Record Store Day week

Record Store Day is seven days away, and independent shops are preparing for another rush of limited vinyl releases on Saturday, April 18. (recordstoreday.com) Record Store Day’s official 2026 list says the special titles will be sold at participating stores on April 18, and the event site says the celebration now spans nearly 1,400 independently owned stores in the United States and thousands more internationally. (recordstoreday.com 1) (recordstoreday.com 2) One of this year’s headline names is Robert Plant, who was named the 2026 Record Store Legend and is tied to an exclusive release, *Saving Grace: All That Glitters… with Suzi Dian*. The Record Store Day listing says the 12-inch vinyl extended play is limited to 3,500 copies. (recordstoreday.com 1) (recordstoreday.com 2) Another featured release is Flying Lotus’ 2006 debut album *1983*, which Brainfeeder is reissuing on limited-edition gold-splatter vinyl for the event. Inverted Audio reported on April 11 that its Peckham shop expects copies in store on the day. (inverted-audio.com) The annual event is built around scarcity: stores get exclusive or short-run pressings, and buyers line up early because many titles are available only once and only through participating independents. The official Record Store Day guide tells shoppers to use the list as a wishlist and buy through local stores rather than a central online sale. (recordstoreday.com 1) (recordstoreday.com 2) That demand starts long before doors open. Goldmine reported on April 11 that Microforum Service Group, one of the plants making Record Store Day releases, operates a 60,000-square-foot vinyl and compact disc manufacturing facility. (goldminemag.com) Record Store Day began after a 2007 meeting of independent record store owners and employees, and the first event was held on April 19, 2008, according to the organizers. What started as a retail promotion is now a yearly release calendar that labels, artists, and pressing plants plan around months in advance. (recordstoreday.com) (recordstoreday.com) For shoppers, the practical date is fixed: Saturday, April 18, 2026. For stores, the race is already on to turn one morning of queues into a full day of sales before the most wanted records are gone. (recordstoreday.com)