In rotation: 1/27/25

Little Rock, AR | End of an era for Ugly Mike’s Records in Little Rock: After decades of being in the business, a beloved business in Little Rock is set to close its doors this summer. Here’s what the owner says he has planned next. A well-known and beloved Little Rock staple is set to close its doors this summer. Ugly Mike’s Record shop was known for selling the latest hits and classics but also offered a place of peace for many in the community. Now, the owner has planned to retire in the coming months. “I’m at the end of my life cycle, it’s time for me to stop and enjoy some of the life out there,” Ugly Mike said. …”I don’t know who would want to buy into the record business right now, the over-the-counter music business is gone. You know, everything now is on your phone and Spotify and those places. The over-the-counter music business is tough now,” Ugly Mike said. Mike said that his most precious memories are meeting people. He has always loved his customers.

New York, NY | Rough Trade to expand New York store as music fans seek ‘experiences’, owner says: British record store chain to triple size of Rockefeller Center location with 300-capacity room featuring built-in stage. A mosh pit may seem out of place in Rockefeller Center, better known for its Christmas tree, rinks and hoards of tourists. But a British record store chain wants to change that. Rough Trade is tripling the size of its site at the major shopping center this spring, expanding its downstairs to create space for more vinyl, merchandise and events with artists. Like its stores in the UK, Rough Trade typically teams up with artists around the release of a new album, hosting small concerts for those who purchase an LP from the store. The expanded New York store will take over a space that was once a chain stationery store. The site will include a built-in stage, and enough room to accommodate 300 people – more than three times the number who can fit in the current store.

CA | Music News Digest: Big Wreck Named 2025 Record Store Day Canada Ambassadors: Big Wreck have been named 2025 Record Store Day Canada ambassadors. The Canadian rock band will also be releasing their 2012 album Albatross on vinyl for the first time in deluxe 2xLP limited-edition featuring live and unreleased music as a Record Store Day exclusive. The album was certified Gold and was their biggest hit since In Loving Memory Of… in 1997 and its big shiny rock radio staple “That Song.” The title track of Albatross has also gone Platinum. “It’s a great honour for Big Wreck to be Record Store Day Ambassadors,” says Big Wreck leader Ian Thornley. “We grew up going to record stores and building our vinyl collections and it means a lot to us to continue the tradition. It’s especially exciting to be putting Albatross out into the world for the first time on vinyl. That record holds a special place.”

Washington, DC | See A Play in A Record Store: This Valentine’s Day, why not set a new sort of record? See an intimate performance at your local record shop, when romantic comedy Love and Vinyl opens at Byrdland Records (1264 Fifth St. NE). The author of Love and Vinyl is Maryland-based playwright and long-time professor of theatre at Bowie State University, Bob Bartlett. He is no stranger to staging his work in unusual locations. A few years ago, Bartlett premiered his time-bending comedy, The Accident Bear, which sold out its five-week run to critical acclaim, at a working coin-operated laundromat in historic downtown Annapolis, Maryland. He staged Lýkos Ánthrōpo at Historic Congressional Cemetery last year. Bartlett wrote Love and Vinyl on a dare from colleagues who challenged him to write a comedy about vinyl lovers who had sword off romance. Like himself. In the play, best friends Bogie and Zane visit their local record store, but “leave with more than a stack of vinyl…”

Evergreen Park, IL | Evergreen Park business is booming, says mayor: Evergreen Park Mayor Kelly Burke shared some good news to start the new year. “The state of the village is healthy and financially sound,” Burke said during her State of the Village address at the Senior Council Luncheon Jan. 16 at the Evergreen Park Community Center. Burke told the crowd that 32 businesses opened last year in Evergreen Park. One of those businesses was a record shop that is owned by a husband and wife team that has drawn plenty of attention. “Records are coming back but many of them on sale now are originals that are being sold,” Burke said. The Record Shop on 95th is now open at 3576 W. 95th St. The owners are Jessika and Jeff Law. Since the record shop opened, they have been drawing a steady crowd of younger customers.

UK | How BBC support and new vinyl edition helped Chappell Roan return to albums summit: Chappell Roan has the No.1 album again with The Rise And Fall Of A Midwest Princess. Roan returned to the summit with a 63.4% increase in week-on-week consumption, according to the Official Charts Company. As reported in Alan Jones’ charts analysis on Friday (January 17), the album moved 7-1 (10,191 sales, including 556 CDs, 4,238 vinyl albums, 42 cassettes, 167 digital downloads and 5,188 sales-equivalent streams) on its 31st consecutive appearance in the Top 10. The boost for the album follows extensive support from BBC channels, including Radio 1 naming Roan as winner of the annual BBC Sound Of… award. The increase in consumption was also down to a new blue ‘crushed splatter’ vinyl edition, which accounted for 2,265 sales.

Taylor Swift achieves new milestone with unannounced Vinyl release: Swifties rush to purchase the vinyl as Taylor Swift does a surprise release: Taylor Swift fans once again have proven their dedication to the legacy of their favourite artist. The 35-year-old pop superstar released the Vinyl record of her album Lover (Live From Paris). The heart-shaped vinyl was released without a prior announcement, but fans rushed to purchase it and sold over 200,000 copies in just two days in the U.S., breaking the record of the highest single-week vinyl sales ever recorded. The Lover (Live From Paris) vinyl is based on eight live performances of the 2019 album, recorded at the time of her 2019 Paris concert. It has not been officially announced yet but reports indicate that the newly-released vinyl has been sold out everywhere, leaving fans desperate for restocks. Social media has been flooded with comments from Swifties celebrating this achievement, with one fan noting, “No promo, just Taylor’s legacy. She’s unmatched.”

A Japanese Audio Brand’s First-Ever Record Players Are a New Spin for the Category: These new record players are designed for DJs, musicians and serious audiophiles. Korg, the revered Japanese audio brand with a history dating back to the 1960s, is best known for synthesizers, keyboards and music workstations. As of this year, however, it’s diving head first into a new product category: portable record players. That’s right. The company is getting into the admittedly niche category that lets you listen to vinyl records on the go. But unlike Audio-Technica’s revived Sound Burger, Korg’s portable record players are targeted at DJs, musicians and serious audiophiles. There are three different models in Korg’s “Handytraxx” lineup of portable record players. And despite each being targeted at a different “type” of vinyl lover, they do share a lot in common. Each of Korg’s Handytraxx portable record players take their design ques from Vestax’s original Handy Trax from the early 2000s—in fact, Korg worked with Vestax’s founder, Toshihide Nakama, to bring them to live.

Winter Harmony: How to Organize Your Music Collection: The cold winter months are perfect for organizing your music collection. Whether you collect vinyl records, CDs, cassette tapes, or all of the above, having an organized and accessible system can make rediscovering your favorite tunes even more enjoyable. Here are some easy and practical ways to get started. Find a System That Works for You: If you don’t have a system, decide how to organize your collection. Do you like the idea of sorting everything alphabetically? Or maybe by genre, artist, or even the decade it was released? What feels intuitive to you? When it comes to organizing music, there is no right or wrong way. The goal is to create a setup that makes it easy to find what you’re looking for so you can enjoy it. Give Everything a Proper Home: Having a designated space for your music is key to protecting your collection. Carve out a section in your home or apartment devoted to your music…

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