In rotation: 3/20/26

San Francisco, CA | Legendary filmmaker stops by San Francisco record store: John Waters is in the latest episode of ‘What’s In My Bag?’ filmed at Amoeba’s SF store. The last time John Waters made an appearance at Amoeba Records in San Francisco was back in 2007, when he was promoting the vinyl release of his one-man Valentine’s Day show, “A Date with John Waters.” The legendary filmmaker, known for off-kilter cult favorites like “Pink Flamingos” and “Hairspray,” remembers the afternoon well: There was a huge line out the door, and one person waiting among them was completely nude. “It was a straight guy, and he told me, ‘I just want to sit on your lap and take a picture of it and give it to my mother for Christmas,’” Waters recounted in a new episode of the store’s “What’s in my Bag?” series. “I always had really good experiences at Amoeba Records. So I’m happy to be back.”

New York, NY | The 12 Best Vinyl Record Stores in New York for Electronic Music (2026 Guide): If you are looking for the absolute best vinyl store New York has to offer for electronic music, your top choices depend on your digging style. Manhattan 45 is the top destination for strictly new EDM, techno, and UKG releases. For second-hand classics and 90s house, A-1 Record Shop and Human Head Records are essential. If you want the deepest crate-digging experience, head to The Thing. Looking to buy directly from the source? Independent label storefronts like Razor-N-Tape and Brooklyn Record Exchange offer exclusive direct-to-fan experiences.

Bismarck, ND | Generation Gap Records: Bridging the gap in music. Vinyl is making a comeback, and one Bismarck man is helping keep the tradition spinning. He ships thousands of albums to music lovers around the world. Brian Taix loves music and vinyl records. He’s been passionate about them since working at Budget Tapes and Records in Bismarck back in the 80s. Then he took a “rest” from record business. “Daughter was going to school out in Missoula. College out there,” said Taix. “I found a record store out there that I really liked and got me hooked back into it again.” Now, he runs his own online store called Generation Gap Records. Taix has collected close to 8,000 records in his inventory, not counting the 300 in his personal collection.

Islington, UK | “Get yourself a decent record player and follow your ears.” As Record Shop Day 2026 draws near, Mark Burgess, owner of Flashback Records, reflects on the history of vinyl records and its ever-standing prominence within the music landscape. Digital downloads dominated the early 2000s, with global digital music sales doubling to around £1.5 billion in 2006. But by 2007, vinyl records made a miraculous comeback and have increased in sales ever since. A record-breaking boom was seen during the pandemic. In the midst of business closures, vinyl sales soared. The British Phonographic Industry (BPI) recorded by 2022, vinyl records were the most popular format of physical recorded music since 1987, overtaking the sales of its previous rival, the CD.

Poison The Well to release limited zine commemorating new album at select record stores on release: With Peace In Place, the band’s first album in 17 years, set to be released this week the long running metalcore veterans Poison The Well are releasing an accompanying photo zine with purchases of the new album at participating record stores nationwide. It is unclear if the pre-ordered vinyl and cd orders are also receiving a copy or not. Peace In Place releases March 20th via Sharptone Records. The list of participating stores are as follows…

Petaluma, CA | Petaluma Boulevard record store opens new ‘retro video store corner.’ ‘Movie collecting is growing,’ says co-owner of Rain Dog Records, which has just added new and used films. Physical media is officially back. Or at least, it’s on its way. Look no further than Petaluma’s Rain Dog Records, where a new “retro video store corner,” stocked with movie DVDs, Blu-rays, laserdiscs and even VHS tapes, officially opened on February 28. “Pretty cool, right?” asked James Florence, co-founder of Rain Dog Records along with Gabriel Hernandez. “The corner is a throwback to the video stores of the ’80s. We are trying to get the word out. It’s quite new.”

Philadelphia, PA | For Record Store Day, WXPN is dropping a compilation that includes a song from its 1,000th Free at Noon concert: On April 18, vinyl lovers can pick up the 11-track ‘Homegrown Originals Volume 4’ by purchasing an item at participating shops. XPN’s latest vinyl compilation features one of the songs played at the station’s 1,000th Free At Noon concert at World Cafe Live last September. “Homegrown Originals Volume 4,” has 11 songs from Philadelphia-area artists, including the Hooters, the rock group that played the anniversary show. Other featured artists include the alternative rock group Mo Lowda & The Humble, rapper Reef The Lost Cauze, pop singer Mackenzie Johnson, the rock band the Tisburys and folk singer Denison Witmer. WXPN releases a new compilation every year for Record Store Day. This year, 13 independent record stores in the Philly region are giving away the album to customers that purchase items in their stores.

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Walker, MI | Vinyl collectors to meet for annual Grand Rapids Record & CD Show: On Saturday, the American Legion Post 179 hall will play host to the annual Grand Rapids Record & CD Show. “We have 30 vendors coming from five different states,” said Doug Smith, promoter of the Grand Rapids Record & CD Show. “We have about 50 tables in the room.” Smith and organizers of the Grand Rapids Record & CD Show have hosted the event for over a decade. Vinyl collectors, young and old, continue to attend the sale. “The attendance numbers have been growing,” Smith said. “It’s really kind of exploded.” One reason why the hobby has grown, Smith explained, is that more and more people have become fascinated with collectible physical media rather than just streaming their favorite music online. “(It is) something they can hold onto,” Smith said. “Something they can own.”

Baltimore, MD | What to do in Baltimore this weekend, including spring dances and a record store rave: Baltimore Record Bazaar. Physical media is back! Really, it never left—just check out the smorgasbord of collectibles like vinyl, CDs, tapes, comics and more at Peabody Heights Brewery’s bimonthly market, which is soundtracked by DJs with good taste.

Worcester, MA | Vinyl sale, curling, new art, Irish tunes: 5 fun weekend things. Spin it like it’s 1999 (Or $1.99): Vinyl lovers, bargain hunters and movie buffs, this one’s got your name all over it. WCUW is hosting a massive record and movie poster sale called the Rebop Shop Record Sale featuring 50% off records and CDs, with some albums going for just $2 and select 45s and CDs for only $1. Cinema Worcester is joining in with a full-size movie poster sale, while live DJs spin throughout the event to keep the vibe going. It all happens at 910 Main St.— Saturday, March 21, from 3-6 p.m., and Sunday, March 22, from 9 a.m. to noon.