Record Store Day plans

If you want one of the big Record Store Day exclusives on Saturday, April 18, the first thing to know is that there is no central checkout page and no guaranteed stock list. Record Store Day says the releases start at participating brick-and-mortar stores on April 18, each store orders its own titles, and most stores will not carry everything on the official list. (recordstoreday.com) That changes the whole strategy from “buy the record” to “pick the store.” Record Store Day says there are no pre-orders for these titles, stores with a Pledge Badge are the ones allowed to bring in the official releases, and leftover copies may go online only after the event, starting Sunday, April 19. (recordstoreday.com) This year’s New York focal point is Rockefeller Center, where Rough Trade and Rockefeller Center are staging the fifth annual iNDIEPLAZA on Saturday, April 18. Time Out reports the free event runs from noon to 9 p.m. and is expected to draw tens of thousands of fans to 30 Rock. (timeout.com) The buying starts before the concerts do. Time Out says Rough Trade’s rink-level Rockefeller Center shop opens sales at 9 a.m., the upstairs location starts at 10 a.m., and Rockefeller Center’s own event calendar lists iNDIEPLAZA from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on April 18. (timeout.com) (rockefellercenter.com) The releases getting the most attention are not all equally scarce, which matters if you are deciding whether to line up at dawn. Record Store Day lists Taylor Swift’s “Elizabeth Taylor” as a 7-inch exclusive, Paramore’s “All We Know Is Falling (Deluxe)” as a 7,000-copy exclusive, Charli xcx’s “party 4 u” as an 8,000-copy exclusive, and Weezer’s “1192” as a 3,000-copy “Record Store Day First” release rather than a permanent indie-only exclusive. (recordstoreday.com 1) (recordstoreday.com 2) (recordstoreday.com 3) (recordstoreday.com 4) Those labels on the official list are the fine print collectors care about. Record Store Day says “Exclusive” means the record is physically released only at independent stores, “Record Store Day First” means it appears at indie stores first but may later reach other retailers or webstores, and “Small Run/Regional” means a press run under 1,000 or a geographically limited release. (recordstoreday.com) The easiest way to avoid wasting a line is to build a short list instead of a giant wish list. Record Store Day publishes the full 2026 release list on its site, and the official page is designed so shoppers can print it as a wishlist or shopping guide before they start calling stores. (recordstoreday.com 1) (recordstoreday.com 2) Rockefeller Center is also treating the day like a festival, not just a retail rush. Time Out says the lineup includes Superchunk, Avalon Emerson, Incendiary, Hotline TNT, Momma, Winter, Friko, Nuovo Testamento and Weird Nightmare, while Rockefeller Center lists a separate family event called TiNY iNDIE in the morning. (timeout.com) (rockefellercenter.com) So the practical play for April 18 is simple: pick one or two titles, confirm which local stores actually ordered them, and get to the opening time that matches the counter where they will be sold. If you miss out, Record Store Day says the next window to watch is Sunday, April 19, when stores may start listing leftover copies online instead of feeding the resale market. (recordstoreday.com)