Record Store Day drops list

Record Store Day returns on Saturday, April 18, with hundreds of limited vinyl releases landing at independent shops instead of online checkouts. (recordstoreday.com) The official Record Store Day site says the 2026 special titles go on sale only at participating brick-and-mortar stores on April 18, and stores choose for themselves which records to order. The event’s own rules say there are no pre-orders, and any leftover stock may go online starting Sunday, April 19. (recordstoreday.com) Music sites are already turning the release slate into shopping guides. Louder published a roundup of 164 releases on April 17, while TechRadar posted a shorter list of 13 staff picks that its homepage says includes titles by Taylor Swift, The Cure, Pavement and Public Service Broadcasting. (loudersound.com, techradar.com) Record Store Day is built around scarcity. The official site splits titles into “Exclusive,” “RSD First” and “Small Run/Regional,” meaning some records stay indie-store-only, some may reach other retailers later, and some are limited to regional sales or runs under 1,000 copies. (recordstoreday.com) That format pushes fans into stores early and gives local shops a sales spike they do not get from streaming. Louder noted on April 17 that Record Store Day is the biggest day of the year for many independent retailers. (loudersound.com) In Chicago, WBEZ reported on April 16 that more than three dozen area shops are expected to mark the day, and it highlighted 10 stores with DJ sets, live music and promotions. The station said Beverly Records will offer 20% off used vinyl, Bridgeport Records plans live DJs, and Dusty Groove will open at 7 a.m. with hundreds of limited releases. (wbez.org) WBEZ also reported that Laurie’s Planet of Sound plans to put out rare used LPs saved for Saturday, while Out of the Past Records in Garfield Park will open two hours early. The same story said some Chicago stores have drawn lines around the block, with a few customers arriving the night before. (wbez.org) The event has been running for nearly two decades. Record Store Day says it was conceived in 2007 by independent record store owners and employees, and the first one was held on April 19, 2008. (recordstoreday.com) For shoppers, the practical takeaway is simple: check what your local store actually ordered, get there early on April 18, and look again on April 19 if your first-choice title is gone. (recordstoreday.com)