The Beatles had the bestselling Record Store Day Black Friday single: Fans of The Beatles were out in full force for Record Store Day Black Friday. Billboard reports that the Fab Four’s “I Want To Hold Your Hand”/”I Saw Her Standing There” 7-inch vinyl was the top-selling single on Record Store Day Black Friday, while the 3-inch vinyl release of “All My Loving” came in at #5. Stevie Nicks also had one of the bestselling singles, with the white-colored 7-inch vinyl of her latest single, “The Lighthouse,” landing at #3 behind Pearl Jam‘s “Waiting for Stevie (Live)”/”Wreckage (Live)” vinyl. U2 was also a big draw at independent record stores, with the How to Re-Assemble an Atomic Bomb black and red colored vinyl the sixth-bestselling album on Record Store Day. Van Halen’s Live in Dallas 1981 on red colored double vinyl was #8, the Ramones’ Greatest Hits on red colored vinyl was #9 and the Grateful Dead’s four-vinyl LP set, Veterans Memorial Coliseum, New Haven, CT 5/5/77, was #10.
El Cerrito, CA | Iconic Down Home Music expects to raise enough money to buy East Bay space: Fundraising continues as music store and 2 film and music nonprofits make downpayment on buildings. It appears the music will continue to play at an iconic record store on San Pablo Avenue. Down Home Music and two nonprofits feared they would lose the space they’ve occupied since the 1970s. Now the music store, Les Blank Films and The Arhoolie Foundation have secured a contract agreement with the property owners that will allow them to buy the buildings if they can raise some additional money. Harrod Blank, the owner of the film company his father founded in the 1970s, said the agreement gives the tenants until April 15 to raise $2.4 million. Blank said they have already made a 10% down payment. The group has started a Go Fund Me page with a goal of $65,000. So far, $53,000 has been raised from more than 300 donors.
Northwood, FL | Soulmates grooves in Northwood with retro vinyl and spin sessions: The vinyl culture, art, and entertainment have taken root here. Nicholas Estrada feels enthusiastic about being part of this movement and wants to contribute as much as possible to this new scene with his store, Soulmates. A new record store in Northwood is making some noise with a hip selection of vinyl records, turntables, and an interactive DJ for events. Soulmates owner Nicholas Estrada landed in West Palm Beach from Tampa, where he had been living for a while before he took off and started traveling around the world. “I’m a water person,” Estrada says. “I have a charter boat biz on the side. I lived abroad, in the Caribbean and Hawaii, but it was time to come home. I’ve always been a music lover and a fan of physical media. I wanted to start my own business, so here I am after I started collecting, doing markets, and getting the name out there. There was only one other record store in the West Palm area. I saw the need for another one.”
Nashville, TN | East Nashville record store celebrates 25th anniversary: Grimey’s New and Preloved music has been a Nashville staple for 25 years. In East Nashville, the beloved record store Grimey’s is celebrating 25 years in business. From new releases to old classics, the rows of records, vinyl and CDs bring regulars and visitors to the store every day. Grimey’s first started up in Berry Hill in December 1999, before moving to 8th Avenue South and finally to a former church on Trinity Lane. “I can’t believe it’s been 25 years, it just flew by, it’s crazy,” said co-owner and self-proclaimed vinylist Doyle Davis. “I think of Grimey’s as a gateway to the Old Nashville,” he went on. “If you just moved to Nashville and you love it, and you kind of feel lost finding your way in….if you want to be a local, shop at Grimey’s.” You can find all kinds of music, a bookstore, plus in-store performances and other events at Grimey’s.
Hagerstown, MD | Hub city vinyl—a dynamic Hagerstown venue where music cues memories: Lloyd and Sheree Thoburn embarked on a harmonious journey, seeking to establish a Hagerstown venue as a prominent stop on the regional music roadmap. Now, with their dynamic Hub City Vinyl business, they accomplished that goal. Combining hard work, a productive re-development partnership with Washington County, and an intelligent business plan- and mixing in their passion for music – these entrepreneurs created a hybrid space in Western Maryland all music lovers can enjoy. Officially founded in 2020, Hub City Vinyl’s roots started years earlier when the Thoburns acquired a collection of vinyl records through another business. They sold that venture but kept the records. During the next few years, they gradually evolved from selling vintage albums, contained in only a few bins, to creating Maryland’s largest record store. The establishment of a sister business, a live music venue, which now seems an inevitable partnership, soon followed.
Philadelphia, PA | Vinyl listening nights around Philadelphia: Vinyl listening is ritualistic. The tangibility of sliding a record from its sleeve, the soft and exact placement of the needle, the sound of that first crackle as the music starts to flow— hearing every layer, every imperfection, every note the artist intended. It’s almost a form of escapism that takes you out of the digital noise and into something richer, warmer, and so much more deliberate. In Philadelphia, where music runs deep in our veins, vinyl is alive and well.
Haarlem, NL | 12 gift ideas that every vinyl fan will appreciate: With the gift season in full swing, we’d like to share some of our suggestions to suit all budgets. We’ve said it before, but our top tip is to support your local record store, as they’re a vital part of our ecosystem. Pro-tip: use the Record Store Finder on your local Record Store Day site to locate a store near you to find that record for your friend or family member. Also, keep in mind—because we can all do with a little less: you can find great deals on platforms like eBay and other second-hand sites, as most of these listed products are built to last. Just like our beloved records.
Devon, UK | Devon record label rescues forgotten pop bands: ‘These two releases encapsulate the spirit of the 1960s’ Devon’s new record label is continuing to bring new life to forgotten bands from pop’s heyday – including those with South West connections. In a Spin Vinyl, based in Exeter and Plymouth, had dug up two lost pop nuggets from the 1960s and re-released them as new singles with a wealth of information about the bands. One new release is from the Primitives, also known as Mal and the Primitives, an Oxford-based outfit that flopped in the UK but saw its leader become a superstar in Italy. The other is from the wonderfully named Apostolic Intervention, which also failed to make the big time despite being championed by the Small Faces’ Steve Marriott. In a Spin Vinyl co-founder John Griffiths, also of Exeter’s record fair business HDR Music Group, tracked down the Primitives’ Mal Ryder in Italy, where Italian TV was filming a special about him.
Nashville, TN | Want to jam in 2025? Nashville library branches will let you borrow vinyl records next year: Starting next year, folks with a library card in Music City will have the chance to borrow more than just books. The Nashville Public Library said its “turning up the volume” in 2025, offering cardholders the chance to rediscover the charm of LPs at the Green Hills and Madison branches. Whether you’re into country dance tunes or a fan of the syncopated rhythms of jazz music, the library’s vinyl collection will have something for everyone. In fact, adult cardholders will reportedly have access to a collection of more than 250 records, including genres like rock, country, folk, jazz, classical and more. “Vinyl records are more than just music. They’re a way to celebrate the sounds that have helped shape American culture—including here in Nashville, a city famous worldwide for its rich, diverse and inspiring songs,” said Terri Luke, NPL’s Interim Director.
