Boise, ID | Hundreds line up at The Record Exchange for Record Store Day: The Record Exchange offered hundreds of records only available at independent stores. Record Store Day was Saturday and hundreds of people lined up to celebrate the event outside of The Record Exchange in Downtown Boise. The store had dozens of exclusive releases you could only get in store. …Before the sun rose above downtown’s buildings, hundreds of people stood outside The Record Exchange. “We drove down the road and saw that the line wrapped around the alley and we were like, ‘We should’ve been here an hour ago,'” said Leslie, a woman waiting in line as the store opened. Saturday was an important day for The Record Exchange “It’s Record Store Day, it’s our Christmas,” said Chad Dryden, co-owner of The Record Exchange. The holiday supports independent record stores around the world. Stores like The Record Exchange get exclusive records you can only find in independent stores.
Nashville, TN | Paramore surprises fans at Grimey’s in East Nashville for Record Store Day: Alex Barry lined up at Grimey’s Records with her four best friends at 8 p.m. Friday night to be at the front of the line when the vinyl shop opened Saturday for Record Store Day. Behind Barry is a line of hundreds stretching down Trinity Lane. “It started to drizzle when we got here,” she says, “and then the rain started to come down. It was like 2 a.m. so those of us in line marked ourselves and waited in our cars in the parking lot.” Running on three hours of sleep, the Belmont student couldn’t wait for 10 a.m. to come soon enough. She wanted to get her hands on a Paramore record. The band of Hayley Williams, Taylor York and Zac Farro is the opening act for Taylor Swift on the Eras Tour. The trio will dazzle for 51 shows across Europe, but today they are the Global Ambassadors for Record Store Day, a title Swift had in 2022. “I love Paramore,” Barry says unaware they are waiting inside ready to surprise fans.
Billings, MT | Cameron Records in Billings celebrates Record Store Day: The organization, Record Store Day, started an annual celebratory day in 2007 to shine a light on independent record stores around the world. This year, Record Store Day fell on Saturday. “We’re participating in it,” said T.J Goodwin, the owner of Cameron Records. “They partner with labels to put out exclusive records. Some of them may have never been on vinyl before. You just have to go in person.” Goodwin’s owned Cameron Records on Central Avenue for 5 years. He said it’s always been a dream of his to own an independent store that focuses on getting people together to talk about music. “We’ve been coming here for awhile now,” said Rock and Barb Mclean, two regular customers of Cameron Records. Rock said he had a collection of records he sold back when he was moving, and is now trying to get that collection back with the help of the store. “I regretted selling them the second after they were gone. I’m happy that now I can come in the store and get the collection back for myself.
Chicago, IL | Chicagoans build community while seeking special vinyl on Record Store Day: On Saturday, music-lovers visited local record stores for their favorites among more than 380 exclusive releases, including projects from Pearl Jam, David Bowie, the Beatles and Paramore. For some Dusty Groove customers, Record Store Day began with coffee, doughnut holes and a magician. On Saturday, dozens lined up outside the record store at 1120 N. Ashland Ave., which provided the free refreshments and entertainment before opening its doors at 7 a.m. By 10 a.m., the store was still humming with activity as vinyl-lovers sought out their favorites from the more than 380 exclusive releases, which included popular projects from Olivia Rodrigo and Noah Kahan, Pearl Jam, David Bowie, the Beatles and Record Store Day ambassador Paramore. But for many customers, the 17th annual celebration of independent record stores was more about community-building and nostalgia rather than the special titles. Several mentioned the joy in spending time with loved ones, meeting new people and reminiscing about the past.
Huntsville, AL | National Record Store Day rolls in big crowd for limited-edition releases: Today is National Record Store Day. Hundreds of music lovers sought to get their hands on some limited-edition songs released by their favorite artists. At Vertical House Records in Huntsville, dozens of customers lined the outside of Lowe Mill early Saturday morning, waiting for the store to open at noon. Some customers tell News 19 they got in line at 12am. Emily Imes says getting the record she wants is worth the wait. “It’s going to feel so good to have a physical copy in my hands,” said Imes. “To know that I sat here, waited it out, made friends, and got it instead of just ordering it off a website…I might cry but it’s going to feel really good to have it.” National Record Store Day was created in 2008. It focuses on the release of limited edition music from bands that are only available in independent record stores. Its popularity has grown with the love of vinyl record in the past year – outselling CDs last year for the first time since 1987.
