Record Store Day slate

Record Store Day’s April 18 release slate is pushing fans back into indie shops early, with stores already warning that some titles could disappear fast. (recordstoreday.com) The official 2026 list includes Record Store Day exclusives tied to Taylor Swift, Charli XCX, Robert Plant and the Grateful Dead, with releases ranging from seven-inch singles to multi-LP sets. (recordstoreday.com) Taylor Swift’s entry is an “Elizabeth Taylor” seven-inch on Republic, while Charli XCX is issuing “party 4 u” as a seven-inch vinyl single for the first time, with 8,000 copies listed. (recordstoreday.com 1) (recordstoreday.com 2) The Grateful Dead slate includes “Boston Music Hall, Boston, MA 6/11/76,” a five-LP Rhino set, and “On A Back Porch, Vol. 3,” another exclusive LP; Robert Plant’s “Saving Grace: All that Glitters...” is listed as a four-track release. (recordstoreday.com 1) (recordstoreday.com 2) (recordstoreday.com 3) Record Store Day’s rules are built around in-person shopping: the organization says it does not sell the releases itself, stores order directly from distributors, and not every participating shop will carry every title. (recordstoreday.com) The same guidance also bars pre-orders for the special releases and says any unsold copies may go online starting Sunday, April 19, 2026. (recordstoreday.com) That setup helps explain the lines. Record Store Day says the event began in 2007 as an effort by independent record store owners and employees to celebrate shop culture, and the first one was held on April 19, 2008. (recordstoreday.com) Local stores are planning around that rush. Worcester shop Spin The Black Circle told Worcester News it expects music fans to queue “in their hundreds” for one-day limited editions on April 18. (worcesternews.co.uk) Spin The Black Circle said it plans to stock more than 350 limited-edition records, and the store sold through its Taylor Swift and Oasis Record Store Day titles within 20 minutes last year. (worcesternews.co.uk 1) (worcesternews.co.uk 2) In Catonsville, Maryland, Trax on Wax told WBAL-TV that National Record Store Day is coming up next week and promoted the event as a chance to shop local, another sign that stores are treating April 18 as a high-traffic morning. (wbaltv.com) For buyers, the practical details are simple: show up at a participating indie store on Saturday, April 18, expect that selection will vary by shop, and assume the biggest exclusives may not last long. (recordstoreday.com)