Rochester, NY | Record stores see stretched lines for exclusive Taylor Swift, Nirvana, Record Store Day releases: Music lovers lined up around the block Saturday as Record Store Day brought a surge of energy, and customers, to local shops across Rochester. At the House of Guitars, crowds gathered early in search of limited releases, rare finds and a shared appreciation for vinyl. “It’s a day everyone looks forward to,” said store manager Aric Schaubroeck. “Every record company puts out something that people have been waiting for… and people are just excited to finally get it.” Schaubroeck said the turnout this year was especially strong, with a line stretching out the door and around the corner for hours. “It reminds me of the old midnight sales,” he said. Shoppers said the experience goes beyond just buying music, it’s about connection, nostalgia and discovery.
Indio, CA | Coachella 2026: How Record Safari became a staple for Record Store Day: At a festival defined by quick moments, Record Safari offers something a little more lasting. As festival goers weave through the music and desert heat at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, a different kind of experience awaits just steps from the entrance, one that trades booming speakers for the soft crackle of vinyl. Inside Record Safari, the festival’s on-site record store, fans flip through crates of new and used records, many stopping in during Record Store Day, which landed on Saturday, April 18, during Weekend 2 and continuing into Sunday as crowds make their final rounds. For Alex Rodriguez, the man behind Record Safari, the moment is the culmination of more than a decade spent building something that started almost by accident. “I was part of the Glass House in Pomona,” Rodriguez said. “One year, the people doing the record store at Coachella couldn’t do it, so they kind of scrambled and asked me…”
Burlington, NC | Main Street Vinyl celebrates Record Store Day: People line the street to attend the special sale in Burlington. Whether they were crate-digging for something rare or just soaking in the vibe, attendees lined the street bright and early for some fun. Burlington record store, Main Street Vinyl, participated in celebrating Record Store Day on Saturday, April 18th. Inspired by the nationally recognized day, the record store offered limited edition albums only available in independent record stores, as opposed to mainstream ‘box’ stores. Co-owner Ed Meyer highlighted the uniqueness of what they have to offer. “There is something special about everything released,” Meyer said. “A lot of it had never before been on vinyl. There are live concerts on vinyl and all kinds of different stuff like that.” Kate Meyer, Main Street Vinyl co-owner, said today is all about indie record stores and indie releases in support of both the artists and local businesses.
London, UK | Vinyl revival: Fans queue across the South East for Record Store Day 2026. Music enthusiasts across the South East proved that the physical record remains a cornerstone of British culture, as hundreds braved the early morning chill to participate in Record Store Day 2026. As reported by the BBC, the global event saw over 300 independent shops across the UK and Ireland open their doors to crowds seeking exclusive, limited-edition releases. In towns like Dorking, Surrey, the dedication was palpable. Fans began forming lines outside Spin Sounds on South Street as early as 04:00 BST, four hours before the shop’s 08:00 opening. Store owner Lee White observed a mixture of excitement and anxiety among the regulars. “People are nervous to know if they get what they want,” he noted, highlighting the high stakes involved when supply for popular titles is strictly limited.
Hattiesburg, MS | At T-Bones, waiting in line on Record Store Day is about more than the vinyl: It’s midnight at T-Bones Records and Cafe. All the staff have gone home, but outside, there’s a constant chatter. Fans like Carter Templeton arrived as early as 6:30 p.m. Friday. Probably a little early even for Record Store Day, but he’s here for more than just an exclusive vinyl. He’s swapping stories and reconnecting with friends he first met here years ago in a line. “I got here around three in the morning that year, but it just kind of got earlier and earlier since then,” Templeton said. “We kind of formed a group that year, and we’ve just done it ever since.” Who would willingly choose to spend the night on the sidewalk outside a record store for music they could, technically, download on their phone? With every new record and new merchandise, a new face seems to show at T-Bones each year, and with it, a sense of community.