Las Vegas, NV | Las Vegas vinyl store celebrates Record Store Day 2024: Perched at the end of a residential street just off Sahara Avenue, a faded mauve building sticks out like a sore thumb amid the other beige houses. That, and the line of a few dozen people waiting outside just before 9:00 am Saturday morning. That’s because it’s no house at all. The renovated residential home is Record City, one of Las Vegas’ oldest record stores. The people in line file in when the store opens for the 17th annual Record Store Day, a national event created to uplift local record vendors. Inside the small shop are over 40,000 records and hundreds of CDs, spanning decades and genres. Their curator, manager Joey McDonald, greets all customers with a smile and many by name when he’s not answering phones or at the register. For McDonald, being the manager of Record City for over 24 years has been as much about selling music as it’s been about creating a space for Las Vegans
Minneapolis, MN | Record Store Day brings crowds and business to local stores: “We’ve been here since the beginning for Record Store Day, and watched it kind of evolve,” John Beggs, owner of Roadrunner Records, said. There are weekends where local record stores are booming, and then there’s this weekend. “There’s no question, it’s the biggest day of the year,” said John Beggs, owner of Roadrunner Records. “You just see people come out of the woodwork that probably would never come in otherwise, you know?” Record Store Day is a celebration of vinyl records and the stores that sell them. The occasion started in 2008, and has been growing in popularity ever since. “We’ve been here since the beginning for Record Store Day, and watched it kind of evolve,” Beggs said. That evolution has continued to grow the love of the medium, for those new and old to collecting. “We don’t consume music like that anymore, so there’s something special about it,” one fan said.
Johnstown, PA | ‘Another good day’: Vinyl sales still surging as Record Store Day turns 17: Mark Hinton was a little bit late Saturday morning, but the Southmont man had a “Grateful” look in his eyes as he spotted a limited vinyl re-release of “Nightfall of Diamonds” from the late Jerry Garcia’s best known band inside George’s Song Shop. “You’re lucky,” shop owner John George said, noting the double-live Grateful Dead album was one of just five the store received for Record Store Day. … A line of vinyl shoppers stretched toward Main Street when the store opened Saturday, George said. That might have surprised the second-generation store owner 17 years ago, but thanks in part to Record Store Day, which started in 2007 to celebrate vinyl records and the independent music stores steadfast enough to carry them, demand for long plays are nothing new anymore.
Bristol, VA | Bristol record shop draws crowds on National Record Store Day: A day that honors record shops across the country attracts quite a lot of attention in Bristol. The national record store day event began in 2007 to celebrate independently owned music stores. For Cheap Thrills Record store owner Wyatt Lilly, this is one of his busiest days of the year. “It’s all about the music here, we try to appeal to hard core fans and casual fans alike and it seems like it’s appealing to everyone,” said Lilly. Vinyl lovers spent hours outside store waiting in line. For him, this is more than just a day to buy records. For me it’s my son getting involved in music and record collecting like I’ve done all my life, said Wojie. However, getting the record you want is never a guarantee.
Evanston, IL | Evanston finds its groove on Record Store Day: Fans line up for annual sale of limited-edition LPs. Cat Ewalt was second in line. She, her sister Emily Ewalt and friend Cat Monckton arrived at Squeezebox Books and Music at 743 Main St. around 7:30 p.m. Friday. They had traveled from Chicago’s Edison Park neighborhood and had been waiting about 14 hours, with less than an hour to go until they could make their purchases. Their lists were ready. They came prepared with fold-up chairs, snacks and blankets. The RoundTable got directly to the point: Friday night was cold; what happened when they needed to use the bathroom? These smart ladies had that all figured out: Monckton had her car parked nearby, and when nature called, two of them would drive to a 24-hour store nearby while the third person held their place in line. “I’m mainly here for emotional support,” said Monckton.
UK | Swifties queue up for special letter from singer in boost for UK’s Record Store Day: New album The Tortured Poets Department flies off the shelves as Swift breaks record for most Spotify streams in a single day. Taylor Swift fans joined queues outside vinyl shops yesterday for the annual Record Store Day in the hope of securing a limited edition note from “the desk of Taylor Swift”. The “handwritten” note came with a limited number of copies of the musician’s latest album, The Tortured Poets Department, which was released on Friday. Spotify announced that Swift had made history as the most-streamed artist in a single day, with the most streamed album and track in a single day. The album is the first in Spotify history to have more than 300m streams in one day. While the album itself is not an official Record Store Day (RSD) release, the note celebrated the event, which promotes independent retailers. “Happy Record Store Day!!” it reads. “Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for welcoming The Tortured Poets Department into your vinyl collection and your life.”
