When Record Store Day debuted back in 2008, the annual celebration of all things vinyl music featured a meager 10 "special release" albums, primarily from independent artists with cult followings. A decade on, this year's incarnation will see the release of well over 350 records, a large portion of them coming from major record labels like Sony, RCA, and Disney. Even Spotify will be entering the vinyl record market thanks to a special edition collaboration with Sia.
With so many albums dropping on the same day, here's a quick rundown of how to best spend your Record Store Day.
Exclusive RSD releases and Limited Run records
The term "limited edition" takes on a special quality on Record Store Day. Some Limited Run releases only have 300 copies available across North America and will not be available outside of brick and mortar stores participating in the day. Vinyl fans used to shopping exclusively online may have some luck finding these titles on eBay after the fact, but the best chance of snagging a Limited Run record without paying extra is lining up at a local shop on Record Store Day.
Limited Run Releases to look for:
- Pink Floyd - "London 1966 - 1967"
- A 12" Picture Disc featuring the original Pink Floyd lineup; 650 copies available
- Blondie - "Long Time"
- This 7" vinyl includes the song "Long Time" from the band's latest album, plus an additional song released only for Record Store Day; 750 copies available
- Corey Feldman - "Go 4 It" (feat. Snoop Dogg)
- 1980s teen actor Corey Feldman performed this song on the "Today Show" back in March. The studio recording featuring Snoop Dogg will only be available for one day; 1000 copies available.
Exclusive Releases are available in higher quantities, with between 1,050 to 7,000 rationed between the stores.
This category is where shoppers can find the most popular artists and some back-catalog releases from some of classic rock's biggest names. Depending on the popularity of the title, some of these titles may linger in stores a little longer than Limited Run albums, but most are likely to sell-out shortly following release.
Exclusive Releases to look for:
- Elton John - "17.11.70"
- A 2-disc LP of a classic radio show appearance. The performance was previously released as a single disc, but this is the first time it will be sold in its entirety; 4000 copies
- David Bowie - "Cracked Actor"
- Recorded in Los Angeles around the same time Bowie was beginning work on his transformative "Young Americans" album, this 1974 concert has long been a fan-favourite bootleg recording; 5,000 copies
- Motorhead - "Clean Your Clock"
- This may be another live album on the list, but fans know Motorhead wasn't just another live band. Recorded in Munich in 2015, this double LP picture disc set is a fitting tribute to the late Lemmy Kilmister on Record Store Day.
'RSD First' releases available in short supply
Albums falling under the "RSD First" umbrella should be considered similar to first edition books -- these titles will be available in short supply at first, but they will either be re-released on vinyl at a later date or released in other formats shortly following April 22nd.
While these are not the most exclusive or valuable albums, there are some gems to be found and fans can enjoy owning a piece of music from their favorite artists ahead of everyone else.
Record Store Day First releases worth noting:
- Prince - 6 titles available
- The musical estate of the late pop icon will be releasing a total of 6 "RSD First" 12" discs including "Sign O The Times", "I Wish You Heaven", "Party Man", "Pop Life", "I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man", and "Batdance"; number of copies available varies by title
- Dave Matthews Band - "Live at Red Rocks"
- The band's 1995 concert remains their most successful live album to date with over 2 million copies sold. Available for the first time on vinyl, this generation X classic has been revived as a 4-LP, silver disc collection.
Record Store Day 2017 is on April 22nd at more than 300 independent record shops across the country. Available releases vary by store. Fans who miss out on the spring edition can look forward to the recently added second RSD, happening annually around Thanksgiving.
