UK record shops are gearing up to deliver the biggest vinyl party of the year on Saturday 13th April. Hundreds of artists have come together to support independent record shops and create one-off, exclusive vinyl releases, especially for Record Store Day.
This year, there are special releases from artists including The Rolling Stones, IDLES, Aretha Franklin, Grandmaster Flash and Iggy Pop, all of which will only be available from participating shops. A number of artists are also offering fans an opportunity to get their hands on brand new music, including The Flaming Lips, Julien Baker and Courtney Barnett.
This year’s RSD ambassadors are self-professed record lovers Julian Barratt and Noel Fielding of The Mighty Boosh, who will themselves have a special RSD release.
Many record shops will be holding special events during the day, with live music, DJ sets and refreshments such as coffee and donuts, so it’s worth checking out what’s happening at your local store.
Record Store Day, supported by BBC Sounds, is the one day of the year that unites more than 250 record shops in the UK and thousands globally. It’s a celebration of their independence, unique culture and the art of vinyl.
Record Store Day is widely regarded as the catalyst behind the phenomenal vinyl resurgence as sales topped 4.4m units in the UK in 2018; compared to just 205k in 2008 when RSD began.
Though there is a still a long way to go, the success of the event has sparked a huge turnaround in fortunes for the nation’s independent record stores, with new shops opening at nearly one a fortnight since last year’s Record Store Day.
When: 13th April 2019
Where: At independent record shops across the UK
£: Free admission (it’s the mountains of temptingly coloured vinyl that’ll cost you)
More info: recordstoreday.co.uk