What Are You Looking Forward to from RSD?
The greatest and grandest of all holidays is nearly here! That’s right, I’m talking Record Store Day. This is the day where music lovers and vinyl collectors’ line up outside their favorite record shop for exclusive pressings from their favorite artists. Record Store Day (RSD) was created to celebrate the culture of independent record stores, not owned by big corporations. By partnering with musicians to release exclusive pressings of records, this day encourages music nerds and those self-acclaimed black circle spinning snobs (me included), to show up and support their favorite wax pushers instead of shopping at big box stores.
Record Store Day was created with a nod to “Free Comic Book Day”. Its inspiration came from an independently owned record store ownership meeting in Baltimore. Founded officially by Michael Kurtz, Eric Leven, Amy Dorfman, Carrie Colliton, Brian Poehner, and Don Van Cleave, Record Store Day was established in 2007 in celebration of individual artists. Packed with performances, special appearances, and meet-and-greets, Record Store Day celebrated everything musical while upholding the individuality of each store.
Above all else RSD, like this site, is about community. A chance for us to gather and share our love of music and of course, grow our collection with rarities and limited editions. Not only that, but to support our friends at our favorite hangouts, the local record shop. We want those places to live and to grow with us. I find myself seeking solace and cathartic escapism every time I go picking new discs. My fingers flipping through the plastic sheathed albums as my eyes dart back and forth, hoping to find that title I’ve been searching for. That sense of quest for me is much like that of any other collector or hobbyist, I suppose. The want is the drive that makes this day so thrilling. There are only so many of these productions pressed, so the race is on.
We stand outside in the elements, hours before opening. We have done our due diligence by studying the lists provided by the record companies and artists of what will be available. We scroll through endless posts on social media platforms to see who has what and when.
One of the thrills before the shopkeeper invites you in is standing side by side with a fellow enthusiast and chatting about what they are looking for, and why it means so much to them. I am that. I am the interested party. However, most stand stoic and silent to not tip their hat and have that precious jewel plucked from their reaches.
Whatever the reasons, the feelings and connections to the art bring us here. Taylor Swift even said, “Record stores are so important because they help to perpetuate and foster music-loving as a passion. They create settings for live events. They employ people who adore music thoroughly and purely.” Unfortunately for those Swifties, there is no special occasion drop by Tay Tay.
Record Store Day has revealed the extensive list of the highly sought after vinyl, box sets, and other specialty releases that will be available as part of its 2024 edition taking place on Saturday, April 20th.
This year promises exclusive wax from Talking Heads, David Bowie, At the Drive-In, The Weeknd, 1975, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Daft Punk, Blur, The Replacements, Screaming Trees, Sonic Youth, Pearl Jam, and more. There are nearly 400 new titles available on this 17th anniversary of RSD.
You can find specifics on some of the most notable releases below, and find many more detailed at the Record Store Day website.
Happy Hunting
