Record Store Day hits April 18
Record Store Day is happening on Saturday, April 18, with local events and exclusive releases across cities like Nashville and Phoenix and stores such as Vinyl Tap, Third Man Records, Grimey’s, ZIA, Stinkweeds and Tracks in Wax ( ). Coverage frames the day as a heavy collector market with scarce exclusives, and outlets are issuing store-by-store guides to help shoppers prioritize releases ( ).
Record Store Day returns on Saturday, April 18, with exclusive vinyl releases landing at independent shops on a first-come, first-served basis. (recordstoreday.com) The official Record Store Day site says stores choose their own orders, most shops will not stock every title, and there are no preorders for the April 18 drop. Unsold copies may go online starting Sunday, April 19. (recordstoreday.com) This year’s list includes more than 350 special releases, according to Hypebot, which described the event as a test of “physicality, scarcity, and the Superfan economy.” The official list sorts titles into “Exclusive,” “RSD First,” and “Small Run/Regional” categories. (hypebot.com, recordstoreday.com) Some of the highest-profile titles come with tight quantities. Record Store Day lists Slipknot’s *Look Outside Your Window* at 2,300 copies, Ethel Cain’s first vinyl pressing of *Inbred* at 6,500, Charli xcx’s “party 4 u” 7-inch at 8,000, and Bruno Mars’ *The Collaborations* at 11,000. (recordstoreday.com, recordstoreday.com, recordstoreday.com, recordstoreday.com) Bruno Mars is the 2026 Record Store Day ambassador, and organizers are using him as the face of this year’s campaign. His ambassador release packages hits including “Uptown Funk,” “Die With A Smile,” and “APT.” into a single Record Store Day exclusive. (recordstoreday.com, recordstoreday.com) Local guides in Nashville and Phoenix are steering shoppers store by store because inventory will vary sharply by shop. The Arizona Republic said Phoenix buyers are planning around stores including ZIA, Stinkweeds, Tracks in Wax and Asylum. (azcentral.com, recordstoreday.com) Record Store Day started in 2007 as an idea from independent record store owners and employees, and the first event was held on April 19, 2008. The organization says it now centers on nearly 1,400 independently owned stores in the United States and thousands more internationally. (recordstoreday.com) For buyers, the practical rule on April 18 is simple: the list is national, but the hunt is local. Record Store Day’s own guidance says the records are meant to be found in brick-and-mortar shops, not on the event’s website. (recordstoreday.com)