Maple Grove, MN | Vinyl lovers brave the cold for Record Store Day: Thousands turned out and braced the cold in an effort to get one-of-a-kind music on Saturday. The 18th Annual Record Store Day (RSD) took place at independent stores across Minnesota and the country. Vinyl fans flocked to stores to try to obtain limited edition records, CDs, and more. People started lining up at Down In the Valley in Maple Grove as early as midnight. Co-Store Owner Scott Farrell says the line at their Golden Valley location typically starts building late Friday afternoon: “The previous year, we had someone get in line at Thursday at noon. We went out to make sure they knew that it was a Saturday event, not a Friday event, and oh, they knew, but they wanted one of the very limited pieces, and they stuck it out that entire time.” …Farrell says it seems like the line starts earlier every year, but vinyl fans are a hardy bunch, and they turn the line into a party-like atmosphere.
Vestal, NY | Music City Celebrates Record Store Day: One local music shop joined tens of thousands stores all over the world in celebrating Record Store Day today. Record Store Day is a semi-annual event that brings fans, artists, and music stores together in celebration of independently owned record stores. A number of records are pressed specifically for the day and are only distributed to shops participating in the event. One participating store was Music City, whose owner, Benny Fiacco, said saw lines forming as early as 4:30 a.m. for the event. “The Record Store Day started—forgive me if I’m wrong on this—Maybe 17 years ago,” said Fiacco. “We’ve been participating almost since the beginning and it’s a really nice thing. A lot of customers come in looking for certain pieces on vinyl, and the earlier they get here, the better chance they have of finding what they’re looking for.”
Bristol, VA | Cheap Thrills Records in Bristol celebrating National Record Store Day: The line was out the door at Cheap Thrills Records as vinyl lovers celebrated National Record Store Day. Those in line eagerly awaited entry to check out exclusive records from their favorite artists. Cheap Thrills owner Wyatt Lilly said National Record Store Day makes him feel validated in an era when music is mostly listened to through streaming. “When you put the record online or even a CD, you know, you’re playing the full album and you form that that connection with the artists, which is really why we listen to music anyway, because it’s more of an intimate thing,” he said. “Actually play an album instead of clicking, clicking, and streaming and that kind of thing. And so it’s really about that connection with the music and the artist.”
Big Flats, NY | Squatch Den Records sees large turn out for Record Store Day: Saturday is Record Store Day. A day that highlights exclusive records and the small businesses that sell them. At Squatch Den Records in the Arnot Mall, the owners said they had a great turnout, with people stopping in throughout the day. Part of Record Store Day includes hundreds of exclusive records that are special to independently run record stores like Squatch Den Records. The back shelf of the store was lined with boxes full of new and exclusive records that people were digging through all day long. “I think everyone has been pretty pleased,” said shop co-owner Ash Cullen. “We had a pretty decent amount of stock, so I think mostly everyone got what they want, but you know, the line. So we did what we can and I think everyone’s happy.” One viewer told WENY News that people started waiting outside the Arnot Mall before 8:00 P.M. on Friday night. Shop owners said the camping is part of the fun.
Long Island, NY | Record Store Day draws crowds to Massapequa Park: Record Store Day brought renewed attention to independent music shops, with vinyl enthusiasts and casual listeners turning out at Records and Nostalgia on Park Boulevard in Massapequa Park Saturday, April 18. Held each April, Record Store Day was launched in 2008 to support independently owned record stores and celebrate music culture. It has since grown into a global event, featuring exclusive releases, limited-edition pressings and in-store performances that draw collectors and newcomers alike. At Records and Nostalgia, crowds lined up to purchase classic, new and rare albums and revisit the experience of browsing through physical records. “We have The Doors, Van Halen, Grateful Dead and many other albums,” said Joseph Ostermeier, the store’s owner, as customers browsed through hundreds of records.
Bozeman, MT | Record Store Day 2026 Draws Fans Lining Up For Rare Releases: Music fans in Montana turned out for Record Store Day 2026 as stores across the state marked the annual event with limited releases and a focus on physical records. The event, in its 18th year running, had music fans lined up outside of their local stores well before they opened for the special day. “Yeah, so, I got here around 7 o’clock last night, and the staff was still setting up last night, so, they were the last people I saw in the parking lot before I left. Just a really quiet night, we read some books. Really cold night, but definitely worth it to get some of these records,” said Betsy Hust. Record store day was not just put on in Bozeman. Brick and Mortar stores held events throughout the treasure state, including locations in Billings, Whitefish, Missoula, Livingston, Havre, and Kalispell.
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