Washington, DC | Calling all cratediggers: Celebrate Record Store Day 2023 at these DMV stores: Record Store Day is a music-lover’s dream, where independent record stores across the country sell exclusive releases. Record Store Day is April 22, 2023, and independent record stores across the country, including here in the DMV are gearing up for another celebration. Record Store Day is a music-lovers dream, and vinyl enthusiasts circle the date in anticipation of getting their hands on exclusive releases. This year’s release list includes new music and vinyl from the likes of Taylor Swift, Jason Isbell, David Byrne, Elton John, The Rolling Stones, The Sisters of Mercy, The Black Keys and more. Record Store Day was conceived in 2007 at a gathering of independent record store owners and employees as a way to celebrate and spread the word about the unique culture surrounding nearly 1400 independently-owned record stores in the US and thousands of similar stores internationally. The first Record Store Day took place on April 19, 2008. Today, Record Store Day is celebrated at independently-owned brick-and-mortar record stores around the world.
Detroit, MI | Detroit Spins Harder: Local Shops Celebrate Record Store Day. Whether it’s a vintage Tamla 45, a J Dilla box set, or a Stooges French pressing on red vinyl, Detroiters are passionate about records. Some say it’s the warmth of the sound. Others like the big artwork and liner notes. The releases you can’t find in any other format. And supporting the artist by buying instead of streaming. From the moment you pull the vinyl from its sleeve and drop the needle onto its first groove, an album demands your attention in a way that clicking the Play button doesn’t. It can be a relaxing, meditative experience that’s relatively rare in the era of distraction. And so, the popularity of Record Store Day, which celebrates the unique culture of nearly 1,400 independent record stores stateside and thousands of others internationally. Conceived in 2007 by shop owners and their employees, the annual celebration supports indie retailers with several hundred exclusive releases and various store events, sales, and performances. This year, it happens on April 23rd, and many Detroit metro shops have something special planned.
Teddington, UK | Record Store Day 2023 lands in Teddington this Saturday! The ‘Christmas Day’ for over 260 independent record stores across the UK is happening this Saturday, April 22nd. In reality, it is known as Record Store Day (RSD), a must for all serious-and not so serious-vinyl collectors. The annual celebration champions the people who make up record stores across the country and internationally – staff, customers and artists, and provides an opportunity to mark the special role the stores have in their communities. Each year on RSD, the music industry release limited edition vinyl that has previously been unavailable, and can only be purchased in person from independent music stores. Teddington’s beloved Roan Records will be opening its doors to music enthusiasts on Saturday from 8am who are able to buy as many titles from the this year’s list of over five hundred albums, but only one copy of an individual album.
Louisville, KY | Record Store Day Returns This Saturday, April 22, With Its Usual Fun and Sales: On Saturday, April 22 independent record stores around the world will once again celebrate Record Store Day, celebrating the culture of independent record sellers and the experience of the brick and mortar record store. Louisville indie record stores will also be taking part in the celebration again this year. The Great Escape (2433 Bardstown Rd.) has announced they are giving away five free records/CDs per person from their $.99 cent selection all day on April 22. The store will open four hours early at 8 a.m. to kick off the festivities. Better Days Records (921 Barret Ave.) will host Louisville’s rock station LRS102.com for a live broadcast at the store starting at 8 a.m. Guestroom Records (1806 Frankfort Ave.) is preparing new releases and will release more information about the event sometime this week. Underground Sounds (1006 Barret Ave.) will also open at 8 a.m. for the celebration. While not officially getting new releases or promotions, Surface Noise (600 Baxter Ave.) will be having a sale that day on used merchandise.
Newcastle, UK | Plans for Record Store Day in Newcastle from live music to Sam Fender new release: Record Store Day celebrations at independent music shops this Saturday will include Beth Macari performing live at JG Windows and new releases by likes of Sam Fender and The 1975. A day celebrating the beauty of vinyl is set to see the usual long queues outside the city’s independent music shops this weekend. Record Store Day is a highlight of the year for music fans who snap up their chance to revel in their passion and pick up some bargain buys at the same time. The global event turns the spotlight on our precious independent record shops and often proves a welcome boost to business. Special vinyl releases are made exclusively for the day and many shops – such as Newcastle’s JG Windows – will be hosting in-store performances. The first event of its kind took place in April 2008 and now stores across the world are involved in what is seen as a celebration for record store staff, customers and artists alike.
AU | The Australian Music Vault Is Hiding Free Vinyl Across the Country for a Record Store Day Treasure Hunt: Keep an eye out for the special branding when you dig for vinyl this Saturday and you could score a free record from a beloved Aussie musician. The annual celebration of independent music merchants, Record Store Day, is back this Saturday, April 22, and there are a heap of exciting activations across the country hoping to draw patrons out to their local shop and have them flicking through stacks of vinyl. One such activity is a nationwide record treasure hunt being held by the Australian Music Vault. If you want to take part in the hunt and possibly get your hands on a free record from a beloved Aussie artist, all you have to do is head to your local record store and keep an eye out for releases marked with special Australian Music Vault branding on the front. If you find one of these gems, flash it at the counter where they’ll confirm it’s a winner and you can take it home to spin on your turntable, free of charge.
Lubbock, TX | Exclusive, Rare & Awesome: Record Store Day is coming to Ralph’s Records in Lubbock: Record Store Day returns to Lubbock’s Ralph’s Records (82nd & Indiana) this Saturday, April 22nd. It’s a day for audiophiles and vinyl enthusiasts to pick up rare, exclusive, small-run/ regional, and first-run vinyl records from our locally-owned, heritage record store. Ralph’s has been part of the Lubbock community for over 42 years and remains a cultural gem in the Hub City. In fact, I saw Ralph and the Lubbock Arts Festival this weekend. Neat! Record Store Day has many special releases this year, and it will be a surprise which titles off the list Ralph’s will receive. You can view the entire list here, but here are a few from my personal “short list” that I’ll be on the hunt for…
Portland, ME | Face the Music: Vinyl collectors are a growing group, and Record Store Day is their Christmas: The annual event, held since 2008 to support independent record stores, is happening Saturday. Record Store Day, which happens Saturday in Maine and all around the world, is the equivalent of Christmas and your birthday to those who love, collect and listen to vinyl and like to support independent record stores. Special vinyl from both lesser-known indie artists and mega stars is released, and the quantities are limited. Vinyl fans (myself included) nerd out hard and proud, as evidenced by the long lines of aficionados who wait, sometimes for hours, outside record retailers in Maine to increase the odds of scoring our “must-haves.” There are hundreds of titles on this year’s list including from Chet Baker, The Cranberries, Grateful Dead, Billy Joel and Dolly Parton. It’s important to note that not every store is carrying every title, and it’s best to check what they’ll have in advance.
UK | Is Record Store Day still worth it? …There are some gems in 2023, but the number of rarities gets smaller each year while the overall list of releases gets larger. Blur are marking their comeback with The Special Collector’s Edition LP, a compilation of B-Sides previously only available in CD in Japan, and the Dub version of Foals’ Life Is Yours is promising. But do we really need remixes of When Will I Be Famous? and I Owe You Nothing by Bros or alternative mixes of early U2 singles? Their fans might disagree, but such releases seem cynical in the extreme yet are a predictable consequence of major labels smelling the money. And there is internal competition too: many smaller stores have voiced their frustration at Rough Trade, the behemoth of independent record stores, having comfortably the largest stock allocation while they are left to fight over scraps.
