ($5) with early admission at 9 AM ($15). Don’t miss the BIG VINYL DIG!
Utica, NY | The Utica Record Riot! at Deerfield Firehouse, Saturday October 17th 10 AM-4 PM. CDs too! The Utica Record Riot! It’s a GIANT vinyl record POP-UP sale Deerfield Firehouse, 5476 Trenton Road. Saturday October 17th. 10000+ vinyl records in one room! COME DIG! A giant record store lands in North Utica! Dealers from far and wide converge for a giant music sale! LPs and 45s and CDs too. All types of music from punk to funk to country to classic rock, hip hop, soul/jazz and more. Dust off that turntable and come on down. DOOR PRIZES TOO! Regular admission starts at 10 AM ($5) with early admission at 9 AM ($15). Don’t miss the BIG VINYL DIG!
Red Lion, PA | Vinyl experiences revival and CDs make a comeback amid physical media resurgence: Vinyl records, CDs and cassettes continue to experience a resurgence as music lovers return to physical media and turn away from streaming services. Just like in music, when it comes to vinyl records, the appeal is about more than just the sound, it’s about the feelings and the memories they evoke. With more people turning away from digital downloads and streaming apps, vinyl record sales have seen a continuous rise in recent years as people search out prints of their favorite records. “It’s the whole package. A download you don’t get anything really,” said Tom Anderton, the owner of Tom’s Music Trade in Red Lion. “But with the record, people always talk about how they used to read the sleeves when they were kids, the posters that come with them, it was more than just the music, it was the whole package.”
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