Record Store Day lineup

Record Store Day returns on Saturday, April 18, with more than 350 special releases headed to participating independent shops and no guaranteed way to reserve them. (recordstoreday.com) (goldminemag.com) The official 2026 list says the titles will be sold only through participating brick-and-mortar stores on the day, and Record Store Day says it does not sell the records itself or allow pre-orders. (recordstoreday.com) Each store chooses its own order from the list, so shoppers can face a second layer of scarcity: a title may be on the national slate but absent from a local bin. Record Store Day divides the slate into “Exclusive,” “Record Store Day First,” and “Small Run/Regional” releases, with the last category covering press runs under 1,000 or titles aimed at specific markets. (recordstoreday.com) That system helps explain why queues form before sunrise at some stores. In Worcester, Massachusetts, Spin The Black Circle told the Boston Herald it expects to stock more than 350 limited-edition records for April 18. (bostonherald.com) Record Store Day was created in 2007 by independent record store owners and staff, and the first event was held on April 19, 2008. The organization says it now represents nearly 1,400 independently owned stores in the United States and thousands more internationally. (recordstoreday.com 1) (recordstoreday.com 2) This year’s ambassador is Bruno Mars, who said independent record stores matter because listeners can “immerse and surround” themselves with music there. Record Store Day organizer Michael Kurtz told Goldmine that Mars had already done two Record Store Day releases before taking the 2026 role. (recordstoreday.com) (goldminemag.com) The official list mixes big-pop draws with collector bait. Record Store Day’s own pages highlight releases tied to Bruno Mars, Robert Plant, Elton John and Taylor Swift, including a Bruno Mars compilation limited to 11,000 copies and a Taylor Swift seven-inch single. (recordstoreday.com 1) (recordstoreday.com 2) (recordstoreday.com 3) Goldmine’s April 8 preview pointed readers toward releases including Joni Mitchell’s original version of “For the Roses,” Billy Squier’s restored “Tell the Truth,” and Tommy Keene’s “Songs From the Film,” all framed by Kurtz as examples of artists or labels revisiting shelved or altered projects. (goldminemag.com) If shoppers miss out on April 18, Record Store Day says stores may choose to post leftover inventory online starting Sunday, April 19. The organization says buyers should check store websites and marketplace accounts rather than turn first to resellers. (recordstoreday.com)