Hello, music lovers!
So a few days ago I introduced you all to Record Store Day and the magic of record stores and vinyl. But how do these special RSD releases work, you ask? What’s being released? How can I get my hands on them?
This is where the Record Store Day site comes in handy. This year’s list was released a few weeks ago, and there are hundreds of releases, so there’s likely a little something for everyone. You can view the list here.
A little bit about the jargon used to classify the releases, according to the RSD site:
- The first heading of releases are “RSD Exclusive Releases.” This simply means that they are only available for release on this year’s Record Store Day, April 19, and only at participating record stores. Keep in mind that not all participating stores will carry all of these releases. Talk to your local shop to see what kind of inventory they’ll have for Record Store Day.
- The second heading is for “RSD Limited Run/Regional Focus Releases.” Like the first heading, these are only available on April 19 and only at participating record stores. But these are available in much more limited quantities (in some cases fewer than 1000 total) or only in certain regions. If you really want to get your hands on these, call your local store and see if they’ll have it, and be prepared to get to the store early to ensure your copy, as stores might not hold releases for customers.
- The third heading is for “Record Store Day First Releases.” This means that these selections are being released in limited quantities at participating stores on April 19 but will later (usually in a month or two) be available for purchase at other stores and retailers.
Keep in mind that not all of the releases are available only on vinyl; some are being released on CD format, too, so folks who don’t listen to records can still get their hands on some of the goodies.
Here are some (definitely not all, though) of the releases I’m hoping I can score at my hometown shop:
- The Animals, The Animals EP I’ll admit, I don’t know much by The Animals apart from “House of the Rising Sun.” But I’m a sucker for early rock and roll, and this EP was never released in the U.S.
- Broken Bells, Holding On For Life These guys have been on my radar for a little bit now, and I have yet to listen to their second album, After the Disco. This RSD release contains the original version of After the Disco’s first single, “Holding on for Life,” plus a few remixes and instrumental versions.
- Dawes/Conor Oberst, Split 7 Dawes covering Conor Oberst, Conor Oberst covering Dawes. Only two songs, but it still sounds pretty great.
- Jimmy Page and The Black Crowes, Live at the Greek The Black Crowes featuring one of the most legendary guitarists of all time. On pretty red, clear, and blue vinyl. I’m all over this.
- Bruce Springsteen, American Beauty Do I really need justification to buy a Bruce Springsteen release? I think no.
And here are some (again, not all) other notable titles:
- Bastille, Of The Night (picture disc) British pop band Bastille has taken the world by storm recently, and though they are still a fairly new band, they’ve already decided to get in on the Record Store Day action. Bastille fans, take note.
- Creedence Clearwater Revival, The 1969 Singles I already have these songs in other formats so I might skip this one, but then again, I do love me some CCR, and having some of their stuff on vinyl is a tempting thought.
- Haim, Forever Haim seems to have become everybody’s favorite girl band. Fans might be interested in this release, which features two versions of “Forever” and the song “Edge.”
- Ray LaMontagne, Supernova Ray LaMontagne is back, and his upcoming album was produced by Black Keys lead singer Dan Auerbach. If this album is anything like its first single, “Supernova,” it’s going to sound much different than the Ray LaMontagne that I know and love.
- R.E.M., Unplugged: The Complete 1991 and 2001 Sessions I’m still sad that R.E.M. called it quits a few years ago. If you’re sad, too, maybe this set will make things a little better. It’s a four-vinyl set, so the price will likely be too steep for me, and it’s a limited run release, so my local store might not even carry it. But I would love to get my hands on this one.
Not sure if there’s a participating record store near you? Be sure to visit the site’s store locator to find out. Many stores celebrate Record Store Day with in-store performances by local artists as well as deals and giveaways, so be sure to visit your local store’s website and social media pages to see what kinds of events and deals they have planned for the day.
Happy Record Store Day!
Live, Love, Learn,