The biggest-selling rock album of 2024 may surprise you: The best-selling rock album of 2024 is 47 years old. In a year dominated by pop, country and hip-hop, Fleetwood Mac’s 1977 masterpiece Rumours was the highest-charting rock album on Billboard’s 2024 year-end chart, landing at No. 34, just one spot ahead of Elton John’s 2017 greatest hits collection Diamonds. Just 29 of the Top 200 albums on Billboard’s year-end 2024 chart were from rock artists. Depressingly, none of them were released this year. All but five of the 29 were greatest hits collections. Besides Rumours, the only non-compilation rock albums to make the chart were Nirvana’s Nevermind, AC/DC’s Back in Black, Linkin Park’s [Hybrid Theory] and Sublime’s self-titled 1996 album.
Kingston, UK | Kingston record store hailed as the ‘most influential’ in the UK: Kingston’s Banquet Records has been dubbed “the most influential record store in the UK right now at helping an artist or a band secure a number one,” by The New Statesman’s Hannah Barnes, in a podcast. Speaking about the concerts Banquet Records hosts at Pryzm, Barnes said: “They really do bring the big guns to Kingston. “In the last few years, we’ve seen some great people […] The Who, Elbow, Stormzy, Keen, Snow Patrol. “Billie Eilish was there in 2019. This year alone Rod Stewart, who, as if he didn’t need to be anyway, but is now confirmed as a legend by his 2025 Glastonbury booking. “So, they’re [Banquet Records] clearly doing something right.” Speaking about Banquet Records more generally, Barnes said: “Well they love music and any kind of music, but what they did very early on, even before it was Banquet Records when it was Beggars Banquet, is they tried to combine the person that buys records with the person that goes to gigs, and more recently they’ve done this with astounding success.”
Adelaide, AU | Celebrate 10 years of Crackle and Pop Records at The Wheaty: The pop-up record store is celebrating double digits with a special event at The Wheaty on Saturday, December 21. Adelaide’s favourite pop-up record store, Crackle & Pop Records, is celebrating its tenth anniversary this weekend with a special event at The Wheaty. Get down to everybody’s favourite craft brew pub in Thebarton from 2:00pm this Saturday and have some beers, buy some records and chat with the current owners Adam and Anita and their son Jack. The man who founded Crackle & Pop Records, Mark, will also be in attendance, so buy him a beer and let him regal you with tales about the early days of the business that first began as a stall at the Gilles St Market on December 21, 2014. Held in the front bar from 2:00pm until 6:00pm, music lovers can get their vinyl fill before catching The Adelaide Sax Pack perform later in the evening, with Bunnychownow serving up delish curries out front.
Palos Park, IL | Grooving into retirement: Teacher spins new life with record shop: Independent record shop Long Live Vinyl brings music lovers together with retro vibes and timeless grooves. In the 1960s, the record player wasn’t just a device—it was a lifestyle accessory as essential as shag carpeting and avocado-colored appliances. Nestled in the corner of countless living rooms, these spinning musical oracles brought rock, soul, and psychedelic grooves to the ears of America, all while sitting atop a sea of shag so thick it could probably host its own ecosystem. Families would gather around, pretending to listen to The Beatles or Motown hits, but let’s be honest, half the time they were just mesmerized by how the record player seemed to defy logic by spinning backward, while the music played forward.
Chicago, IL | The Flip Side is remembered for selling concert tickets and the latest records: Chicago radio icon Jeff Schwartz joins Bob Sirott to talk about how Carl and Larry Rosenbaum founded Chicago record store chain “The Flip Side” and how they began selling concert tickets as well as had appearances from multiple famous musicians. He also shares details about how record stores became a staple in society and where you can purchase “The Flip Side: Where Chicago Rocked.”
Houston, TX | Sushi and vinyl: Houston’s hottest new restaurant blends gourmet handrolls with music. Book your spot at the intimate 15-seat counter. Houston’s dining scene has just gotten a major upgrade with the opening of Kira, a revolutionary restaurant that redefines the dining experience. Created by Comma Hospitality, the team behind the acclaimed Neo, also in Houston, Kira combines the art of fine Japanese cuisine with a bespoke vinyl soundtrack, offering a multi-sensory journey. Chef de Cuisine Mark Wong, known for his expertise in both French and Japanese techniques, crafts a menu that blends tradition with creative innovation. Dishes include high-end handrolls like the Seasonal Sashimi Set, featuring swordfish from Nova Scotia and Kanpachi from Kyushu, and the Ocean Trout Temaki with smoked masu, sour cream, and onion powder, offering a fresh take on Japanese classics.
Pro-Ject Debut Evo 2: A vinyl spinner that punches above its weight class: At $700, it has the audio quality of a more expensive turntable. Following in the audio footsteps of the Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Evo, the Evo 2 continues the company’s journey into the realm of mid-priced turntables that sound like more expensive gear. In addition to an exceptionally isolated deck, belt-drive, tonearm, aluminum platter and feet, the Evo 2 delivers high-quality audio with a minimum of extraneous vibrations through its custom-designed moving magnet cartridge, and ranks among the best turntables you can buy today. While it’s able to pick up the subtlety and majesty of vinyl without breaking the bank, the Evo 2 is not for those seeking a record player with a USB port, Bluetooth, or automatic operation. This is a purely analog manual turntable that requires a phono stage preamp or a receiver for playing and a little patience to use.
Mayer Hawthorne Finds a Vibe with Music and Wine: The Grammy-nominated musician discusses creating the perfect pairing between wines with music. …Days after COVID lockdowns began in March 2020, Hawthorne launched a livestreaming YouTube series from his living room, dubbed Wine & Vinyl Hour, where he played rare records from his impressive collection and had conversations with his viewers about music and wine. That spawned the recently launched Wine & Vinyl Collectors Club. Each quarterly subscription box is curated by Hawthorne and features three bottles of organically and sustainably farmed wines and a vinyl record chosen to enhance the wine-drinking experience, or vice versa. Hawthorne recently talked with Wine Spectator senior editor Aaron Romano about introducing people to new kinds of music and wine, the inextricable link between the two and the harmony in pairing them together.
Leesport, PA | The Leesport Record Riot! Over 15,000 vinyl records in one room! Sat Jan 4th, Leesport Farmers Mkt. The Leesport Record RIot! A GIANTvinyl record POP-UP sale at the Leesport Farmers Market! Sat Jan 4th 10 AM-5 PM Over 15,000 vinyl records in ONE ROOM! Great music and family fun. LPs, CDs & 45s. A giant record store lands in Berks County! Dealers from far and wide converge for a giant music sale! LPs and 45s and CDs too. All types of music from punk to funk to country to classic rock, hip hop, soul/jazz and more. Dust off that turntable and come on down. DOOR PRIZES TOO! Regular admission starts at 10 AM ($5) with early admission at 9 AM ($15). Don’t miss the BIG VINYL DIG!
