Record Store Day drops

Record Store Day returns on Saturday, April 18, with limited-run vinyl releases landing at independent shops in the United States, the United Kingdom and other participating markets. (recordstoreday.com) The official Record Store Day site says the event began in 2008 after record-store owners and staff conceived it in 2007, and it now spans nearly 1,400 independent stores in the United States plus thousands more internationally. (recordstoreday.com) This year’s official list includes special releases tied to artists including Taylor Swift, Paramore, Charli XCX and Weezer, with the titles sold through participating stores rather than a single national chain. (recordstoreday.com) In New York, Rockefeller Center will host the fifth iNDIEPLAZA event on April 18 from noon to 9 p.m., and organizers told Time Out the free festival is expected to draw tens of thousands of people. (timeout.com) Record Store Day works differently from a standard album launch: stores get the same official release list, but inventory varies by shop and many titles are pressed in limited quantities, which is why lines often form before opening. (recordstoreday.com) The United Kingdom arm of the event said more than 300 participating shops across the United Kingdom and Ireland are involved this year, up from the “over 260” figure cited in its February launch post. (recordstoreday.co.uk 1) (recordstoreday.co.uk 2) Record Store Day United Kingdom also named Robert Plant its 2026 Record Store Legend, and the official U.S. site says he has an exclusive release for the event, “Saving Grace: All That Glitters.” (recordstoreday.co.uk) (recordstoreday.com) The British organizers tied this year’s push to vinyl’s commercial momentum, citing Digital Entertainment and Retail Association figures showing 7.5 million records sold in the United Kingdom last year, worth £238 million. (pandvrecords.co.uk) For shoppers, the practical detail is simple: the date is April 18, the releases are store-specific and limited, and the official Record Store Day store locators are where organizers direct buyers to check who is participating before they queue. (recordstoreday.com 1) (recordstoreday.com 2)