Record Store Day preview

Record Store Day returns on Saturday, April 18, with more than 365 limited releases headed to independent shops and some stores already warning of early sellouts. (recordstoreday.com) (amoeba.com) The official 2026 list from Record Store Day includes releases tied to Taylor Swift, Robert Plant, the Grateful Dead and Charli XCX, alongside catalog titles from acts including Pink Floyd, Madonna and Miles Davis. (recordstoreday.com 1) (recordstoreday.com 2) Record Store Day named Bruno Mars its 2026 ambassador, and the event is also issuing an April 18 exclusive LP, *Bruno Mars - The Collaborations*, with 11,000 copies listed on the official release page. (recordstoreday.com 1) (recordstoreday.com 2) The annual event was created in 2007 by independent record store owners and employees, and the first Record Store Day was held on April 19, 2008. Record Store Day says it now includes nearly 1,400 independently owned stores in the United States and thousands more internationally. (recordstoreday.com) That structure still shapes how the day works in 2026: the special titles are released at participating stores, and the official site tells buyers to check with local shops for stock and rules rather than ordering directly from Record Store Day. (recordstoreday.com) Collectors’ lists are already steering attention toward a few likely rush titles. Goldmine highlighted 10 releases to watch on April 13, while Amoeba described this year’s slate as “over 365 special releases.” (goldminemag.com) (amoeba.com) One of the more notable reissues is Flying Lotus’ *1983*, which Brainfeeder is reissuing on limited gold splatter vinyl for Record Store Day 2026. Inverted Audio said the album was first released on compact disc in 2006 and first pressed on vinyl in 2011. (48hills.org) (inverted-audio.com) Local stores are preparing for the day as a crowd event as much as a sales event. Worcester shop Spin the Black Circle told *Worcester News* that 2026 will be its fourth year taking part, after lines on Pump Street and onto the High Street during last year’s Record Store Day. (worcesternews.co.uk) The same store expects to stock more than 350 limited-edition records this year, according to local reports, a reminder that the April 18 scramble will be driven by what each shop actually receives. (msn.com) (recordstoreday.com) By Saturday morning, the biggest names on the list may pull the longest lines, but the event still turns on the same old rule: get to an independent record store early and hope your shop got the copy you want. (recordstoreday.com) (worcesternews.co.uk)